How to Write a Past Performance Section With No Past Performance

If you are a small business trying to break into government contracting, you have almost certainly run into this wall: the solicitation requires past performance, but you don't have any government contracts to reference. You need experience to win work, but you need work to get experience. It feels like the system is designed to keep you out. It isn't — but you need a strategy to get past this barrier. This guide gives you seven practical ways to build a credible past performance section even when you have no experience with government contracts.

The Chicken-and-Egg Problem

This is the single most frustrating barrier in government contracting for new businesses. Every RFP you read seems to require three to five references from similar government work. You check the evaluation criteria and past performance is weighted at 20-30% of the total score. You look at the competition and see firms that have been doing this work for a decade.

It is easy to conclude that the game is rigged. But here is what most new contractors don't realize: the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR 15.305(a)(2)) actually accounts for this situation. It states that firms with no past performance history cannot be evaluated favorably or unfavorably — they receive a neutral rating. The government knows that every contractor has to start somewhere.

That said, a neutral rating still puts you behind competitors who score well on past performance. So the real question isn't whether you can submit without past performance — it's how to present what you do have in a way that builds confidence with the evaluator.

What Evaluators Actually Look for in Past Performance

Before you worry about filling the gap, understand what evaluators are really after. They are not looking for a long list of contracts. They want confidence that you can deliver this specific scope of work. When an evaluator reviews your past performance section, they are asking three questions:

• Relevance: Is the work you have done before similar to what this contract requires? Similar in scope, complexity, dollar value, or technical requirements?
• Recency: Was this work performed recently enough to be meaningful? A project from 15 years ago is less compelling than one from the last 3-5 years.
• Quality: Did you perform well? Were there issues, and if so, how did you resolve them? Do your references speak positively about your work?

Notice what is not on that list: they do not require that the work was done for a government agency. They do not require that it was a prime contract. They do not require that it was done under your current company name. This is important because it opens up several legitimate strategies for building your past performance section.

7 Strategies to Fill the Past Performance Gap

If you have no past performance from government contracts, here are seven ways to build a credible section that gives evaluators the confidence they need.

1. Use Commercial and Private Sector Experience

This is the most important strategy for businesses with no government experience. Relevant work is relevant work, regardless of whether the client was a federal agency or a private company. If you have been providing IT services to mid-size corporations, that experience translates directly to government IT contracts. If you have been managing janitorial services for a hospital chain, that is relevant to a VA medical center cleaning contract.

The key is to present your commercial experience in the same format evaluators expect for government past performance. Include the project name, client, contract value, period of performance, scope of work, and measurable outcomes. Don't apologize for it being commercial — frame it as directly relevant experience that demonstrates your capability to perform.

2. Highlight Subcontracting Experience

If you have performed work as a subcontractor on a government contract, that is legitimate past performance. Many small businesses overlook this because they weren't the prime contractor, but the work you delivered is just as real. Document the prime contractor, the government agency, your specific scope of work, the value of your portion, and the results you achieved. Make sure you have permission from the prime contractor before listing them as a reference.

3. Leverage Team Members' Individual Past Performance

Your company may be new, but your people may not be. If your project manager spent ten years managing government contracts at a previous employer, that experience is a major asset. If your technical lead implemented the same type of system for three federal agencies before joining your firm, that matters.

Present your key personnel's individual track records clearly. Name the person, their role on your team, the relevant projects they led or contributed to, the agencies involved, and the outcomes. The evaluator is looking for evidence that your team can deliver. Individual past performance helps answer that question even when your company is new.

4. Start With Small Contracts

Not every government contract requires an extensive past performance history. Micro-purchases (under $10,000) often have no past performance requirements at all. Simplified acquisitions (under $250,000) have reduced evaluation criteria. These smaller contracts are specifically designed to be accessible to new entrants.

Winning even one or two small government contracts gives you legitimate federal past performance you can reference in larger proposals. Think of it as building your resume one contract at a time. Search SAM.gov for opportunities in your NAICS codes filtered to simplified acquisitions to find entry-level opportunities.

5. Get on GSA Schedule or Government-Wide Contract Vehicles

A GSA Schedule contract (also called a Multiple Award Schedule or MAS) can be obtained using commercial experience. Once you are on Schedule, government buyers can purchase from you through GSA Advantage, which creates government past performance. It is a stepping stone, not a shortcut — the application process is substantive — but it is one of the most established paths for businesses with commercial experience and no government track record.

6. Partner With an Established Prime Contractor

Teaming arrangements are one of the most effective ways to break in. Large prime contractors that hold government contracts often need small business subcontractors — in many cases, they are required to meet small business subcontracting goals. Reach out to primes in your industry and geographic area. Offer your specialized capability. Working under an experienced prime lets you build government past performance while the prime provides the track record the agency needs for the overall contract.

