What is US federal contracting?
Ava Robinson
Published Feb 12, 2026
Unlike grants and cooperative agreements, which are assistance mechanisms, a federal contract is a procurement mechanism. This means that the principal purpose of a federal contract is to purchase property or services for the direct benefit or use of the US Government.
What companies are considered federal contractors?
Top 100 Contractors of the U.S. federal government
| Top 100 Contractors of Fiscal Year 2019 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Global Vendor Name | Dollars Obligated (millions) | %Total Dollars |
| 1. LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP | $48,666 | 8.23% |
| 2. BOEING COMPANY, THE | $28,089 | 4.75% |
| 3. GENERAL DYNAMICS CORP | $20,961 | 3.55% |
What companies have contracts with the US government?
The Top 5 Biggest U.S. Government Contracts
- Lockheed Martin Corporation. Lockheed Martin is the largest defense company in the world.
- Boeing. The Boeing Company is the world’s largest commercial jetliner manufacturer and aerospace company.
- General Dynamics.
- Raytheon.
- Northrop Grumman.
Can foreign companies get US government contracts?
Most government agencies welcome bids from any firm that is qualified to compete for the opportunity to win the contract, regardless of whether they are based in the U.S. or a foreign country.
How do I find federal contracts?
Find contracts
- There are a number of databases you can use to find federal contracts to bid on.
- The Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) is a database that government agencies use to find small business contractors for upcoming contracts.
- Federal business opportunities for contractors are listed at beta.SAM.gov.
How do you determine if your company is a federal contractor?
Generally speaking, any business or organization that (1) holds a single Federal contract, subcontract, or federally assisted construction contract in excess of $10,000.00; (2) has Federal contracts or subcontracts that combined total in excess of $10,000.00 in any 12-month period; or (3) holds Government bills of …
Can non US citizens work on federal contracts?
Do I have to be a US citizen to apply? Under Executive Order 11935, only United States citizens and nationals may be appointed to competitive service Federal jobs. In rare cases, agencies may hire certain non-citizens when there are no qualified U.S. citizens available, unless the appointment is prohibited by statute.
What is the biggest government contract?
In 2019, the biggest government contractor was Lockheed Martin, with a contract value of about 48.67 billion U.S. dollars.
Does Google have DOD contracts?
Google Cloud has landed a deal with the Department of Defense, the company announced Wednesday. The deal is in the seven figure range, Axios reported ahead of the release. The new contract, which is through the DoD’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), will be focused on identifying cyber threats, according to the release.
How to become a contractor for the federal government?
Start your business in 10 steps. The federal government encourages small businesses to take on contracting opportunities. The process to register as a federal contractor is more straight-forward than most people think.
How to bid on a federal government contract?
To bid on federal government contracts, you will need to learn the strange language of government contracting. Here are some of the words you will encounter most often. Find support to help you search for and bid on contract opportunities. Find a step-by-step list of how to get your business ready to bid on and win federal government contracts.
How many federal contractor registrations have been completed?
We’ve completed over 100,000 compliant SAM registrations during our 10 years of helping our clients succeed in the federal sector. USFCR Academy provides free and subscription online and interactive training for all aspects of government contracting.
Which is better usfcr or Federal Contractor Registration?
USFCR provides a better path to success in the federal sector. More than a SAM registration, USFCR is your partner in federal registrations and contracting. Our SAM registration service provides more value than the federal government or any other third-party.