Govcon CRM Compared: 5 Tools, Pricing Table, Free Setup

By Aoba Works · Published November 2, 2026 · 15 min read

• Sam.gov

A govcon CRM tracks the federal opportunities you're chasing, the agency contacts behind them and where each bid stands. The govcon-specific tools here are Unanet CRM, GovDash and TechnoMile. None of them publish prices on their official pages as of 2026-11-02, and GovDash sends buyers to sales for pricing. General CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce publish prices, but you have to set them up before they fit federal bidding. Many first-time bidders can start with a free spreadsheet plus SAM.gov saved searches. It's worth paying once you have more opportunities, teammates and deadlines than one sheet can handle.

Which option is right for you?

Pick based on how many bids you're actually working and who on your team has to see them.

CRM vs capture management vs proposal tool: the difference

These are three different jobs, and vendors often bundle them, so first decide which job is actually hurting you.

• Opportunity search finds notices: SAM.gov, agency portals, eBuy. The Federal Service Desk says "You do not need to sign in to SAM.gov to search for contract opportunities," but you must be logged in to save searches and to follow records (FSD: searching Contract Opportunities, FSD: saving a search, FSD: following items).
• CRM / pipeline management stores the record of each pursuit: agency, contacts, value, stage, next action, due date.
• Capture management is the work done before the RFP drops: customer meetings, competitor and incumbent research, teaming, win themes and the go/no-go decision. Unanet describes its capture module as helping teams make "informed decisions about which contracts to pursue" (Unanet).
• Proposal tools handle the response itself: compliance matrices, outlines and drafted sections. GovDash, for example, lists compliance matrix generation and section drafting among its capabilities, alongside its GovCon CRM (GovDash).

If your problem is "I never see the right notices," you need better searches, not a CRM. If it's "we found it, but missed the questions deadline," you need a pipeline with dates. If it's "we ran out of time writing," you need help with your proposal process. At the small-business stage, no single category of software fixes all three.

What a small contractor actually needs to track

The list below is an example set of 12 fields we use in this guide, not an official requirement. None of them need paid software.

For each pursuit, for example, record:

1. Notice ID and title (from SAM.gov)
2. Agency and office
3. Notice type: Sources Sought, presolicitation, combined synopsis/solicitation, and so on. A Sources Sought notice is an early signal worth answering (how to respond).
4. NAICS code and the size standard it carries
5. Set-aside type (total small business, 8(a), WOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone or none)
6. Questions due date and response due date
7. Estimated value and contract type
8. Incumbent, if any. Past award data on USAspending.gov award search may help you identify it
9. Contracting officer / contract specialist name and email
10. Stage (see the stages below)
11. Bid/no-bid decision, date and reason
12. Next action and owner

Two more items pay off later: a link to the folder holding the solicitation files, and a "lessons" note once the award is announced. If you already have a capability statement, record which version went to which buyer.

Tools compared side by side

The five software options and the spreadsheet route are listed alphabetically below. Product descriptions come from each vendor's own pages and are the vendor's claims. Where a page shows no price, we say so rather than guess at the vendor's pricing model. Everything is as of November 2026, so check the official pages before you decide.

Who each tool is NOT for

GovDash shows only annual plans on its pricing page. The page describes the Starter plan as an "Annual plan" with "1 Full seat to start," and says of Flex seats: "AI and Dash workflows use team credits" (GovDash pricing, as of November 2026; check the official page). No prices are shown; the page directs buyers to sales. On security, the vendor states that GovDash is "FedRAMP Moderate Equivalent & Ready" and cites "DFARS 252.204‑7012 compliance for CUI" (GovDash, as of November 2026; check the official page). We have not verified these statements; they are the vendor's own claims, so ask GovDash for supporting documentation. They matter mostly if you handle controlled information.

HubSpot free CRM lists contact management and deal pipelines among its free features (HubSpot). The free tier allows up to 2 users and 1,000 contacts (HubSpot). It has no built-in set-aside or NAICS fields, so you add those as custom fields yourself. The Starter discounts ($7/seat/month with annual upfront payment, or $10/seat/month billed monthly) are for new customers only. HubSpot also notes that some offers are available for a limited time (HubSpot, as of November 2026; check the official page).

Salesforce Sales Cloud is a general CRM with no govcon fields preset, so the govcon setup (NAICS, set-aside, notice ID, gates) is done by you or a consultant. In our view, that work is easier with an admin on hand. Salesforce's pricing page says editions are billed annually unless noted, and only Starter Suite is noted as monthly or annual (Salesforce, as of November 2026; check the official page).

The spreadsheet stops working for teams where several people edit stages at once, or where leadership wants win-rate dashboards. It has no automatic reminders unless you build them.

TechnoMile lists no pricing on the Growth Suite page; the page offers "Schedule a Demo." Its small-business product, WinIt CRM, is "delivered on proven Salesforce platform technology," according to TechnoMile (TechnoMile). In our view, that matters most to teams deciding whether they want to work on the Salesforce platform.

