Startup Checklist for New LA & OC Subcontractors
What Primes Expect Before You Bid
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When you’re just starting as a subcontractor in Los Angeles or Orange County, it’s natural to focus on what you do best—your trade. Whether it’s electrical, plumbing, painting, or professional services like IT support or security systems, most new subs assume their skill will ensure their success.
But here’s my opinion, shaped by more than a decade of working with small businesses: you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression with a prime contractor.
I’ve seen subcontractors lose opportunities because their business paperwork wasn’t in order, not because they couldn’t do the work. In government contracting—where primes juggle deadlines, compliance requirements, and risk management—the subcontractor who shows up ready is the one who generally wins a spot on the team.
Primes often prequalify subcontractors before they’re invited to bid. That’s why every new sub in LA & OC needs a startup checklist—not because checklists are fun (they aren’t), but because primes expect you to be business-ready before they’ll even consider adding you to the bid team.
Why a Startup Checklist Matters
Some new subcontractors think, “If I have my CSLB license or know how to do the work, primes will give me a shot.” From what I’ve seen, that’s a fast track to disappointment.
👉 One of my Orange County clients—a reputable plumbing subcontractor—was disqualified from joining a prime’s bid team for a state agency project. The reason? His Statement of Information was overdue with the California Secretary of State. It had nothing to do with his ability to install piping or handle inspections. It came down to compliance.
That experience reminded me once again that readiness in government contracting isn’t about talent alone. It’s about trust.
Primes want to know:
Are you fully compliant? (licensed, insured, and in good standing)
Can you provide the required documents quickly? (COIs, W-9s, certifications, past performance)
Will you make their job easier, not harder? (organized systems, no chasing paperwork)
If the answer is “no” to any of those, your skills may never get the chance to shine.
What Primes Really Expect
Through my experience supporting subcontractors’ responses to prime requests, I’ve seen what consistently matters most before a prime brings a sub onto the team:
1. Keep Your Licenses & Registrations Current
CSLB Classification (for trades): Make sure you hold the correct CSLB license for your scope of work. If you’re a C-6 cabinet maker, don’t assume a general B classification will cover you.
Professional Credentials (for services): Maintain the licenses or credentials specific to your field—engineering, IT, accounting, or notary.
Local Business License: Obtain a business license in your home city and be prepared to get one in the city where the project is located. Example: Los Angeles requires a Business Tax Registration Certificate renewed annually, while Anaheim issues licenses through its Finance Department and ties them to zoning approval.
State Filings: Stay current with the Secretary of State. Make sure your Statement of Information is up to date, and your corporation/LLC remains in “good standing.”
Different agencies require different documents—but primes expect you to have them ready.
📌 Client Lesson: An LA-based subcontractor once told me, “I thought primes wouldn’t care about paperwork until after we won the job.” He found out the hard way that primes check before they add you to the bid team.
🔑 Lesson Learned: If your filings aren’t current, you won’t even make it onto the bid team—no matter how good your skills are.
💡 Why It Matters: Primes can’t afford surprises. If your classification, license, or credential isn’t correct, you could jeopardize the bid submission. A reputable prime won’t risk it unless they absolutely need your services—and if that happens, they’ll assign a team member to guide you through compliance. That makes you a liability, not an asset—and primes remember that when choosing subs for future bids.
2. Have Insurance Ready Before You Bid
Insurance is about risk management, not paperwork. You should have the right coverage in place before you’re invited onto a bid team.
For trades: Carry General Liability, Workers’ Comp (if you have employees), and Auto Insurance (if you move crews, tools, or equipment).
For professional services: Carry Professional Liability/Errors & Omissions (E&O) along with General Liability, even if your work is office-based.
Certificates of Insurance (COIs): Always be able to provide a compliant COI quickly
📌 Practical Insight: I’ve worked with subs who lost opportunities because they couldn’t provide a COI that met the prime’s requirements. Most primes want to see themselves (or the agency) as additionally insured. If a sub can’t get that from their insurance agent quickly, the prime moves on.
🔑 Lesson Learned: A prime won’t wait for you to fix an insurance issue. If your COI isn’t compliant and readily available, you may be disqualified before they ask about your pricing.
💡 Why It Matters: For primes, insurance isn’t paperwork—it’s risk management. They want proof that you can protect them from liability and step into the project without creating delays.
3. Prepare Professional Documentation in Advance
Primes don’t expect you to have a marketing department, but they do expect you to hand over professional, accurate documents without delay.
Capability Statement: Create a one-page summary of your company that highlights your services, certifications, past performance, and your typical role (prime or sub).
Past Performance Records: Prepare summaries that include project name and location, point of contact, dollar value, performance dates, scope, labor categories, and your role (prime or sub). Even small projects count if you present them in this format.
