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Government Contract Awards by NAICS Codes

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes can provide valuable insight on government spending. Researching by NAICS codes can tell you what types of products and services the government is buying, which agencies are buying them, and who your potential competitors are.

Whether you’re evaluating the government market for the first time or reevaluating the market to adjust your strategy, get a jumpstart on your research with the spending data and tips below.

Government Contract Awards by
NAICS Codes FY 2023

The interactive charts below are sourced from the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). SAM.gov includes contract awards reported by agencies; agencies are not required to report contracts valued under $10,000.

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Top 10 NAICS Codes in FY 2023

The chart below shows the top ten NAICS codes with the highest dollar value of government contract awards in fiscal year 2023. The dark blue bars represent total fiscal year 2023 contract awards for each NAICS Code, while the bright green bars illustrate how much of that total was awarded to small businesses.

As shown in the chart below, NAICS Code 336411 for Aircraft Manufacturing leads over all other NAICS Code. This represents a return to the number one spot. After holding a ten year streak in the top position, NAICS Code 336411 was briefly replaced in fiscal year 2021 and 2022 by the NAICS code for Engineering Services, 541330. Overall, this top ten list appears to be dominated by NAICS Codes utilized heavily within the defense industry.

One additional note, the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector (indicated by NAICS codes beginning with 54) accounted for four of the top ten spots and approximately 30% of all government contract awards in fiscal year 2023.

Top 10 NAICS Codes for GSA Awards in FY 2023

The chart below shows the ten NAICS codes in fiscal year 2023 with the highest awards through the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS), which includes the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Contract and the VA Schedule Contract. The blue bars represent total GSA/VA Schedule Contract awards in fiscal year 2023, while the bright green bars illustrate GSA/VA Schedule awards to small businesses.

When it comes to awards through the GSA/VA Schedule, services dominate, accounting for nine of the top ten NAICS codes. While the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector accounts for approximately 30% of all government contract awards, it accounts for more than 60% of awards under the GSA/VA Schedule.

Scanning the bar chart below, you can see small businesses account for a larger portion of awards under the top ten GSA/VA Schedule NAICS Codes in comparison to the top ten for all government contract awards (detailed above). Within the top ten NAICS codes, small businesses accounted for less than 20% of total federal government contract awards and 45% of GSA/VA Schedule awards.

How to Research NAICS on USASpending.gov

USASpending.gov is an official government website that provides data on the U.S. federal government’s spending. If your company is researching the government market, USASpending.gov is a free, user-friendly resource. Follow the steps below to find which government agencies are purchasing the products/services you offer and which companies are competing for these awards.

  • Go to USASpending.gov
  • Click “Award Search” from the main menu and select “Advanced Search”
  • Select your filters from the left hand side menu
    • Time Period: Select the fiscal years you would like to view
    • Award Type: Contracts/Contract IDVs
    • North American Industry Classification System (NAICS): Enter the NAICS Code you would like to search
  • Click “Submit Search”

NAICS Code Government Spending Report FY 2023

Search for your company’s NAICS codes or the keywords associated with your products/services to see fiscal year 2023:

  • Federal Contract Awards by NAICS
  • Small Business Contract Awards by NAICS
  • Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) (GSA & VA Schedule Contract) Awards by NAICS

Can a GSA Contract Expand Your Government Sales?

Government buyers spend more than $40 billion annually through the GSA Multiple Award Schedule Contract (GSA Schedule). Learn more about what the GSA Schedule is, if your company is eligible, and how to get a GSA Schedule Contract.

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