Federal agencies obligated $81.6B across 532,895 contract awards in May 2026. Department of Defense leads the agencies with $55.2B (68% of the total). The 20 agencies ranked below account for $81.2B (100%).
Based on GovChime analysis of 532,895 FPDS/SAM.gov contract awards with obligations in May 2026. Report generated October 1, 2026.
Methodology: Ranks the top 20 agencies by contract obligations signed in May 2026, summed from FPDS/SAM.gov transactions via GovChime as of October 1, 2026. Share is each entry's portion of all obligations in the period.
Key Findings
- Department of Defense leads all agencies with $55.2B — 67.7% of all federal contract obligations in May 2026.
- The top 5 agencies account for $72.0B (88.3% of all federal contract obligations in May 2026), showing significant concentration in award spending.
- Across 20 agencies, there were 531,227 individual contract awards with an average obligated value of $153K.
- The gap between #1 (Department of Defense) and #20 (Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation) is 1050x — $55.2B vs. $52.5M.
Agencies Rankings
| # | Name | Total Value | Share | Awards | Avg Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Department of Defense | $55.2B | 67.7% | 360,537 | $153K |
| 2 | Department of Homeland Security | $7.9B | 9.7% | 3,943 | $2.0M |
| 3 | Department of Veterans Affairs | $4.6B | 5.6% | 12,919 | $355K |
| 4 | General Services Administration | $2.3B | 2.8% | 124,934 | $19K |
| 5 | Department of Energy | $2.0B | 2.4% | 651 | $3.0M |
| 6 | Department of Health and Human Services | $1.7B | 2.0% | 3,865 | $429K |
| 7 | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | $1.5B | 1.9% | 1,593 | $962K |
| 8 | Department of Agriculture | $1.1B | 1.4% | 3,150 | $352K |
| 9 | Department of Transportation | $1.1B | 1.3% | 2,102 | $515K |
| 10 | Department of State | $798.9M | 1.0% | 3,182 | $251K |
| 11 | Department of Justice | $688.1M | 0.8% | 5,888 | $117K |
| 12 | Department of Commerce | $619.4M | 0.8% | 1,099 | $564K |
| 13 | Department of the Interior | $613.2M | 0.8% | 4,118 | $149K |
| 14 | Department of the Treasury | $543.9M | 0.7% | 1,153 | $472K |
| 15 | Social Security Administration | $143.0M | 0.2% | 265 | $540K |
| 16 | Environmental Protection Agency | $107.3M | 0.1% | 778 | $138K |
| 17 | Department of Labor | $81.5M | 0.1% | 826 | $99K |
| 18 | Department of Housing and Urban Development | $73.1M | 0.1% | 66 | $1.1M |
| 19 | International Boundary And Water Commission: U.S.-Mexico | $57.0M | 0.1% | 29 | $2.0M |
| 20 | Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation | $52.5M | 0.1% | 129 | $407K |
Market Analysis
Department of Defense
With $55.2B and 360,537 awards, the Department of Defense is the largest single federal contracting agency in May 2026. Its awards span NAICS codes 541715, 541330, 336414, 541690 and 336411. This pattern means that contractors focused on IT services, engineering services, aircraft manufacturing and information technology consulting can expect ample opportunities.
Department of Homeland Security
The Department of Homeland Security awarded $7.9B across 3,943 contracts, focusing on NAICS 541690, 541330, 336414, 541360 and 541430. This indicates a strong demand for management consulting services, engineering services and architectural services, with plenty of opportunities for firms in these fields.
Department of Veterans Affairs
With $4.6B and 12,919 awards, the Department of Veterans Affairs is a significant player. Its awards span NAICS 541618, 541330 and 541511. This indicates a strong demand for research and analytical services, engineering services and administrative management and general management consulting services.
General Services Administration
The General Services Administration awarded $2.3B across 124,934 contracts, focusing on NAICS 541715, 541519, 541618, 541330 and 541360. This indicates a strong demand for research and analytical services, management and consulting services.
Trends & Opportunities
- Disparity in spending: The DoD spent $55.2B while the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation spent $52.5M. This disparity creates opportunities in niche areas.
What to Watch
- Department of Veterans Affairs: Monitor VA procurement trends in NAICS 541618 and 541330 to stay ahead of competitors.
- NAICS 541690: Prepare to compete in management consulting services, a hot area across agencies.
- Department of Homeland Security: Target DHS procurement offices to capture opportunities in engineering services.
What This Means for Contractors
- High concentration risk: The top 3 agencies control 83% of award value. Contractors focused on diversification should consider the remaining agencies for less competitive opportunities.
- Watch the mid-tier: Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (ranked 5–10) represent growth areas that may be less saturated than the top positions.
Explore the full dataset on GovChime
Explore agency award data →Data sourced from FPDS/SAM.gov via GovChime. Report generated October 1, 2026.