US government contracts: federal, state and local
Governments in the United States buy from businesses at three levels: the federal government, the states, and local governments (counties, cities, school districts, transit and port authorities). Federal agencies alone obligated $793.30B on contracts in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 – September 2025), and 8,889 federal contract opportunities are open now. SpendQuery shows who wins government contracts, who buys, and what is open, from the public records.
Federal government contracts
The largest buyer: defense, health care, IT, construction, research and services, awarded under the Federal Acquisition Regulation and posted on SAM.gov.
- Federal contracts: the agencies that buy, the largest federal contractors, contracts by state and industry.
- Open federal contract opportunities, contracts ending soon and agency forecasts.
- Recently awarded federal contracts and typical contract sizes by industry.
- Federal contractors and subcontractors for any kind of work.
State government contracts and spending
Each state buys under its own procurement code and posts bids on its own portal. SpendQuery has the state checkbooks (every payment, who was paid and by which department) for:
- California
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Indiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Missouri
- New Jersey
- Oregon
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
Federal contracts in any state: pick a state.
Local government contracts: counties and cities
Counties, cities and their agencies post their own bids. SpendQuery lists open state and local bids and awarded contracts from a growing set of governments, each linked to its source, and the checkbooks of:
Questions people ask
What are government contracts?
Agreements in which a government agency buys goods or services from a business or nonprofit. In the US they are awarded by the federal government (agencies such as the Department of Defense or the VA), by the 50 states, and by counties, cities, school districts and transit and port authorities. Each level follows its own purchasing rules.
What is the difference between federal and state government contracts?
Federal contracts follow the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and are posted on SAM.gov; you register once in SAM.gov to win them. State and local contracts follow each state's or city's own procurement code and are posted on that government's own bid portal, often with its own vendor registration.
Where can I find government contracts to bid on?
Federal opportunities over $25,000 are posted on SAM.gov (Contract Opportunities). States, counties and cities post on their own procurement portals. SpendQuery lists open federal opportunities with a brief on each, plus open bids from a growing set of state and local governments, linked to the original notice.
How do I win my first government contract?
Start where you already fit: find the agencies that buy what you sell from past awards, register (SAM.gov for federal work), check small-business certifications that open set-aside contracts, and look at contracts ending soon in your field, since their recompetes are announced in advance. Subcontracting to a prime contractor is a common first step.
Is government contract data public?
Yes. Federal awards are published on USAspending.gov and federal opportunities on SAM.gov; many states and cities publish their payments and contracts on open-data portals. SpendQuery brings them together and links every number to its source.