Document Readiness: Make sure your compliance paperwork (COIs, licenses, safety records, and certifications) is organized so you can send it immediately when requested.
Primes value subs who can deliver documents fast. Having your records organized and ready makes all the difference.
📌 Personal Story: Earlier in my career, I was the Proposal Manager for a company that acted as both a prime and a sub on various bid teams. As the prime, our subs had to respond quickly to our requests. But as the sub, I was responsible for quickly delivering resumes, COIs, past performance summaries, and other documentation to the prime. Because my paperwork was organized, I could respond within hours instead of days—and more than once, a prime told me that responsiveness was one reason we were added to the team.
🔑 Lesson Learned: Whether you’re the prime or the sub, someone is relying on you to be fast and accurate. If you respond slowly, you risk being left off the team.
💡 Why It Matters: Primes build their bid packages around evidence. If you can’t provide the requested documentation, you weaken the prime’s ability to show capacity and compliance. Organized, bid-ready records prove you’ll strengthen their team, not hold it back.
4. Show Responsiveness and Attention to Detail
You should consistently demonstrate that you can follow instructions and meet deadlines.
Respond Quickly: Aim to reply to document requests within 24 hours.
Follow Instructions: Read bid documents carefully and deliver information in the correct format the first time.
Be Detail-Oriented: Double-check everything—missing even one requirement can disqualify you before the bid is submitted.
Primes notice subs who respond quickly and accurately—delays and missed details can cost you a spot on the team.
📌 Lesson Learned: One of my consulting clients confidently submitted a bid package as the prime—only to be disqualified for ignoring an explicit instruction: “No subcontractors permitted.” That single mistake cost him a six-figure opportunity.
🔑 Lesson for Subs: If instructions can disqualify a prime, you can be sure primes expect their subs to follow them just as closely.
💡 Why It Matters: In government contracting, small mistakes can disqualify an entire bid. Whether it’s a missing COI or a late upload to a service portal, quick and accurate responses show you can follow instructions under pressure. That reliability is exactly what primes look for when adding a sub to their team.
Quick Recap: What You Should Have Ready Before You Bid
Hold the correct licenses and registrations — CSLB for trades, professional credentials for services, a current city business license, and state filings in good standing.
Keep your insurance current — GL, WC, Auto, and E&O if required — and provide a compliant COI naming the prime or agency as additionally insured.
Prepare a capability statement — one page that highlights your services, certifications, past performance, and your role as prime or sub.
Maintain past performance records — include project details, POC, dollar value, performance dates, scope, labor categories, and your role.
Organize your compliance documents — COIs, licenses, safety records, certifications, and other paperwork should be ready to send immediately when requested.
Be responsive and detail-oriented — answer requests within 24 hours and follow instructions exactly.
Why This Matters Especially in LA & OC
The Southern California market is unique. Local primes juggle projects for cities, counties, schools, and transit agencies under intense public scrutiny. A subcontractor’s missing COI or expired license isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a liability that can stall an entire bid.
“We’d rather work with a smaller, newer sub who’s organized than a bigger one who makes us chase compliance.” – Comment from an LA prime
That tells you everything about what really matters here.
My Advice for New Subcontractors
If you’re just starting out, don’t wait for a prime to hand you a checklist—create your own now. The moment you’re asked to join a bid team, you should be able to say:
“Here’s my license.”
“Here’s my insurance.”
“Here’s my capability statement.”
“Here’s my other compliance documentation.”
That level of readiness builds confidence. And in government contracting, confidence is the currency that primes trade in.
Ready to Build Your Own Checklist?
This blog outlined the essentials, but a blog post can only take you so far. The Subcontractor Readiness Checklist will help you score your readiness today and pinpoint exactly what to fix before you bid—so you’re not left scrambling when a prime calls.
👉 Download the Subcontractor Readiness Checklist here
Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can take it further with my 7-Day Plan, which helps you put structure around your systems and get government-ready in one week.
Final Word: Get Your Foundation in Place
In my opinion, every prime wants subs who are reliable, organized, and compliant. If you can demonstrate those qualities from the start, you open the door to more opportunities and waste less time chasing dead ends.
Let’s get your house in order—because readiness is your best strategy.
– Stephanie
About Stephanie:
Stephanie Clark-Ochoa is a Government Procurement Strategist and founder of Clark-Ochoa Business Services. Through Help 4 LA Subs, she provides practical tools and insights to help micro and small businesses in the Greater Los Angeles area become government-ready and thrive in public contracting.
Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. Please consult a qualified advisor before making decisions specific to your business.
🔜 Next Week on the Blog: Coming up next week: Overcoming Fear of Government Contracting. If the thought of bidding feels intimidating—or even overwhelming—you’re not alone. I’ll walk you through the most common fears I hear from small businesses and how to replace them with confidence and a plan.