CONTRACTING 

DATA ANALYSIS

Assessment of 

Government-wide 

Trends 

Report to Congressional Addressees

March 2017

GAO-17-244SP

United States Government Accountability Office
(This Page Intentionally Left Blank)
United States Government Accountability Office

Highlights of GAO-17-244SP, a report to 

congressional addressees

March 2017

CONTRACTING DATA ANALYSIS

Assessment of Government-wide Trends

What GAO Found

GAO’s analysis of government-wide contracting data found that while defense 

obligations to buy products and services decreased by almost 31 percent from

fiscal year 2011 through 2015, from $399 billion to $274 billion, civilian 

obligations remained fairly steady over this time.

Government-wide competition rates—the percentage of total obligations reported 

for competitive contracts—remained steady at just below two-thirds over fiscal 

years 2011 through 2015.

From fiscal year 2011 through 2015, federal agencies used fixed price contracts 

for an average of 63 percent of obligations, mitigating risk to the government.

View GAO-17-244SP. For more information, 

contact William T. Woods at (202) 512-4841 or 

woodsw@gao.gov.

Why GAO Did This Study

Federal agencies obligated over $430 

billion through contracts for products

and services in fiscal year 2015, 

accounting for almost 40 percent of the 

government’s discretionary spending. 

Because spending on contracts

consumes a large portion of the federal 

government’s discretionary budget, 

Congress and the administration have 

taken steps to strengthen federal 

contracting practices and enhance 

oversight of government contract 

spending.

This report identifies overall trends in 

defense and civilian agencies’ contract 

obligations from fiscal years 2011 

through 2015 (the most recent and 

complete available at the time of 

GAO’s review), such as trends in 

competition and use of various contract 

types. This report includes snapshots 

of procurement activity at the 10

civilian agencies with the highest levels 

of obligations in fiscal year 2015 as 

well as the 3 military departments. All 

data are presented in constant fiscal 

year 2015 dollars. GAO analyzed data 

from the Federal Procurement Data 

System-Next Generation (FPDS-NG), 

the government’s procurement 

database, and reviewed prior GAO and 

Inspector General reports.

What GAO Recommends

GAO is not making any new 

recommendations in this report. In 

recent years GAO has issued 

numerous reports with

recommendations to defense and 

civilian agencies to address issues 

related to competition, contract type, 

and contracted services. Agencies 

generally concurred with these 

recommendations and have taken or 

planned actions to address them. 
Page i GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Letter 1

Background 2

Federal Obligations on Contracts from Fiscal Years 2011 through 

2015 Have Declined and Are Largely for Service Contracts 4

Government-wide Competition Rate Consistent at about TwoThirds of Products and Services Procured 10

Federal Agencies Used a Range of Contract Types, Indefinite 

Delivery Vehicles, and Procurement Procedures to Acquire 

Products and Services 17

Small Business Goals Met and Top Vendors Received Nearly 30 

Percent of Obligations in Fiscal Year 2015 26

Agency Snapshots 31

Agency Comments 59

Appendix I Objectives, Scope and Methodology 61

Appendix II GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments 65

Tables

Table 1: Government and Contractor Responsibilities, and Risk for 

Key Contract Types 3

Table 2: Defense and Civilian Obligations by Indefinite Delivery 

Vehicle (IDV) Type, Fiscal Year 2015 22

Table 3: Information on FPDS-NG Data Elements Assessed 62

Figures

Figure 1: Defense and Civilian Agency Obligations on Contracts, 

Fiscal Years 2011-2015 5

Figure 2: Top Services Procured at Defense and Civilian 

Agencies, Fiscal Year 2015 6

Figure 3: Top Products Procured at Defense and Civilian 

Agencies, Fiscal Year 2015 7

Figure 4: Government-wide Obligations for Services Requiring 

Increased Management Attention and All Other Services, 

Fiscal Years 2011-2015 9

Contents
Page ii GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Figure 5: Civilian Agencies with Highest Obligations on Categories 

