How to Look Up Federal Contracts
Updated April 2026 · Free tools and databases
Every federal contract is public record. The DATA Act of 2014 requires all federal agencies to report spending data, making it possible to look up exactly how much any company receives from the government. Here are the best free tools to search federal contracts.
Method 1: TaxDollarData.org (Simplest)
Our site is the fastest way to look up a specific contractor. Search by company name to see:
- Total federal obligations and ranking among all contractors
- Which agencies they work with and how much each pays
- Recent award details and spending categories
- Year-over-year spending trends
We currently track 1,999 federal contractors with $525.3B in total spending. Browse by contractor ranking, industry, or state.
Method 2: USASpending.gov (Most Detailed)
USASpending.gov is the official government source maintained by the US Treasury. It has the most detailed data but a steeper learning curve.
How to search:
- Go to USASpending.gov and click “Award Search”
- Use filters: Recipient Name, Awarding Agency, Place of Performance, NAICS Code, Award Type
- Click any award to see full details: modifications, sub-awards, and transaction history
- Download results as CSV for your own analysis
Best for: Detailed award-level data, sub-award information, transaction history, and bulk data downloads.
Method 3: SAM.gov (Active Opportunities)
SAM.gov is the System for Award Management — it's where the government posts solicitations and where companies register to do business. Use it to find:
- Contract Opportunities — Open solicitations and upcoming bids
- Entity Registration — Verify if a company is registered to receive federal contracts
- Exclusions — Companies barred from federal contracting
- Wage Determinations — Required pay rates for service and construction contracts
Method 4: FPDS.gov (Raw Data)
The Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) is the underlying database that feeds USASpending.gov. It has the rawest, most granular contract data — every modification, every action. Best for researchers and analysts who need complete transactional data.
Free vs. Paid Tools
| Tool | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| TaxDollarData.org | Free | Quick contractor lookups, rankings, industry breakdowns |
| USASpending.gov | Free | Detailed award data, bulk downloads, sub-awards |
| SAM.gov | Free | Active solicitations, entity registration, exclusions |
| FPDS.gov | Free | Raw transactional data, every contract modification |
| Bloomberg Government | ~$7,500/yr | Policy analysis, legislative intelligence, market size |
| GovWin IQ (Deltek) | ~$3,000/yr | Opportunity pipeline, competitive intelligence |
| GovTribe | ~$1,350/yr | Small business opportunity tracking, ML recommendations |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up federal contracts for free?
You can search federal contracts for free on TaxDollarData.org (1,999 contractors searchable), USASpending.gov (the official government source), and FPDS.gov (raw contract data). All federal spending data is public record under the DATA Act of 2014.
Can I see how much a company gets from the government?
Yes. Search for any company on TaxDollarData.org to see their total federal obligations, which agencies they work with, recent awards, and spending breakdown. For example, our database covers 1,999 federal contractors with $525.3B in total spending.
How do I find federal contracts in my state?
Use TaxDollarData.org's state pages to see federal spending, top contractors, and agency breakdown for each state. USASpending.gov also offers state profiles with award-level detail. You can filter by congressional district on USASpending.gov.
How do I find upcoming government contracts to bid on?
Current solicitations (open bids) are posted on SAM.gov under "Contract Opportunities." You can filter by NAICS code, set-aside type, agency, and location. Forecast of upcoming contracts is sometimes published in agency procurement forecasts. GovWin, Bloomberg Government, and Deltek offer paid intelligence on upcoming opportunities.