Price-to-Win Calculator
Build a labor mix, select your performance location and clearance level, and calculate a blended fully-loaded hourly rate — benchmarked against GSA Schedule-comparable rates for SDVOSB federal service contracts.
Calculate your blended loaded rate
Select the primary place of performance for this contract
Select the clearance required for the majority of labor on this contract
Sets typical fringe, overhead, G&A, and profit rates for your firm tier
Benchmarks are based on FY2025 GSA Schedule comparable labor categories and published SBA/OMB indirect rate surveys. Base rates reflect national median direct labor; location and clearance multipliers are derived from BLS OES and DCSA market surveys. Wrap rates represent typical SDVOSB ranges — not your firm's actual provisional or final indirect rates. Use as a competitive positioning tool, not as cost accounting.
How the rate model works
Labor rate benchmarks by clearance level
National median direct hourly rates (pre-wrap, pre-location) for common SDVOSB labor categories, adjusted for clearance level. Mid-size SDVOSB wrap applied for loaded rate illustration.
| Labor Category | Base (No Clearance) | Secret | TS/SCI | TS/SCI + Poly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Analyst | $48/hr | $55/hr | $67/hr | $77/hr |
| Mid-Level Analyst | $68/hr | $78/hr | $95/hr | $109/hr |
| Senior Analyst | $95/hr | $108/hr | $133/hr | $152/hr |
| Project Manager | $88/hr | $100/hr | $123/hr | $141/hr |
| Senior Software Developer | $115/hr | $131/hr | $161/hr | $184/hr |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | $98/hr | $112/hr | $137/hr | $157/hr |
| Data Scientist / ML | $118/hr | $135/hr | $165/hr | $189/hr |
| Intelligence Analyst | $105/hr | $120/hr | $147/hr | $168/hr |
| SOF / Spec. Ops Advisor | $135/hr | $154/hr | $189/hr | $216/hr |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a price-to-win (PTW) analysis for a federal contract?
Price-to-win (PTW) analysis is the process of estimating what winning bid price a competitor is likely to submit on a federal contract, and then structuring your own pricing to be competitive while maintaining profitability. PTW combines market intelligence (who the competitors are, their known indirect rates, and their likely labor mix) with your own cost structure. On SDVOSB set-aside contracts, PTW is particularly important because the pool of qualified firms is smaller — your pricing needs to be tight enough to win but sustainable enough to perform profitably for the full period of performance.
What are typical wrap rates for SDVOSB federal contractors?
Wrap rates (the multiplier applied to direct labor to get the fully-loaded price) vary significantly by firm size and maturity. Small SDVOSBs (under $10M revenue) typically carry wrap rates of 2.10–2.40 because their overhead and G&A rates are higher relative to their direct labor base. Mid-size SDVOSBs ($10M–$50M) commonly see wrap rates of 1.90–2.20. Larger SDVOSBs with high-volume GSA Schedule business can sometimes achieve wrap rates of 1.75–1.95. Wrap rates compress as firms grow because fixed infrastructure costs are spread over more direct labor. Your firm's actual wrap rate is set through the DCAA audit process, not from benchmarks.
How does clearance level affect federal labor rates?
Clearance level is one of the strongest determinants of labor cost in government contracting. Uncleared positions command baseline market rates. Public Trust adds a modest 5–8% premium, primarily from pre-employment screening time and background investigation costs. Secret clearance holders command a 12–18% premium because the cleared pool is meaningfully smaller than the overall labor market. Top Secret holders command a 20–30% premium reflecting a substantially tighter talent market. TS/SCI positions typically carry a 35–45% premium, and TS/SCI with polygraph — especially full-scope — can command a 50–70% premium in competitive IC markets. These premiums represent market-clearing rates, not contractor markup.
What is the GSA Schedule and how does it relate to labor rates?
The GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) is the largest federal acquisition vehicle, covering hundreds of product and service categories. For services contracts, GSA Schedule holders negotiate pre-approved labor category rates with GSA that represent the maximum ceiling price they can charge federal customers on Schedule orders. These negotiated rates become public benchmarks — contracting officers and competitors can see the Schedule rates of any holder via GSA eLibrary. For price-to-win purposes, a competitor's GSA Schedule rates reveal their ceiling pricing, not their typical bid price. On competitive acquisitions, firms often discount below their Schedule rates. Off-Schedule bids can be higher or lower depending on the acquisition vehicle.
What are common labor category definitions in federal services contracting?
Federal service contracts organize staff into Labor Categories (LCATs) that define the experience, education, and skills required for each role. Junior positions (0–3 years) perform task execution with supervision. Mid-level positions (3–7 years) work independently on defined tasks. Senior positions (7–12 years) provide subject matter expertise and client advisory. Principal/Lead positions (12+ years) hold strategic advisory roles and often carry client relationships. Program Managers, Project Managers, and Program Management Office (PMO) roles are separately defined and priced above the technical tracks. LCATs must match the solicitation's defined performance work statement to avoid evaluation risk. Using an overly junior labor mix to lower price is a common pricing error that evaluators flag.
How does performance location affect federal contract labor costs?
Performance location affects labor costs through two mechanisms: local market wages and government-specified locality pay rates. The National Capital Region (DC/MD/VA) commands the highest federal labor market premiums — typically 15–25% above national averages — because federal demand is highest there and cost of living is elevated. Markets like San Francisco and New York carry even higher market premiums but have less government contracting demand, so competition for cleared talent is lower. Conversely, Midwest and Southeast locations often offer 5–10% below national average rates. For OCONUS work, contracts typically include a Danger Pay, Post Differential, or COLA allowance that substantially increases total compensation cost versus CONUS rates.
What is a blended rate and how is it calculated?
A blended rate is a weighted average fully-loaded hourly rate across all labor categories and full-time equivalents (FTEs) proposed on a contract. It is calculated by: (1) computing the annual fully-loaded cost for each labor category (loaded hourly rate × 2,080 hours × FTE count); (2) summing all annual costs to get total contract year cost; and (3) dividing by total FTE hours (total FTE × 2,080). The blended rate is the single figure that represents what you are charging the government per labor hour on average, and is the most commonly tracked pricing metric for T&M and labor-hour contract types. A lower blended rate can be achieved by increasing the proportion of junior staff, reducing clearance premiums, or negotiating lower indirect rates.
How do I use price-to-win analysis to set a competitive SDVOSB bid?
Effective PTW for SDVOSB contracts involves four steps. First, identify likely competitors — use FPDS/USAspending to find who has won similar work at the same agency, in the same NAICS/PSC, at similar contract sizes. Second, research competitor rates — check GSA eLibrary for Schedule rates, review their recent FOIA-released contracts, and assess their known labor strategies. Third, model your own cost structure — build a detailed cost proposal with your actual indirect rates and a realistic labor mix. Fourth, calculate your competitive threshold — this is the maximum price you can submit while remaining lower than the likely next-lowest competitor's expected bid. The gap between your cost and the competitive threshold is where you decide how much fee to take. PTW is not about submitting the lowest possible price — it is about finding the lowest price that can both win and be profitable.
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