Unanet CRM's product page emphasizes connecting to an ERP and using Go/No-Go forms that follow "the Shipley Method" (Unanet). The product page doesn't mention pricing.

Pricing: published vs not published

Only the two general-purpose CRMs publish prices. None of the three govcon-specific vendors show prices on their official pages as of 2026-11-02.

Published, as of November 2026 (check the official pages):

• HubSpot: Free $0 (2 users, 1,000 contacts, 1,000 records per other standard object). Starter is $20/month per seat list price. Discounted Starter pricing is for new customers only, and the $7 rate requires annual upfront payment (HubSpot).
• Salesforce Sales Cloud: Free Suite $0, then $25 / $100 / $195 / $395 / $550 per user per month for Starter Suite, Pro Suite, Core, Advanced and Max. Billing is annual unless noted (Salesforce).

Not published (as of November 2026; check the official pages):

• GovDash: says "Talk to sales for seat prices and credit allotments" (pricing page).
• TechnoMile: no price on the Growth Suite page (Growth Suite).
• Unanet CRM: the product page doesn't mention pricing (product page).

Unpublished pricing isn't a red flag. It does mean you should ask for the price in writing before you spend time on a long demo cycle. The quote should cover seat count, term length, implementation fees and renewal terms. For a two-person firm, compare a tool's yearly cost against the contracts you realistically expect to bid this year, not against the pipeline you hope to have.

Pipeline stages and a bid/no-bid checklist

For a small firm, six stages and one written go/no-go gate before you start writing are enough structure.

1. Identified: the notice matches your NAICS/keywords. Nothing decided yet.
2. Qualified: you checked the set-aside, size standard and place of performance, and you can legally compete. Confirm your size against the SBA size standard for the NAICS.
3. Capture: contact the contracting office, answer Sources Sought, look for past awards on USAspending.gov, line up teaming partners.
4. Bid/no-bid decision: a dated yes or no with a reason.
5. Proposal: writing, pricing, compliance check, submit.
6. Submitted → Won / Lost / Cancelled: record debrief notes.

Bid/no-bid checklist (example)

Answer each with yes/no. As an example rule, pass on the bid if you have two or more "no" answers in the first five.

• Are we eligible for the set-aside, and under the size standard for this NAICS?
• Can we meet the response deadline with a compliant submission?
• Do we have relevant past performance (ours, or a teammate's)?
• Do we know the customer, or did we respond to the Sources Sought/RFI?
• Can we price it at a profit, including limitations on subcontracting? See the 51 rule checklist.
• Is there an entrenched incumbent with good performance?
• Is it an RFQ we can answer quickly, or an RFP needing a full volume? See RFQ vs RFP.

A common mistake is skipping stage 2 and finding out at proposal time that the size standard rules you out. To prevent it, make "size standard checked" a required column before anything moves to Capture.

A free setup: spreadsheet plus SAM.gov saved searches

You can run a working pipeline for $0 with a SAM.gov account and one spreadsheet. A signed-in SAM.gov user can save Contract Opportunities searches and follow records (FSD: saving a search, FSD: following items). A login account isn't the same as a registered entity. FAR 4.1102 says "Offerors and quoters are required to be registered in SAM at the time an offer or quotation is submitted" (with listed exceptions) (FAR 4.1102; see our SAM.gov registration guide).

Step 1: Build the sheet

Create one tab named Pipeline with the 12 fields from earlier as columns. Add a Stage column with a dropdown limited to the six stages (Data → Data validation in Google Sheets or Excel). Add a second tab, Decisions, for the bid/no-bid answers.

Step 2: Create saved searches on SAM.gov

1. Sign in at SAM.gov, open Search and choose Contract Opportunities.
2. In the filters, set Keyword, your NAICS codes (under Product or Service Information) and the Set Aside types you qualify for. Limit Notice Type if you want only solicitations or only Sources Sought (FSD: searching Contract Opportunities).
3. After running the search, open the Actions menu, select Save, and give it a clear name, such as "541611 – SB set-aside – active."
4. Find your saved searches with the Saved Searches button above the results or in your Workspace (FSD: saving a search). Re-run them on a schedule. The interface changes, so check that the labels match that article.
5. For notices you're pursuing, open the notice and select Follow. In Workspace → Followed Records you can set the Email Frequency for update notifications on each item (FSD: following items, FSD: managing followed items).

Step 3: A weekly routine (example)

On Monday, re-run your saved searches and copy anything relevant into Pipeline as "Identified." On Wednesday, qualify or drop each one. On Friday, check update emails for followed notices and update due dates.

Common mistakes and fixes

• One giant search. It buries you in results. Make several narrow searches, one per NAICS or set-aside.
• Following but not saving. Following tracks one notice, while a saved search lets you re-run the same filters to find new ones. You need both.
• Missing amendments. Amendments can move due dates, so re-check the notice page before submitting.
• Account vs entity confusion. Help with SAM.gov accounts goes through the Federal Service Desk at fsd.gov. Questions about a specific solicitation go to the contracting officer named in the notice.

When to move to a paid tool

Move when the spreadsheet itself starts causing missed deadlines or duplicate work. Being able to afford a tool isn't the trigger.

