Becoming an expert on the marketplace

If you have proposal, capture, compliance, or pricing experience to sell, you can set up an expert profile and earn on the RFI Hawk marketplace.

Steps

1. From the dashboard, click Expert Marketplace, then Become an Expert.

2. Set up your profile:

3. A clear, specific specialty (for example, "federal cybersecurity proposal writer specializing in CMMC Level 2")
4. Your bio (three to five sentences in plain English)
5. Your concrete past wins (specific contracts, agencies, dollar values)
6. Your hourly rate or package pricing
7. Your weekly capacity

[screenshot of the expert profile setup page]

1. Complete the verification:
2. Identity verification through the marketplace's verification provider
3. Tax forms (W-9 for U.S. contractors)

4. Former-government disclosure (if you worked in government in the last five years)

5. Connect a payment account so you can be paid.

6. Submit for review. The team approves profiles within three business days.

7. Once approved, your profile is live. Buyers can find you and hire you.

What to do if it does not work

If your verification fails, the marketplace tells you what to fix. Common issues are mismatched names between your government ID and your business records.

If you have a recent government background that creates a conflict with a job, the marketplace flags it before you accept. You can decline jobs that create a conflict.

Tax forms

If you earn $2,000 or more in a year on the marketplace, you receive a 1099-NEC. The threshold for 1099-K is $20,000 plus 200 transactions. Both are issued in January for the prior year.

Related articles

• Hiring an expert from the marketplace
• Decision guide: Should I become a marketplace expert?

Note on legal review

The marketplace terms, the former-government disclosure form, the dispute process, and the contractor classification details are under legal review. Final published forms may have small adjustments after review.