How to Stay Visible with HHS Buyers in 2025

How to Stay Visible with HHS Buyers in 2025

How to Stay Visible with HHS Buyers in 2025

Updated for staffing cuts, budget shifts, and new realities

• Watch the August 11, 2025 live training replay below: How To Do Business With HHS as a Small Business Government Contractor

The New Reality at HHS

HHS has always been one of the largest federal buyers — awarding $39.1 billion in contracts in FY 2024, with 22.8% going to small businesses.

But 2025 brought budget reductions and staff cuts that have reshaped how HHS interacts with industry.

• DOGE gutted HHS's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) leaving only the OSDBU executive director to advocate for small businesses.
• HRSA and other divisions lost hundreds of staff, slowing grants oversight and buyer responsiveness.
• A 26% reduction in HHS’s FY 2026 budget is under review, signaling deeper structural changes ahead.

The message is clear: HHS has changed. Federal buyers are under pressure. Small businesses need to adapt to survive.

Visibility Is Critical

If federal buyers find enough qualified businesses in their in-house directories, they won’t look anywhere else. Here's how to position your company in 2025.

• Register in the HHS Small Business Customer Experience (SBCX) Portal  Update your profile twice a year with current NAICS, capabilities, and contracts..
• Update your SBA profiles (SAM.gov and Small Business Search / DSBS) with keywords that buyers use when they search for companies like yours.
• Check the SBCX Forecast Opportunities tool to track upcoming buys that align with your core competencies.

Bottom line: Be visible everywhere your buyers are searching.

Reintroduce Yourself to HHS Contacts

Because of staffing churn, don’t assume your old contacts are still in place — or have bandwidth to remember you.

• Reintroduce yourself to prior HHS points of contact.
• Keep your outreach short, clear, and aligned to their mission needs.
• Be patient: contracting staff are carrying heavier workloads. Persistence and professionalism stand out.

Maximize LinkedIn to Stay in the Conversation

Even with strained internal resources, HHS employees and primes are active on LinkedIn. Look for updates, changing priorities, industry days, and news. This is increasingly important because the HHS frequently goes offlne.

How to Use LinkedIn Strategically

• Follow U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on LinkedIn
• Search by Agency:  Use search filters like “NIH procurement,” “CMS acquisition,” or “FDA small business.” Filter by Posts or Events to see live conversations.
• Search by What You Sell: Pair your capability keywords with HHS divisions: “cloud technology NIH,” “health IT FDA,” “medical supplies CDC.”
• Engage, Don’t Lurk: Comment with insights, share resources, and connect with professionals aligned to your NAICS codes.
• Follow Trends: Save searches or set LinkedIn alerts to track themes and discussions over time.

Remember: LinkedIn is a search engine. You want to rank high in the results — especially when HHS buyers and teaming partners are looking for expertise like yours.

Key Takeaway for 2025

HHS has changed, but opportunity remains. The path forward requires:

• Being present in official portals like SBCX, SAM, and DSBS.
• Re-introducing yourself to overburdened contacts with patience and persistence.
• Leveraging LinkedIn to identify buyers and teammates through live conversations and agency trends.

In a leaner environment, the small businesses that remain visible, relevant, and engaged will be the ones federal buyers can’t overlook.