Reasonable triggers:

• Example trigger (our illustration, not an official or industry figure): you have more than 15–20 active pursuits at once, and stages are going stale.
• Three or more people update the pipeline, especially if HubSpot's free 2-user limit is the only thing stopping you (HubSpot).
• You need formal go/no-go reviews with approvals. Unanet describes Go/No-Go forms and approval gates in its CRM (Unanet). Ask other vendors directly whether they support this.
• You're re-entering the same data from SAM.gov into a CRM, a proposal folder and a contract tracker.
• A prime or customer asks how you handle controlled unclassified information, and your tools can't answer.

It's probably too early if you haven't submitted a bid yet, if you mostly subcontract under one or two primes, or if your real gap is time for proposal writing. A sensible middle step is HubSpot free or one of Salesforce's entry editions with custom fields. Move to a govcon platform once you know which stages you actually use.

Questions to ask vendors

Ask these on the first call so you don't lose weeks waiting for a price.

1. What is the annual price for our exact seat count, and is there a minimum term or seat count? (For example, GovDash's Growth plan requires 8+ Full seats on an annual commitment, according to its pricing page.)
2. Are implementation, onboarding or data migration billed separately?
3. Does the price include opportunity search data, or is that a separate module or partner?
4. How do AI features bill: seats, credits or add-ons? What happens when credits run out?
5. Can we export all our pipeline data in CSV if we leave?
6. Which fields come preset for NAICS, set-aside, notice ID and contract vehicle?
7. Do you support go/no-go or gate reviews with approvals?
8. What is the cap on renewal price increases?
9. Is there a smaller package for firms with 1–5 users?

Next steps

Do today (DIY):

1. Create the Pipeline sheet with the 12 columns and the stage dropdown.
2. Sign in to SAM.gov, save two narrow searches for your main NAICS codes, and Follow any notice you plan to pursue.
3. Run the bid/no-bid checklist on the first notice that looks promising and write down the decision date.

If you'd rather not build it yourself: HubSpot's free CRM is a low-risk next step for 1–2 users at $0. Starter is $20/month per seat list price (as of November 2026; check the official page). HubSpot suits small teams that want reminders and a visual pipeline, but not teams that need govcon fields out of the box. Book demos with Unanet, GovDash or TechnoMile only when you have several active pursuits and a budget, since none of them publish prices. SBA says it and its network of partners "offer free or low-cost counseling and training," and its local-assistance page lists resource partners (SBDCs, SCORE, VBOCs, Women's Business Centers) and federal contracting assistance (SBA.gov). They won't run your pipeline for you.

Related guides on this site: How to bid on government contracts · Sources Sought response template · Total vs partial set-asides

• Compare the other two jobs: proposal-writing software and opportunity search tools.

FAQ

What is a govcon CRM?

It's a customer relationship management system set up for federal contracting. Instead of generic sales leads, it tracks notices, agencies, set-asides, NAICS codes, due dates and bid stages. Unanet, GovDash and TechnoMile market products built for govcon. HubSpot and Salesforce can be configured to hold the same fields.

Is there a free govcon CRM?

None of the govcon-specific vendors reviewed here publish a free plan. HubSpot's CRM is free for up to 2 users and 1,000 contacts with no time limit (HubSpot). A spreadsheet plus SAM.gov saved searches costs nothing.

Does SAM.gov send email alerts for new opportunities?

For notices you follow, yes. The Federal Service Desk says you can set how often you get email notifications for each followed record (FSD: managing followed items). The FSD article on saved searches describes saving and re-running them; it does not describe email alerts for new results (FSD: saving a search). You must be signed in to follow or save. As a precaution, check the notice on SAM.gov directly before deadlines rather than relying only on emails.

How much does Unanet CRM or GovDash cost?

Neither publishes prices. Unanet's product page doesn't mention pricing and offers "Get a Demo" (Unanet). GovDash says "Talk to sales for seat prices" (GovDash). Ask each for a written quote with seat count, term and fees.

Do I need a CRM before I win my first contract?

Usually not. If you're working a handful of pursuits, a tracked spreadsheet with a written bid/no-bid decision for each notice covers what you need. Add software when volume or team size makes the sheet unreliable.

Sources

• SAM.gov – Contract Opportunities
• Federal Service Desk – How do I save a search in SAM.gov?
• Federal Service Desk – How do I follow items on SAM.gov?
• Federal Service Desk – How do I search for Contract Opportunities in SAM.gov?
• Federal Service Desk – How do I manage an item I follow in SAM.gov?
• USAspending.gov – Award search
• FAR 4.1102 – Policy (SAM registration)
• SBA – Local assistance
• GovDash – Pricing
• GovDash – Product
• HubSpot – CRM pricing
• HubSpot – Free CRM
• Salesforce – Sales Cloud pricing
• TechnoMile – Home
• TechnoMile – Growth Suite
• Unanet – CRM for Government Contracting

Spotted something out of date or wrong? Tell us at shigoto.ai.note@gmail.com. Guides are re-checked against official sources on a rolling schedule.