of Services Requiring Increased Management Attention 

as a Percentage of Total Service Obligations, Fiscal Year 

2015 10

Figure 6: Government-wide Competition Rates Compared to 

Civilian and Defense Agencies, Fiscal Years 2011-2015 11

Figure 7: Fiscal Year 2015 Multiple Offer Rates Compared to 

Overall Competition Rate By Agency 14

Figure 8: Percentage of Total Competed Contract Obligations by 

Number of Offers, Fiscal Year 2015 15

Figure 9: Government-wide Obligations by Contract Type, Fiscal 

Years 2011-2015 18

Figure 10: Defense and Civilian Obligations by Contract Type, 

Fiscal Year 2015 19

Figure 11: Defense and Civilian Competed and Noncompeted 

Obligations by Contract Type, Fiscal Year 2015 21

Figure 12: Defense and Civilian Agency Use of Commercial Item 

Procedures as a Percentage of Total Obligations, Fiscal 

Year 2015 25

Figure 13: Defense and Civilian Obligations by Vendor Type, 

Fiscal Years 2011 through 2015 27

Figure 14: Number of Agencies Achieving Small Business Prime 

Contracting Goals 29

Figure 15: Obligations to Top 10 Vendors at Defense and Civilian 

Agencies as a Share of Total Obligations, Fiscal Year 

2015 30

Figure 16: Obligations to Top 10 Small Business Vendors at 

Defense and Civilian Agencies as a Share of all 

Obligations to Small Businesses, Fiscal Year 2015 31

Figure 17: Military Department and Top Civilian Agencies by 

Fiscal Year 2015 Obligations 32
Page iii GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Abbreviations

Air Force Department of the Air Force

Army Department of the Army

BPA Blanket Purchase Agreements 

DHS Department of Homeland Security

DOD Department of Defense 

DOE Department of Energy 

DOJ Department of Justice

DOT Department of Transportation 

FAR Federal Acquisition Regulation

FPDS-NG Federal Procurement Data System-Next Generation

FSS Federal Supply Schedule 

GSA General Services Administration

GWAC Government-wide Acquisition Contract

HHS Department of Health and Human Services

HUBZone Historically Underutilized Business Zone

IDIQ Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contracts

IDV indefinite delivery vehicles 

IT information technology 

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Navy Department of the Navy

NDAA National Defense Authorization Act

NNSA National Nuclear Security Administration

OFPP Office of Federal Procurement Policy 

OMB Office of Management and Budget 

SBA Small Business Administration

State Department of State

T&M/LH time and materials / labor hour contracts 

Treasury Department of the Treasury 

USAID U.S. Agency for International Development

USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture 

VA Department of Veteran’s Affairs 

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Page 1 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

441 G St. N.W.

Washington, DC 20548

March 9, 2017

Congressional Addressees

In fiscal year 2015, federal agencies obligated over $430 billion through 

contracts for goods and services, accounting for almost 40 percent of the 

government’s discretionary spending.1 Because spending on contracts for 

goods and services consumes such a large portion of the federal 

government’s discretionary budget, and is often critical to the 

achievement of agency missions, Congress and the administration have 

taken steps to strengthen federal contracting practices and enhance 

oversight of acquisition spending. For example, in 2014, the Office of 

Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) within the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) announced an effort to simplify federal procurement 

through several government-wide initiatives, such as managing 

government spending by categories (e.g., information technology) to curb 

duplication and increase savings. Also, every year Congress passes 

acquisition reform legislation through the National Defense Authorization 

Act (NDAA); most recently, the fiscal year 2017 NDAA included reforms 

focusing on accountability and improving the acquisition workforce.2

Prior GAO reports have identified a variety of acquisition-related issues 

and challenges that agencies face, including the use of inefficient 

contracting approaches, ways to leverage buying power and achieve 

savings, and opportunities to increase competition and small business 

participation. Contract and acquisition management at three large 

agencies—the Departments of Defense (DOD) and Energy (DOE) and 

the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have been on 

GAO’s High Risk List for over 20 years, and, in 2015, we added 

government-wide information technology (IT) acquisitions to the list.

This review is part of our ongoing efforts to support congressional 

oversight of federal contract spending and was performed under the 

authority of the Comptroller General. This report addresses defense and 

civilian agency trends in contracting, specifically (1) the kinds of products 

 1

According to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the fiscal year 2015 federal 

budget included more than $1.1 trillion in discretionary budget authority, which is set 

through annual appropriations acts and is used to fund a variety of federal programs and 

activities including the acquisition of products and services.

