USAspending.gov

USAspending.gov is the US government's official public spending database, created by the DATA Act of 2014, which requires every federal agency to report how it spends taxpayer money across contracts, grants, loans, and direct payments.

What is USAspending.gov?

USAspending.gov is maintained by the Department of the Treasury and tracks over $13.4 trillion in annual budgetary resources across all federal agencies. The platform holds more than 70 million award records going back to fiscal year 2001 and is updated daily for contract and grant awards. Every federal contract above the micro-purchase threshold, every grant award, and every interagency transfer is reported here.

For government contractors, the most valuable data set is the contracts layer: awards covering goods, services, and construction across every civilian and defense agency. Each record includes 286 data columns covering the awarding agency, funded agency, recipient name and NAICS code, contract type, set-aside type, place of performance, period of performance, and total obligated value. The free public API at api.usaspending.gov requires no authentication and supports filtering by agency, recipient, NAICS, PSC code, fiscal year, and geography.

For competitive intelligence, USAspending answers three core questions: who is winning contracts at an agency, how much those contracts are worth, and when they are likely to recompete. Searching by recipient name or UEI shows a competitor's full federal portfolio. Filtering by agency and NAICS reveals where an agency concentrates its spending. Sorting by end date surfaces recompete opportunities 12 to 18 months out. The data does not include CLIN-level pricing or solicitation documents, both of which live on SAM.gov.

Why USAspending.gov matters for government contractors

USAspending is the foundation of any serious federal market intelligence practice. Without it, contractors are guessing which agencies buy what they sell, at what volume, and from which incumbents. With it, a contractor can map the entire competitive landscape for their NAICS codes, identify under-penetrated agencies, and build a recompete pipeline from publicly available data. The platform is free, comprehensive, and updated daily - making it the single most important data source in the federal contracting ecosystem.

Example

A cybersecurity firm wants to expand from DHS into the Department of Veterans Affairs. Using USAspending, the firm filters for VA awards under NAICS 541519 (Other Computer-Related Services) and PSC code D301 (Cybersecurity) for the past three fiscal years. The results show $420 million in cumulative awards, with three incumbents holding 70 percent of the spend. Two of those contracts end within 18 months. The firm now has a prioritized target list and incumbent names to research before deciding which recompetes to pursue.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is USAspending different from SAM.gov?

SAM.gov hosts active solicitations and contract opportunities - what the government is about to buy. USAspending tracks what the government has already bought. Contractors use SAM.gov to find and respond to bids, and USAspending to research the competitive landscape, understand agency spending patterns, and identify recompete opportunities.

Is USAspending data accurate?

The data is as accurate as what agencies report to the system. Errors in agency submissions do occur, and USAspending publishes a data quality dashboard showing submission compliance rates by agency. For most contracting decisions, the data is accurate enough for strategic planning, though individual award values may differ slightly from final obligated amounts.

What does USAspending not include?

USAspending does not include classified contract details, CLIN-level pricing breakdowns, solicitation documents, subcontract-level detail below what prime contractors self-report, or state and local government spending. For CLIN pricing, use the RFP documents from SAM.gov. For state and local spending, each state maintains its own transparency portal.

Can I use USAspending to track a competitor's federal revenue?

Yes. Search by recipient name or UEI number to see all awards made to a specific company across all agencies and fiscal years. The results show total obligated amounts by agency, contract type, and NAICS code. This gives a reliable picture of a competitor's federal revenue mix, though indirect teaming arrangements and subcontract work are not captured.