National Archives and Records Administration
Abbreviation: NARA
Archivist of the United States (as of 2026): William J. Bosanko (Acting)
2026 Budget: $480M
CGAC Code: 8800
Website: archives.gov
The National Archives and Records Administration preserves and provides access to the records of the United States government. NARA also operates the Presidential Libraries system and administers the Electoral College.
Foundational documents in NARA's custody include the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
How to Win NARA Contracts
Winning work at the National Archives and Records Administrationmeans understanding a procurement culture that blends rigorous compliance, deep mission focus, and a preference for vendors who can speak the agency's language from day one. This guide walks through how NARA buys, the vehicles it uses, and the steps your company should take to go from registered vendor to awarded contractor.
Understanding NARA Procurement
The National Archives and Records Administration obligates roughly $150-250M annually in contracts supporting records management, Federal Records Center Program (FRCP), digitization, presidential libraries, and declassification.
NARA’s Electronic Records Archive (ERA) and digitization programs drive the largest contract volumes. Presidential library construction and operations add periodic surge spend.
How NARA Buys
NARA uses GSA MAS, OASIS+, and CIO-SP4 for most buys. The Acquisition Services Division runs procurement centrally.
Digitization contracts are often multi-year IDIQs. Presidential library construction uses FFP design-build vehicles.
Major Contract Vehicles
- NARA Digitization IDIQs— Paper-to-digital conversion for federal records holdings.
- ERA 2.0 (Electronic Records Archive)— Next-generation electronic records archive platform.
- FRCP Operations Contracts— Federal Records Center storage, retrieval, and disposition.
- OASIS+ and NITAAC CIO-SP4— Professional services and IT modernization.
- Presidential Library Construction— FFP construction for new presidential library complexes.
Step 1: Get Registered and Compliant
Required Registrations
NARA-Specific Requirements
Certification Programs
Step 2: Identify Opportunities
Primary Sources
Key Offices
Top Contract Types
Step 3: Position Your Company
Build Relationships
Relevant NAICS Codes
- 541512–Computer Systems Design
- 561410–Document Preparation Services
- 541611–Management Consulting
- 238210–Electrical Contractors
- 518210–Data Processing and Hosting
Step 4: Develop Winning Proposals
Technical Approach
Past Performance
Pricing Strategy
Winning Strategies
- Specialize in digitization, records management IT, or presidential library operations.
- Build FADGI-compliant imaging capacity for digitization work.
- Use OASIS+ and CIO-SP4 as primary vehicles.
- Track Executive Order 14076 and federal records policy developments.
- Partner with archival software vendors for ERA-adjacent work.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Bidding digitization without FADGI compliance and QC plans.
- Under-pricing records-center operations without understanding disposition cycles.
- Treating NARA like a generic federal IT buyer.
Small Business Programs
NARA consistently meets small-business goals with strong 8(a) and WOSB utilization on digitization and IT work.
Key Contracting Offices
- NARA Acquisition Services Division — College Park, MD
NARA by the Numbers
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