USDA BioPreferred Program — Biobased Product Certification & Federal Procurement
U.S. Department of Agriculture — Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)
Federal market access program
Open federal contracts to your biobased products
USDA BioPreferred helps companies that manufacture biobased products (made from renewable plant, animal, marine, or forestry materials) gain federal procurement preference and voluntary certification. Certified products display the USDA Certified Biobased Product label, access a mandatory federal purchase preference under the Farm Bill, and get listed in USDA's searchable catalog used by federal procurement officers. This is not a cash grant — it's a certification and market-access program worth millions in federal contract eligibility.
- Funding type
- Program
- Level
- Federal
- Amount
- No direct cash award. Program value is indirect: USDA Certified Biobased Products are subject to mandatory federal purchase preference under Section 9002 of the Farm Bill. Federal agencies are required to buy designated biobased products over petroleum-based alternatives when cost and performance are comparable. The federal government spends $750B/year on procurement; biobased products are a mandated preference across 139 designated product categories.
- Realistic amount
- No cash award. Companies report that BioPreferred certification has led to $100K–$5M in incremental federal contract awa…
- Deadline
- Rolling — applications accepted year-round; no competitive deadline
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- subsidized services
Who qualifies
- Your product must contain renewable biological ingredients (plant, animal, marine, or forestry-based materials). The biobased content percentage must be determined by an ASTM D6866 test (carbon isotope analysis conducted by an accredited lab).
- Products must meet a minimum biobased content threshold set by USDA for each product category (e.g., lubricants typically require 25%+; cleaning products 50%+). Check USDA's designated categories list.
- The product must be commercially available — prototype or R&D-stage products are not eligible.
- Products must not be otherwise excluded — food, feed, and fuel products are ineligible for labeling (they have separate USDA programs). Tobacco products are ineligible.
- No minimum employee or revenue requirement — program is open to micro-manufacturers and large corporations alike.
- No SAM.gov registration required for the certification itself. To SELL to the federal government, you still need SAM.gov registration.
Hard requirements
- Must be incorporated
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- ASTM D6866 biobased content laboratory testing ($400–$800 per product)
- USDA application fee ($750 for small businesses per product)
- Label design and packaging updates to incorporate USDA Certified Biobased label
- Marketing and sales development costs targeting federal procurement market
- GSA Advantage listing setup and management
Ineligible expenses
- Food, feed, or fuel products (have separate USDA programs)
- Tobacco products
- Pharmaceuticals and medical devices
- Petroleum-derived products with incidental biobased additives below minimum threshold
How to apply
-
1
Determine product category and biobased content threshold
Review USDA's designated product categories at biopreferred.gov. Your product must match an existing designated category (139 categories as of 2026) or you can apply for voluntary certification even if not in a designated category. Check the minimum biobased content percentage required for your category.
~2 hrs
-
2
Commission ASTM D6866 testing
Send your product to an accredited laboratory for ASTM D6866 biobased content analysis (carbon-14 isotope ratio testing). Common labs include Beta Analytic, Isotech, and University labs with accreditation. Cost is typically $400–$800 per sample. Results take 1–2 weeks. The test result certificate is required for your USDA application.
~2 hrs
-
3
Create account and submit application
Create a manufacturer account at biopreferred.gov. Submit product details, ASTM D6866 test certificate, product safety data sheet (SDS), and pay the application fee ($750 for small businesses, $2,000 for large businesses as of 2026 — verify current fee schedule). Application is entirely online.
~2 hrs
-
4
USDA review and certification award
USDA reviews application for completeness and compliance. Review takes 30–90 days. Upon approval, USDA issues a certificate authorizing use of the USDA Certified Biobased Product label. You receive listing in the USDA BioPreferred product catalog (searchable by federal procurement officers).
~2 hrs
-
5
Annual renewal and label use
Certification is valid for 3 years, with annual check-in/renewal. Display the label on product packaging, marketing materials, and federal contract bids. Update your SAM.gov product listing to reference BioPreferred certification. Consider adding your product to GSA Advantage for direct federal purchase channel.
~2 hrs
Industry & certifications
NAICS codes: 111, 325, 326, 332, 339
Non-competitive certification — if your product passes ASTM D6866, you get certified. The ROI is in SAM.gov + GSA Advantage listing + federal procurement preference. Best for cleaning products, lubricants, and construction materials where federal buyers are most active.
Deadline & timing
BioPreferred certification is a rolling, non-competitive application process. Manufacturers submit an application with lab test results confirming biobased content percentage, product documentation, and a $750 application fee (small business rate). USDA reviews within 30–90 days. Annual renewal maintains certification. There is no funding round or competition — it is a product certification process.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.