2

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, Pub. L. No. 114-328 (2016).

Letter
Page 2 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

and services acquired; (2) the rate of competition; (3) the use of various 

procurement methods and contract types; and (4) the categories of 

vendors providing products and services. Our analysis covers the 5-year 

period from fiscal years 2011 through 2015, the most recent and 

complete data available at the time of our review. In addition, we 

developed snapshots of procurement activity for the 10 civilian agencies 

with the highest obligations on contracts during fiscal year 2015—and the 

three military departments—the Air Force, Army, and Navy.

To identify trends in defense and civilian agencies’ contract spending, we 

analyzed obligation data from the archive files of the Federal 

Procurement Data System-Next Generation (FPDS-NG)—the 

government’s procurement database—for fiscal years 2011 through 

2015.3 We assessed the reliability of FPDS-NG data by (1) performing 

electronic testing of selected data elements, and (2) reviewing existing 

information about the FPDS-NG system and the data it produces. We 

determined that the FPDS-NG data were sufficiently reliable for our 

purposes. Unless otherwise noted, all data in the report are reflected in 

constant fiscal year 2015 dollars. A more detailed description of our 

objectives, scope, and methodology is presented in appendix I.

We conducted this performance audit from March 2016 to March 2017 in 

accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. 

Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain 

sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our 

findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe that 

the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and 

conclusions based on our audit objectives.

The federal government is a large and complex organization comprised of 

18 cabinet-level departments and nearly 100 other independent agencies. 

The government spends more than $3.5 trillion annually and employs 

over 4 million full- and part-time workers. Each year, federal agencies 

procure a variety of products and services in support of their respective 

missions and activities. Agencies acquire products and services through 

contracts that specify the government’s requirements, the price and 

 3

An obligation is a definite commitment that creates a legal liability of the government for 

the payment of products and services ordered or received, or a legal duty on the part of 

the United States that could mature into a legal liability by virtue of actions on the part of 

the other party beyond the control of the United States.

Background
Page 3 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

payment arrangements agreed upon by the government and the vendor, 

and other terms and conditions. There are several different contract 

types, which allocate the risk of cost overruns to the government or the 

contractor. Table 1 describes three broad categories of contract types.

Table 1: Government and Contractor Responsibilities, and Risk for Key Contract Types 

Government responsibilities Contractor responsibilities Party bearing risk 

of cost overrun

Fixed price

Pays fixed price even if actual total cost of product or service falls 

short of or exceeds the contract price. May also pay an award or 

incentive fee related to performance.

Provides an acceptable deliverable at 

the time, place, and price specified in 

the contract.

Contractor

Cost-reimbursement

Pays contractor’s allowable costs incurred, to the extent prescribed by 

the contract. Also may pay a fee, which may be related to 

performance. Contracts include an estimated total cost for purposes of 

obligating funds and a ceiling that the contractor exceeds at its own 

risk (unless approved by the contracting officer). Government is not 

guaranteed a completed end item or service within the estimated cost. 

Makes good faith effort to meet 

government’s needs within the 

estimated cost.

Government

Time-and-materials/labor hour

Pays fixed per-hour labor rates that include wages, overhead, general 

administrative costs, and profit as well as the actual cost of materials; 

government might reimburse contractor for other direct costs, such as 

travel and materials costs. In a labor hour contract materials are not 

supplied by the contractor. Contracts include a ceiling price that the 

contractor exceeds at its own risk. Government is not guaranteed a 

completed end item or service within the ceiling price.

Makes good faith effort to meet 

government’s needs within the ceiling 

price.

Government

Source: GAO analysis of Federal Acquisition Regulation. | GAO-17-244SP.

Federal statutes and acquisition regulations generally require that federal 

agencies award contracts through full and open competition. Competition, 

a fundamental element of a sound acquisition system, promotes the 

efficient use of taxpayer resources and establishes accountability for 

results by helping to drive down prices and motivate better contractor 

performance. However, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) also 

recognizes that full and open competition is not always feasible, and 

authorizes contracting without full and open competition under certain 

conditions. Situations for which the FAR provides exceptions include4

 4

The Competition in Contracting Act of 1984 (CICA), Pub. L. No. 98-369, established 

seven exceptions to competition, which are often referred to as CICA exceptions. Subpart 

6.3 of the FAR implements the CICA exceptions.
Page 4 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

• only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will 

satisfy agency requirements;

• unusual and compelling urgency; and

• authorized or required by statute (for example, statutorily allowed sole 

source awards to small businesses).

