Flagship ranking · FY2026 to date
Fastest-growing federal contract markets, FY2026 to date
Data through 2026-08-19
The federal government obligated $231B in contract obligations in FY2026 to date. The fastest-growing markets by year-over-year change for the same period are led by Commercial and Institutional Building Construction, which grew 171.1%. The rest of the top ten includes Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction at 125.9%, Process, Physical Distribution, and Logistics Consulting Services at 111.5%, and Automobile Manufacturing at 93.6%. Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) grew 56.0%, Software Publishers grew 45.5%, and several construction and technical education sectors posted gains between 31.6% and 37.8%. Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing recorded growth of 31.9%. These figures reflect year-over-year growth for the same fiscal period and represent changes in obligations rather than absolute contract totals.
| Item | Year-over-year growth |
|---|---|
| Commercial and Institutional Building Construction | 171.1% |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | 125.9% |
| Process, Physical Distribution, and Logistics Consulting Services | 111.5% |
| Automobile Manufacturing | 93.6% |
| Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) | 56.0% |
| Software Publishers | 45.5% |
| Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction | 37.8% |
| Other Technical and Trade Schools | 35.0% |
| Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing | 31.9% |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 31.6% |
Commercial and Institutional Building Construction was the fastest-growing established federal market, up 171.1% versus the same period a year earlier.
| Rank | Industry (NAICS) | FY2026 obligations | Prior-year obligations | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (236220) | $42.3B | $15.6B | +171.1% |
| 2 | Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction (237310) | $1.9B | $824M | +125.9% |
| 3 | Process, Physical Distribution, and Logistics Consulting Services (541614) | $3.4B | $1.6B | +111.5% |
| 4 | Automobile Manufacturing (336111) | $2.3B | $1.2B | +93.6% |
| 5 | Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714) | $1.4B | $914M | +56.0% |
| 6 | Software Publishers (513210) | $1.6B | $1.1B | +45.5% |
| 7 | Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (237110) | $901M | $654M | +37.8% |
| 8 | Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519) | $1.2B | $881M | +35.0% |
| 9 | Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414) | $28.3B | $21.4B | +31.9% |
| 10 | Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction (237990) | $10.2B | $7.8B | +31.6% |
| 11 | Telecommunications Resellers (517310) | $938M | $724M | +29.6% |
| 12 | Security Guards and Patrol Services (561612) | $6B | $5B | +20.4% |
| 13 | Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210) | $2.7B | $2.3B | +16.7% |
| 14 | Flight Training (611512) | $902M | $790M | +14.2% |
| 15 | Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists) (621111) | $8B | $7B | +13.7% |
| 16 | Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419) | $1.8B | $1.6B | +10.6% |
| 17 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (541710) | $7.9B | $7.2B | +9.5% |
| 18 | Custom Computer Programming Services (541511) | $8.4B | $7.8B | +6.9% |
| 19 | Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (811210) | $1.4B | $1.3B | +6.7% |
| 20 | Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers (524114) | $43.3B | $41.2B | +5.3% |
| 21 | Deep Sea Freight Transportation (483111) | $2.2B | $2.1B | +5.0% |
| 22 | Medical, Dental, and Hospital Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423450) | $2.1B | $2B | +5.0% |
| 23 | Petroleum Refineries (324110) | $7.5B | $7.3B | +3.6% |
| 24 | Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412) | $11.9B | $11.5B | +3.1% |
| 25 | Facilities Support Services (561210) | $32.7B | $32B | +2.2% |
Which industries led growth in FY2026 to date?
Commercial and Institutional Building Construction led growth at 171.1%. Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction followed at 125.9%, Process, Physical Distribution, and Logistics Consulting Services at 111.5%, and Automobile Manufacturing at 93.6%. Other notable gainers include Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) at 56.0% and Software Publishers at 45.5%.
How broad is the growth across industry types?
Construction-related industries occupy multiple top positions, including Commercial and Institutional Building Construction, Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction, Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction, Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction, and Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction at 31.6%. Manufacturing and technology sectors also appear, with Automobile Manufacturing at 93.6%, Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing at 31.9%, and Software Publishers at 45.5%. Services and education sectors are represented by Process, Physical Distribution, and Logistics Consulting Services at 111.5% and Other Technical and Trade Schools at 35.0%.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the fastest-growing federal contract markets?
The fastest-growing federal contract markets are Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (171.1%), Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction (125.9%), Process, Physical Distribution, and Logistics Consulting Services (111.5%), and Automobile Manufacturing (93.6%). Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) grew 56.0%, Software Publishers grew 45.5%, Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction grew 37.8%, Other Technical and Trade Schools grew 35.0%, Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing grew 31.9%, and Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction grew 31.6%.
How is market growth measured here?
Market growth is measured as year-over-year change for the same period in FY2026 to date. The ranking lists the percentage change in contract obligations for each industry during that comparative period.