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GovSpend

Our Methodology

GovSpend makes federal government spending searchable. We pull directly from the official USASpending.gov database to show who the government pays, how much, and for what — giving taxpayers a clear view of where their dollars go.

Data Sources

Our sole data source is the USASpending.gov API (api.usaspending.gov), the official public database of federal spending mandated by the DATA Act. This is the same data used by Congress, the GAO, and federal inspectors general.

The database covers federal contracts (procurement), grants, direct payments, loans, and other financial assistance. For each award, we have the recipient, amount, awarding agency, description, and location.

Contractor Profiles

We aggregate spending by recipient to create contractor profiles showing:

  • Total federal obligations over time
  • Agency relationships — which government agencies this contractor works with
  • Award history — individual contracts and grants
  • Spending by category (services, products, R&D)
  • Geographic distribution of work performed

Data Collection Process

We query the USASpending.gov API for award data, aggregate by recipient DUNS/UEI number to create contractor profiles, and calculate totals by agency, category, and fiscal year. Recipient names are normalized to handle variations across multiple awards.

Update Frequency

USASpending.gov data is updated daily by federal agencies. We refresh our database regularly to capture new awards and modifications. Historical data is stable but agencies occasionally make corrections to prior-year records.

Known Limitations

  • Classified contracts (primarily in defense and intelligence) are not fully disclosed in USASpending.gov. Amounts may appear but with limited detail about the work performed.
  • Subcontractor spending is not comprehensively tracked — a prime contractor may pass significant funds to subcontractors that do not appear in the top-level data.
  • Obligation amounts represent commitments, not actual disbursements. The government may obligate funds that are later de-obligated or modified.
  • Contractor name normalization is imperfect. Large companies with multiple subsidiaries or divisions may appear as separate entries.

How to Cite This Data

If you use data from GovSpend, please cite:

GovSpend. "[Contractor Name] Federal Spending Data." taxdollardata.org, 2026. Accessed [date].

Underlying data is sourced from USASpending.gov and is in the public domain.