Agencies may also limit participation on a solicitation for products or 

services to only small businesses. This practice is linked to the federal 

government’s long-standing policy of maximizing procurement 

opportunities for small businesses. To promote small business 

participation in federal procurement, Congress has set an annual 

government-wide goal of awarding not less than 23 percent of prime 

contract dollars to small businesses. Every year, the Small Business 

Administration (SBA) negotiates with federal agencies to establish 

individual agency goals that, in the aggregate, constitute the governmentwide goal. Congress also established statutory goals for various 

socioeconomic categories of small businesses, such as women-owned 

and service-disabled veteran-owned.5

 5

The current goals are: 5 percent of prime and subcontract dollars awarded to womenowned small businesses: 5 percent to small disadvantaged businesses; 3 percent to 

service-disabled veteran-owned businesses; and 3 percent to small businesses in 

Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone). 

Federal Obligations 

on Contracts from 

Fiscal Years 2011 

through 2015 Have 

Declined and Are 

Largely for Service 

Contracts

Key observations

• While overall contract obligations decreased over the 5-year period, the decrease 

occurred primarily at the Department of Defense. Defense contract obligations in 

fiscal year 2015 for products and services decreased by almost 31 percent from 

fiscal year 2011 levels. 

• About 60 percent of government-wide contract obligations are for services, with 

civilian agencies obligating 80 percent of their contract dollars for services. 

• Federal agencies consistently obligated about $50 billion annually for contracted 

services that the Office of Federal Procurement Policy and our prior work have 

identified as needing increased management attention, such as professional and 

management support services.
Page 5 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Our analysis of government-wide contracting data found that in fiscal year 

2015, federal agencies procured approximately $438 billion in products 

and services; nearly a 24 percent decrease from fiscal year 2011 levels. 

Defense obligations decreased by almost 31 percent from fiscal year 

2011 through 2015, while civilian obligations decreased by less than 7 

percent over that same period, as demonstrated in figure 1.

Figure 1: Defense and Civilian Agency Obligations on Contracts, Fiscal Years 2011-

2015

The largest decrease in obligations for both defense and civilian agencies

occurred around the time of sequestration in fiscal year 2013. While 

defense obligations continued to decrease, civilian obligations increased 

to just under fiscal year 2011 levels. We have previously reported that the 

percentage of the reduction in nondefense appropriations due to 

sequestration was smaller than the percent reduction in defense 

appropriations.6 Further, 26 percent of DOD’s fiscal year 2013 

 6

GAO, 2013 Sequestration: Agencies Reduced Some Services and Investments, While 

Taking Certain Actions to Mitigate Effects, GAO-14-244 (Washington, D.C.: Mar. 6, 2014).

Defense Obligations 

Decreased More 

Significantly Than Civilian 

Obligations from Fiscal 

Year 2011 through 2015
Page 6 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

sequestration reductions came from its procurement accounts. The 

military departments also awarded fewer contracts for planned military 

construction projects.7

Obligations for service contracts represent about 60 percent of total 

government-wide contract obligations over the 5-year period we 

reviewed, with the remainder going to products.8 Across the defense 

agencies, a little over 50 percent of contract obligations were for 

contracted services, while civilian agencies obligated nearly 80 percent 

for services over the 5-year period.

The top five services at defense and civilian agencies accounted for 

about 51 and 60 percent respectively of total obligations on services in 

fiscal year 2015. These services ranged from professional and 

management support to IT services, as shown in figure 2.

Figure 2: Top Services Procured at Defense and Civilian Agencies, Fiscal Year 2015

 7

GAO, Sequestration: Documenting and Assessing Lessons Learned Would Assist DOD 

in Planning for Future Budget Uncertainty, GAO-15-470 (Washington, D.C.: May 27, 2015)

8

A single contract or task order may include more than one product and/or service. The 

product service code selected in FPDS-NG represents the predominant product or service 

being purchased. 

