Attachments in Federal Compass are pulled directly from the original source site (e.g.SAM.gov or an agency portal). These documents typically include solicitations, amendments, statements of work, evaluation criteria, and other supporting documents.
If attachments are missing for an opportunity, it usually means one of the following:
Common Reasons Attachments Don’t Appear
- No attachments were posted by the agency
- If the source notice did not include any documents, none will appear in Federal Compass
- The documents haven’t been released yet
- Agencies sometimes publish a notice before uploading supporting files. Attachments may appear later as amendments or updates.
- The files are hosted externally
- Certain opportunities point to external portals (e.g., agency-specific systems) instead of uploading files directly. These cannot be displayed in federal Compass.
- Access restrictions at the source
- Some solicitations require a login or clearance to access attachments. If access is restricted, federal Compass cannot pull them in.
Common Misunderstanding
Some users assume Federal Compass is missing data. In reality, if attachments are not posted or made available by the source, they cannot display in Federal Compass.
Best Practice
If you don’t see attachments but expect them:
- Open the Notice History tab and click the source link to check the original posting.
- Check back later - agencies often release attachments in stages.
- If attachments exist on the source but not in Federal Compass, contact support so our team can investigate.
Attachments in Federal Compass reflect exactly what the agency provides. If you don’t see them, it’s typically because they weren’t posted, haven’t been released yet, or are only available through an external portal. Always confirm through the source link if you believe documents should exist.
Need Additional Help?
If you have any questions, please reach out to the CSM team for further assistance, support@federalcompass.com.