You can find subcontracting opportunities through the SBA's subcontracting directory and by contacting prime contractors' small business liaison officers directly.

7. Pursue Set-Aside Contracts

The federal government sets aside a significant percentage of contracts for small businesses through programs administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). These include:

• 8(a) Business Development Program: For socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses. Includes sole-source contracting authority up to $4.5 million for services.
• HUBZone Program: For businesses in Historically Underutilized Business Zones.
• Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB): For women-owned firms in underrepresented industries.
• Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB): For businesses owned by service-disabled veterans.

Evaluators in set-aside competitions are accustomed to reviewing proposals from newer firms. The competitive pool is smaller, and agencies actively want to award these contracts to qualifying businesses. If you are eligible for any of these programs, apply. Your local APEX Accelerator (formerly PTAC) can help you navigate the application process at no cost.

How to Write the Section When You Have Limited Experience

Even with limited experience, presentation matters. A well-structured past performance section with two strong references beats a poorly written section with five weak ones. Here is the format evaluators expect for each reference:

Notice what makes this effective: it does not hide the fact that the work was commercial. Instead, it includes a relevance statement that explicitly connects the commercial project to the government solicitation requirements. This is the single most important thing you can add to a past performance reference when you have no government experience. Tell the evaluator exactly why this project demonstrates your ability to perform the work they need done.

Tools like Bidara can help structure your past performance sections by pulling from your uploaded project history and formatting references to match what government evaluators expect — which saves time when you are adapting commercial experience for your first few proposals.

What NOT to Do

When you have limited or no past performance, certain mistakes can turn a neutral situation into a negative one. Avoid these:

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use commercial experience as past performance in a government proposal?

Yes. FAR 15.305(a)(2) states that agencies may consider relevant experience from commercial and non-government contracts when evaluating past performance. Present your commercial work using the same format as government past performance: project name, client, contract value, scope, period of performance, and measurable outcomes. Include a relevance statement connecting each project to the solicitation requirements.

What happens if I submit a proposal with no past performance at all?

Under FAR 15.305(a)(2)(iv), proposals from firms with no relevant past performance history cannot be evaluated favorably or unfavorably — they receive a neutral rating. However, this neutral rating typically puts you at a competitive disadvantage against firms that score well on past performance. It is almost always better to present whatever relevant experience you have, even if it is limited.

Can I cite my employees' past performance from their previous employers?

Yes, and many winning proposals do exactly this. If your project manager led a similar contract at a previous company, that experience is relevant to evaluators. Present it clearly: name the individual, their role on your team, the relevant projects they worked on, the agencies or clients involved, and the outcomes they achieved. The evaluator wants confidence that your team can deliver, and individual credentials help provide that confidence.

How many past performance references should I include?

Follow the solicitation instructions exactly. Most RFPs specify a number, typically three to five. If the RFP does not specify, include three references that are most relevant to the solicited work. Relevance matters far more than quantity. Three closely related projects outperform five loosely related ones every time. Choose references that best match the scope, complexity, and dollar value of the opportunity you are pursuing.

Do subcontracting roles count as past performance?

Absolutely. Work performed as a subcontractor on a government contract is legitimate past performance. Document the prime contractor name, the government agency, your specific scope of work, contract value of your portion, period of performance, and results you achieved. Make sure you have permission from the prime contractor before listing them as a reference, and confirm they will respond positively if the contracting officer contacts them.

Next Steps

Having no past performance is not a permanent barrier — it is a starting point. Here is your action plan:

• Audit your existing experience. List every commercial contract, subcontracting role, and key employee credential that could demonstrate relevant capability. You likely have more usable experience than you think.
• Format your best references. Take your top two or three most relevant projects and write them up using the format shown above. Include relevance statements that connect each project to the type of government work you want to pursue.
• Register on SAM.gov if you haven't already. Search for simplified acquisition opportunities in your NAICS codes — these are your entry point.
• Contact your local APEX Accelerator for free one-on-one counseling. They help small businesses navigate government contracting every day, and they have seen every version of the "no past performance" problem. Their guidance is free and tailored to your situation.
• Start small and build deliberately. Every contract you win — even a $5,000 micro-purchase — becomes a reference for the next, larger opportunity. Within two to three years of deliberate effort, the past performance barrier disappears entirely.

The chicken-and-egg problem is real, but it is solvable. Thousands of small businesses have broken through it. The ones that succeed do not wait for the perfect opportunity — they use every strategy available to them, starting today.