Majority of Federal 

Contract Obligations Are 

for Services
Page 7 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

The Air Force and Army—the largest users of service contracts at DOD—

obligated over 60 percent of their total fiscal year 2015 contract 

obligations on service contracts. Both military departments’ top contracted 

services were professional and management support services, such as 

engineering and technical support. Ten civilian agencies obligated more 

than 90 percent of their fiscal year 2015 contract spending on services. 

Two of these agencies—DOE and NASA—largely contracted for services 

related to their research and development efforts, including operation of 

facilities and applied research.

Federal agencies obligated about 40 percent of total contract obligations 

from fiscal year 2011 through 2015 for products. Defense agencies 

obligated just under half of all contract obligations for products, and 

civilian agencies obligated about 20 percent of all obligations. DOD’s 

significant investment in major weapons program accounts for a large 

percentage of the products purchased.9 The types of products procured 

at defense and civilian agencies varied in fiscal year 2015, as shown in 

figure 3.

Figure 3: Top Products Procured at Defense and Civilian Agencies, Fiscal Year 2015

 9

GAO, Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs, 

GAO-16-329SP, (Washington, D.C.: March 31, 2016).

Civilian agencies that obligated more than 

$10 billion each for service contracts in 

fiscal year 2015

• Department of Energy

• Department of Health and Human 

Services

• National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration

• Department of Homeland Security

• Department of Veteran’s Affairs

Source: GAO analysis of Federal Procurement Data SystemNext Generation data. | GAO-17-244SP
Page 8 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

At DOD, the Defense Logistics Agency obligated nearly all of its fiscal 

year 2015 contract dollars—$28.3 billion out of $30.2 billion—for 

products, such as liquid propellants and fuels. Three civilian agencies—

the Department of the Treasury (Treasury), U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA), and Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA)—obligated 

about half of their fiscal year 2015 contract obligations on products. 

Treasury obligated nearly 65 percent of its obligations on products for 

precious metals, while VA obligated over 60 percent for drugs and 

biologicals.

While there are benefits to using contractors to provide services, such as 

addressing surge capacity needs, the Office of Federal Procurement 

Policy (OFPP) and our prior work have identified risks of over-reliance on 

contractors and the need for increased management attention on certain 

types of services, such as professional and management support 

services.10 For example, contractors performing these types of services 

are at a heightened risk of performing inherently governmental work.11

While government-wide obligations for all services decreased from fiscal 

year 2011 through 2015, DOD and civilian agencies consistently 

obligated over $50 billion of total contract obligations annually on 

management support and other services requiring increased 

management attention, as shown in figure 4.

 10Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Federal Procurement Policy 

(OFPP), Memorandum for Chief Acquisition Officers and Senior Procurement Executives,

Service Contract Inventories, November 5, 2010; and OMB, OFPP Memorandum for Chief 

Financial Officers, Chief Acquisition Officers, and Senior Procurement Executives, 

Reduced Contract Spending for Management Support Services, November 7, 2011. GAO, 

Managing Service Contracts: Recent Efforts to Address Associated Risks Can Be Further 

Enhanced, GAO-12-87 (Washington, D.C.: Dec. 7, 2011); and Civilian Service Contract 

Inventories: Opportunities Exist to Improve Agency Reporting and Review Efforts, 

GAO-12-1007 (Washington, D.C.: Sept. 27, 2012).

11Inherently governmental function means, as a matter of policy, a function that is so 

intimately related to the public interest as to mandate performance by government 

employees and includes functions that require the exercise of discretion in applying 

government authority, or making value judgments in making decisions for the government. 

Section 7.503(c) of the FAR provides examples of such functions. Contracts shall not be 

used for the performance of inherently governmental functions. FAR § 7.503(a). See also, 

FAR § 2.101. 

