Flagship ranking · FY2026 to date
Federal contract spending by agency, FY2026 to date
Data through 2026-08-19
Federal agencies obligated $582B in contracts through FY2026 to date. The Department of Defense led federal contract spending with $303B in obligations. The Department of Veterans Affairs followed with $70.1B, and the Department of Homeland Security recorded $59.6B. Energy and civilian agencies also represent substantial shares: the Department of Energy obligated $48.9B, the General Services Administration obligated $21.1B, and the Department of Health and Human Services obligated $16B. NASA obligated $11.2B, the Department of Transportation obligated $9.9B, the Department of Agriculture obligated $7.7B, and the Department of Justice obligated $7.2B. These figures are contract obligations and reflect fiscal year to date totals, not full-year results. Contractors evaluating federal opportunities should note where absolute contracting volume concentrates so they can match capabilities to agencies that award the largest totals of contract obligations.
| Item | Obligations |
|---|---|
| Department of Defense | $303B |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | $70.1B |
| Department of Homeland Security | $59.6B |
| Department of Energy | $48.9B |
| General Services Administration | $21.1B |
| Department of Health and Human Services | $16B |
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration | $11.2B |
| Department of Transportation | $9.9B |
| Department of Agriculture | $7.7B |
| Department of Justice | $7.2B |
Department of Defense obligated the most on contracts in FY2026 to date, with $303B.
| Rank | Agency | Obligations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Department of Defense | $303B |
| 2 | Department of Veterans Affairs | $70.1B |
| 3 | Department of Homeland Security | $59.6B |
| 4 | Department of Energy | $48.9B |
| 5 | General Services Administration | $21.1B |
| 6 | Department of Health and Human Services | $16B |
| 7 | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | $11.2B |
| 8 | Department of Transportation | $9.9B |
| 9 | Department of Agriculture | $7.7B |
| 10 | Department of Justice | $7.2B |
| 11 | Department of State | $5.5B |
| 12 | Department of the Treasury | $5.3B |
| 13 | Department of the Interior | $4.5B |
| 14 | Department of Commerce | $3.7B |
| 15 | Department of Education | $2.2B |
| 16 | Department of Labor | $1.8B |
| 17 | Social Security Administration | $1.2B |
| 18 | Environmental Protection Agency | $896M |
| 19 | Agency for International Development | $690M |
| 20 | Department of Housing and Urban Development | $682M |
| 21 | Securities and Exchange Commission | $351M |
| 22 | National Science Foundation | $321M |
| 23 | Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation | $195M |
| 24 | Smithsonian Institution | $186M |
| 25 | National Archives and Records Administration | $185M |
Which agencies account for the largest shares of contract obligations?
The Department of Defense obligated $303B, making it the largest contracting agency. The Department of Veterans Affairs obligated $70.1B and the Department of Homeland Security obligated $59.6B. The Department of Energy obligated $48.9B and the General Services Administration obligated $21.1B.
How should contractors prioritize outreach given these obligation totals?
Contractors should prioritize outreach to agencies with the largest obligation totals if they want to pursue the largest pools of federal contracts. The Department of Defense obligated $303B and the Department of Veterans Affairs obligated $70.1B, so those agencies represent the biggest absolute contracting volumes. Agencies with single-digit billions in obligations, like the Department of Transportation with $9.9B, may offer more specialized or narrower opportunities.
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Frequently asked questions
Which federal agency spends the most on contracts?
The Department of Defense spends the most on contracts. The Department of Defense obligated $303B in contracts through FY2026 to date, which is the largest single-agency total compared with other agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs at $70.1B and the Department of Homeland Security at $59.6B.