Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS)

The Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) is the US government's electronic reporting platform where prime contractors and prime grant recipients submit information about their subcontractors and subgrantees as required by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA).

What is FSRS?

FSRS is managed by the General Services Administration and implements the subaward reporting requirements of FFATA, which was enacted in 2006 to increase transparency in how federal funds flow from prime recipients to their subcontractors and subgrantees. The law requires that any prime contractor awarded a federal contract of $30,000 or more that makes a first-tier subcontract of $30,000 or more must report the subaward within the month following the subaward execution.

Reports submitted in FSRS are public and flow directly into USAspending.gov, where they appear alongside the prime award data. This creates a partially visible picture of how prime contract dollars are distributed through the supply chain. Information reported includes the subcontractor's name, UEI, physical address, the amount of the subaward, and a brief description of the subaward purpose. The reporting obligation falls on the prime contractor, not the subcontractor.

Reporting is triggered by subaward dollar thresholds, not by whether a subcontracting plan is in place. A small business prime contractor that makes a qualifying subaward must report in FSRS, even though small business primes are generally exempt from the subcontracting plan requirements that drive eSRS reporting. The two systems are complementary but serve different legal authorities: FSRS serves FFATA transparency, eSRS serves small business subcontracting plan compliance.

Why FSRS matters for government contractors

FSRS compliance is a legal obligation with potential audit consequences, but it also creates a transparency layer that sophisticated contractors use strategically. Because FSRS data appears in USAspending, researchers and business development professionals can see which companies are acting as subcontractors on major prime contracts - valuable competitive intelligence. New subcontractors should be aware that their relationship with primes becomes partially visible through this reporting, which can inform business development decisions about which primes to partner with and which contracts to target as a future prime.

Example

A prime IT contractor wins a $4.5 million GSA task order and immediately subcontracts $800,000 in cloud architecture work to a small business cloud services firm. Within one month of executing the subcontract, the prime's contracts administrator logs into FSRS, enters the subcontractor's UEI, physical address, the subaward amount, and a description of the cloud architecture services. The report is submitted and flows into USAspending within the next data refresh cycle. The cloud firm's principal, reviewing USAspending for competitive research, later discovers this subaward record and uses it to approach two other primes with similar task orders to pitch its cloud services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is required to report in FSRS?

Prime contractors and prime grantees receiving federal awards of $30,000 or more must report in FSRS when they make first-tier subawards of $30,000 or more. The reporting obligation is on the prime, not the subcontractor. Awards to individuals (as opposed to entities) and certain classified awards are exempt.

What is the deadline for FSRS reporting?

Subaward reports must be submitted by the end of the month following the month in which the subaward was made. For example, a subaward executed on March 15 must be reported in FSRS by April 30. Late or missing reports can result in findings during contract audits and may affect responsibility determinations on future awards.

Is FSRS reporting the same as eSRS reporting?

No. FSRS reporting fulfills the FFATA transparency requirement and covers subawards by both large and small business primes above the threshold. eSRS reporting fulfills the subcontracting plan compliance requirement under FAR 52.219-9 and applies only to large business primes that have subcontracting plans. A large business prime with a subcontracting plan must comply with both systems.

Can I see my subcontractors' information in FSRS before they are reported?

FSRS is a reporting system, not a directory. You cannot search for companies to find their subcontracting relationships before they are formally reported. The data becomes visible in USAspending after the prime submits the FSRS report and it is processed into the public database. For prospective subcontractor research, use SAM.gov's Dynamic Small Business Search or other vendor registries.