Civilian agencies that obligated more than 

$3 billion on products in fiscal year 2015

• Department of Veteran’s Affairs

• Department of Health and Human 

Services

• Department of the Treasury

• U.S. Department of Agriculture

• Department of Homeland Security

Source: GAO analysis of Federal Procurement Data SystemNext Generation data. | GAO-17-244SP

Defense and Civilian 

Agencies Continue to Rely 

on Contracted Services 

That Need Increased 

Management Attention
Page 9 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Figure 4: Government-wide Obligations for Services Requiring Increased 

Management Attention and All Other Services, Fiscal Years 2011-2015

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, as 

amended, set limits on DOD’s total obligations for contracted services in 

fiscal years 2012 through 2015.12 Further, the Act instructed the Secretary 

of Defense to issue guidance to require a reduction in funding in those 

fiscal years for contracts that have contractors performing services that 

are closely associated with inherently governmental functions or staff 

augmentation functions—some of the same types of services that OFPP 

and GAO have identified as needing increased management. While 

DOD’s obligations on these types of services decreased over the 5-year 

period, its share of total service obligations increased from 16.9 percent 

to 19 percent from fiscal year 2011 through 2015. This demonstrates that 

DOD’s reliance on services that require additional oversight has not 

decreased in relation to all other services. Further, the Air Force 

increased obligations on these services from $7.3 billion in fiscal year 

2011 (or 17.4 percent of all fiscal year 2011 obligations for services) to 

$7.9 billion in fiscal year 2015 (22.7 percent of all fiscal year 2015 

obligations for services).

Civilian agency obligations for these types of services in fiscal year 2015 

decreased by about 5 percent from fiscal year 2011 levels, but the share 

of total services that these selected services represent remained steady 

 12Pub. L. No. 112-81, § 808 (2011), as amended by National Defense Authorization Act 

for Fiscal Year 2014, Pub. L. No. 113-66, § 802 (2013) and Carl Levin and Howard P. 

“Buck” McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015, Pub. L. No. § 

813 (2014).
Page 10 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

at about 21 percent. In fiscal year 2015 nine civilian agencies obligated 

more than $1 billion each for services requiring increased management 

attention (see figure 5).

Figure 5: Civilian Agencies with Highest Obligations on Categories of Services Requiring Increased Management Attention as 

a Percentage of Total Service Obligations, Fiscal Year 2015

Key observations

• From fiscal year 2011 through 2015, the government-wide competition rate 

remained relatively steady at just below two-thirds of total contract obligations, with 

civilian agencies competing nearly 80 percent of contract obligations during that 

time. 

• In fiscal year 2015, 14 percent of competed obligations were on contracts for which 

agencies received only one offer in response to the solicitation—a condition that 

deprives agencies of the ability to consider alternative solutions to meet agency 

needs.

Our analysis found that the government-wide competition rate—the 

percentage of total obligations reported under competitive contracts—

remained relatively steady at just below two-thirds of all contract 

obligations from fiscal years 2011 through 2015. OMB categorized 

noncompetitive contracts as high-risk because, absent competition, 

Government-wide 

Competition Rate 

Consistent at about 

Two-Thirds of 

Products and 

Services Procured

Government-wide 

Competition Rate 

Remained Steady
Page 11 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

agencies must negotiate contracts without the benefit of a direct market 

mechanism to help set the contract price.13 As shown in figure 6, civilian 

agencies had a significantly higher rate of competition than DOD.

Figure 6: Government-wide Competition Rates Compared to Civilian and Defense Agencies, Fiscal Years 2011-2015

During fiscal years 2011-2015, the competition rate at DOD decreased 

from about 58 percent to 55 percent. In fiscal year 2015, the Army had 

the highest competition rate of the three military departments at 59 

percent. The Air Force and Navy had competition rates of 39 percent and 

44 percent, respectively. DOD’s annual competition reports note that 

competition achievement varies by organization based on the mission 

and types of products and services being procured. For example, 

competition rates are lower in organizations that buy major weapon 

systems particularly as systems move into production when competition is 

not economically viable. One of the goals of DOD’s Better Buying Power 

initiative—originally launched in 2010 and now in its third iteration—is to 

promote and enable competition throughout a major program’s lifecycle 

by, for example, encouraging the use of open systems architecture, which 

allows system components to be modified, replaced, or maintained by 

multiple suppliers, and effective management of data rights.14

 13OMB, Memorandum for the Head of Departments and Agencies: Improving Government 

Acquisition, M-09-25 (July 29, 2009)

14Better Buying Power is an initiative to strengthen DOD’s purchasing practices, improve 

industry productivity, and provide an affordable military capability to the warfighter. 

