A "recompete" is what happens when a federal contract reaches the end of its term and the agency re-bids the work instead of simply extending it. The current holder — the incumbent — has to win it all over again, and that's the window where a competitor can actually get in.
Every federal contract has a period of performance — a start and end date. As that end date approaches, the agency has to decide whether to extend, re-bid, or let it lapse. For recurring services (janitorial, custodial, facilities, maintenance) they very often re-bid. The catch: by the time the new solicitation is publicly posted on SAM.gov, the smart bidders have usually been preparing for months.
Incumbents have real advantages — relationships, past-performance history, knowledge of the site. Beating one is not mainly about price; it's about lead time. If you know a contract enters its recompete window today, you can research the incumbent, understand the scope, line up teaming or past-performance references, and register your interest — long before a same-day scramble when the RFP drops.
Public award data lists the period-of-performance end date. Flag any contract in your trade and geography whose end date is within roughly 90 days and you've built yourself an early-warning list. That's exactly what the Recompete Tracker does automatically for Florida janitorial and custodial work (NAICS 561720): it watches for contracts entering that ~90-day window and emails you when they do, so timing stops depending on you remembering to check.