The Power of the Past: How to Use Historical Contract Data to Win Recompetes

In government contracting, knowledge is leverage.

If you know what agency awarded a contract, who they awarded it to, how much they paid, how long the contractor has held it, and whether that relationship has been smooth or rocky—you’re no longer walking into a bid blind. You’re walking in with an edge.

That’s the value of historical contract data. And with FedBiz365, it’s all at your fingertips.

In this article, we’ll break down how you can use historical contracting data to position your business smarter, approach contracting officers with confidence, and potentially unseat incumbents who may have outstayed their welcome.

Let’s get into it.

Why Historic Contract Data Matters More Than You Think

Most businesses chase live RFPs. The savvier ones track forecasts. But the most strategic? They look to the past.

That’s because past awards reveal more than just numbers:

• They hint at agency preferences
• They show vendor tenure and turnover
• They reveal budget thresholds
• They highlight contract vehicles in play
• They expose performance trends (and sometimes pain points)

In short, historic contract data is a blueprint—a recorded history of what the agency wanted, what they got, and how it played out.

If you want to enter a recompete and actually stand a chance, this is the information that helps you:

• Tailor your messaging
• Time your engagement
• Price your offer strategically
• And talk to contracting officers like you already know the lay of the land

Using FedBiz365 to Mine Historic Award Data

FedBiz365 pulls from millions of contract records—federal, state, and local—and organizes them in a way that makes business development faster, smarter, and more targeted.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Identify the Incumbent

Search by NAICS, PSC, agency, or keywords to find contracts in your wheelhouse. Once you locate a past award, you’ll see:

• The incumbent contractor
• Total contract value
• Contract length and end date
• The contract vehicle used
• Set-aside designation (if applicable)

This gives you immediate visibility into who you’d be up against when a recompete comes around.

2. Track Contract Duration and Recompete Cycles

If the same vendor has held a contract for multiple performance cycles, it’s worth asking: is the agency satisfied, or just used to the status quo?

Historical data shows when contracts started, when they were modified, extended, or recompeted. This helps you:

• Time your outreach
• Prepare for early engagement
• Monitor signs of contract fatigue or upcoming transition

3. Spot Red Flags and Weaknesses

Sometimes the incumbent isn’t performing. That might show up in the form of:

• Shortened contract periods
• Multiple modifications
• Gaps between awards
• Abrupt contract terminations

FedBiz365 helps you flag these trends. And when you see them, you can approach the contracting officer with the right questions and the right solutions.

Having Smarter Conversations with Contracting Officers

Once you’ve got the data, it’s not about confrontation—it’s about curiosity and context.

When speaking to a contracting officer, historical data allows you to ask:

• “Is [Incumbent Vendor] still performing on this contract, or is that relationship winding down?”
• “Have there been any recent modifications to this contract that signal changes coming?”
• “We noticed the last recompete was X years ago. Are you planning to open this up again?”

These are informed questions. And they often prompt more transparent answers than a cold, generic inquiry would.

The goal isn’t to undermine the incumbent—it’s to show that you’re informed, strategic, and invested. That alone can set you apart.

Crafting a Proposal that Leans on the Past

If the recompete does drop, you now have the power to:

• Mirror successful elements from previous contracts that the agency clearly valued
• Avoid past missteps made by the incumbent, if any
• Present alternatives that align with shifting agency priorities
• Reference timelines and pricing that make your proposal easier to compare and evaluate

It’s not just about being different—it’s about being better aligned.

FedBiz365 even gives you pricing benchmarks and labor category comparisons so you can position your proposal realistically and competitively.

When the Agency is Looking for a Change

Not all recompetes are rubber stamps.

Contracting officers are under pressure to deliver better results, reduce risk, and work with vendors they can trust. If the current contractor isn’t performing or the relationship has stagnated, they may be looking for:

• Fresh solutions that drive innovation
• Vendors with better communication and responsiveness
• Small businesses with socioeconomic certifications
• Contractors willing to adapt to new agency goals

Your job is to read between the lines. FedBiz365 helps you do that by revealing patterns across awards, performance cycles, and agency behavior.

Using Engagement to Your Advantage

Once you’ve identified a recompete of interest, the next move is outreach. But it shouldn’t be generic. It should be tailored, relevant, and strategic.

Pair the insights from FedBiz365 with one-on-one outreach. And if you want help crafting your message, FedBiz Access offers:

• Engagement Coaching: Learn how to speak the buyer’s language and ask the right questions
• The Federal Connections Package: A marketing solution that puts your capability statement and message directly in front of the right contracting officers

This isn’t just about responding to opportunities. It’s about creating them.

A Real-World Example: Seeing the Red Flags Early

Let’s say you’re in the facilities management space. Through FedBiz365, you identify a contract awarded three years ago to a mid-sized competitor.

The data shows:

• Two modifications within the first year
• A reduced contract length in the second modification
• A new RFI issued 12 months before the scheduled end date

These are all signals that the agency might be reconsidering its vendor.

Armed with that knowledge, you reach out, build a relationship, and ultimately submit a proposal that addresses every issue the incumbent stumbled over. And you win.

That’s the power of historical contract data. It lets you step in before the door closes.

Don’t Just Look Ahead. Look Back First.

While forecasts, RFIs, and upcoming opportunities are essential, historic contract data is the layer of insight that brings it all together. It grounds your strategy in what has already happened—so you can act more confidently about what’s coming next.

FedBiz365 was designed to give government contractors:

• A clearer view of the past
• A smarter path to the future
• And the tools to engage with precision and purpose

Start Leveraging Historic Data with FedBiz365

For over 24 years, FedBiz Access has helped government contractors succeed by connecting them with smarter tools and strategic support. FedBiz365 is the next evolution of that mission.

If you want to:

• Uncover hidden recompete opportunities
• Approach contracting officers with confidence
• Craft better proposals grounded in real history

Learn more about FedBiz365 here.

Or better yet, schedule a demo with a FedBiz Specialist to see how you can turn past performance into future wins.

Because in government contracting, those who understand the past often lead the way forward.