According to DOD, it encompasses a set of fundamental acquisition principles to achieve 

greater efficiencies through affordability, cost control, elimination of unproductive 

processes and bureaucracy, and promotion of competition.

Competition at the Department of Defense

Over the 5-year period we reviewed, DOD’s 

contract obligations for products accounted for 

almost half of DOD’s total contract obligations; 

its competition rate for products was much 

lower than it was for services. On average, 

DOD competed approximately 41 percent of 

contract obligations for products compared to 

72 percent for services. We have previously 

reported that DOD’s competition rates are 

affected by several factors, such as (1) a 

reliance on original equipment manufacturers 

throughout the life-cycle of major programs 

such as weapons systems, which can involve 

products as well and support services; and (2) 

foreign military sales, which are generally 

noncompetitive.

Source: GAO analysis of Federal Procurement Data SystemNext Generation data and GAO-13-325. | GAO-17-244SP
Page 12 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Civilian agencies competed about 80 percent of total contract obligations 

for both products and services in fiscal year 2015, up from roughly 76 

percent in fiscal year 2011. Prior GAO work has identified various factors 

that affect competition, including the government’s reliance on contractor 

expertise, preference for a specific vendor, inadequate acquisition 

planning, and overly restrictive government requirements.15

Competition is a long-standing issue that we have noted for many years. 

In 2010, we reported that contracting officials expressed concerns that 

not enough time was allowed to execute a sufficiently robust acquisition 

planning process, including defining requirements, which may have 

hindered opportunities for competition.16 We have also reported on how 

the government can promote competition and made many 

recommendations on how to do so.

• In 2013, we found that DOD may be missing opportunities to 

effectively facilitate competition for products and services previously 

acquired noncompetitively because justifications for noncompetitive 

awards provided limited insight into reasons why acquisitions were not 

competed and did little to describe market research findings or 

planned actions to overcome obstacles to competition. We 

recommended that DOD develop guidance to apply lessons learned 

from past noncompetitive procurements.17

• In 2014, we found that contracts awarded using the urgency exception 

had been extended beyond the statutory 1-year limit without a 

determination of exceptional circumstances by the agency head. To 

help ensure that the government is making sound decisions, we 

recommended that OFPP provide guidance to clarify the process for 

 15GAO, Federal Contracting: Noncompetitive Contracts Based on Urgency Need 

Additional Oversight, GAO-14-304 (Washington, D.C.: Mar. 26, 2014); and Federal 

Contracting: Opportunities Exist to Increase Competition and Assess Reasons When Only 

One Offer Is Received, GAO-10-833 (Washington, D.C.: July 26, 2010). 

16 GAO-10-833.

17GAO, Defense Contracting: Actions Needed to Increase Competition, GAO-13-325 

(Washington, D.C.: Mar. 28, 2013). The FAR requires that contracting officials prepare 

written justifications for noncompetitive contract awards. DOD issued a memorandum in 

August 2014 that amended its procedures for completing justification documentation for 

noncompetitive awards; therefore, this recommendation has been closed as implemented. 

Civilian agencies with the highest 

competition rates fiscal year 2015

• Department of Energy (92 percent)

• National Science Foundation (92 percent)

• Department of Education (86 percent)

Civilian agencies with the lowest 

competition rates fiscal year 2015

• Department of Labor (66 percent)

• Department of Housing and Urban 

Development (64 percent)

• Social Security Administration (58 

percent)

Source: GAO analysis of Federal Procurement Data SystemNext Generation data. | GAO-17-244SP
Page 13 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

extending noncompetitive contracts awarded on the basis of urgency 

beyond one year.18

We have also included promoting competition in our work looking at cost 

savings opportunities across the government.19 Given the extensive and 

well-established benefits of competition on the federal acquisition system, 

as we and others have noted, agencies should continue to seek and

pursue opportunities to increase competition wherever possible.

Of the $282 billion obligated through competed contracts in fiscal year 

2015, 14 percent—or $40 billion—were on contracts awarded 

competitively where the agency received only one offer in response to the 

solicitation. DOD defines effective competition as a market condition that 

exists when more than one offer is received in response to a solicitation 

issued under competitive procedures and tracks this metric in its annual 

competition reports. Further, OFPP noted that competitions that yield only 

one offer in response to a solicitation deprive agencies of the ability to 

consider alternative solutions in a reasoned and structured manner. 

Figure 7 shows the difference between agencies’ overall competition rate 

and the effective competition rate as defined by DOD.

 18GAO-14-304. In July 2015, the FAR was modified to clarify the process for extending 

contracts awarded using the urgency exception beyond 1 year; therefore, this 

recommendation has been closed as implemented. 80 Fed. Reg. 38,308 (July 2, 2015).

19GAO, Opportunities to Reduce Potential Duplication in Government Programs, Save 

Tax Dollars, and Enhance Revenue. GAO-11-318SP (Washington, D.C.: Mar. 1, 2011).

Fourteen Percent of 

Competed Obligations in 

Fiscal Year 2015 Were on 

Contracts for Which 

Agencies Received Only 

One Offer
Page 14 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Figure 7: Fiscal Year 2015 Multiple Offer Rates Compared to Overall Competition Rate By Agency

In fiscal year 2015, about 9 percent of all government-wide contract 

obligations were associated with contracts where the agency received 

only one offer (see figure 8).
Page 15 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Figure 8: Percentage of Total Competed Contract Obligations by Number of Offers, 

Fiscal Year 2015

Note: Less than 1 percent of obligations were coded as receiving no offer in FPDS-NG.
Page 16 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

We have previously made multiple recommendations to enhance and 

inform efforts to address competitive one-offer awards. Most recently, in 

2014, we recommended that DOD establish guidance for when 

contracting officers should assess and document the reasons only one 

offer was received on competitive awards.20 In response, DOD issued a 

memorandum directing contracting officers to obtain feedback from 

companies that did not submit an offer on a competitive solicitation after 

expressing interest during the market research phase. DOD plans to use 

this feedback to consider how it might overcome barriers to competition 

for future requirements.21 Further, in 2010 we recommended that OFPP 

determine whether the FAR should be amended to require agencies to 

regularly review and critically evaluate the circumstances leading to one 

offer being received. We also recommended that OFPP direct agencies to 

require their competition advocates to actively involve program offices in 

highlighting opportunities to increase competition. OFPP agreed with our 

recommendations but, to date, has not taken steps to fully implement 

them.22

 20GAO-14-395. 

21DOD, Office of the Under Secretary for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, Actions 

to Improve Department of Defense Competition (Washington, D.C.: Aug. 21, 2014).

22GAO-10-833. According to OFPP officials, they have held agency management 

responsible for continuous improvement in their one-bid rates, which declined from 17 

percent in fiscal year 2011 to 14 percent in fiscal year 2015. OFPP officials also told us 

that they have discussed our recommendation for regulatory change with the FAR Council 

and our recommendation to strengthen the role of the competition advocate with the Chief 

Acquisition Officers Council, however to date no action has been taken. 
Page 17 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Key observations

• From fiscal year 2011 through 2015, federal agencies obligated nearly two-thirds of 

total contract obligations on fixed price contracts. The remaining third was on 

various kinds of cost type contracts. 

• In fiscal year 2015, defense agencies obligated about 14 percent of total 

obligations on cost-reimbursement, time and materials, or labor-hour contracts 

awarded noncompetitively. Civilian agencies awarded about 8 percent of total 

obligations on these kinds of contracts. Over the 5-year period, government-wide 

spending on these kinds contracts remained between 11 and 12 percent.

• During fiscal year 2011 through fiscal year 2015, roughly half of total contract 

obligations were awarded on indefinite delivery vehicles (IDV), such as orders 

under Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) and Government-wide Acquisition (GWAC) 

Contracts. In fiscal year 2015, DOD and civilian agencies used IDVs for 47 percent 

and 55 percent of total contract obligations, respectively. 

• Agencies used commercial item procedures for 25 percent of total contract 

obligations for products and services in fiscal year 2015. FPDS-NG does not track 

the obligations spent on commercial items purchased using other procedures.

Our analysis of government-wide contracting data found that from fiscal 

year 2011 through fiscal year 2015, federal agencies used fixed-price 

contracts for an average of 63 percent of total contract obligations each 

year. Cost-reimbursement and time and materials / labor hour contracts 

(T&M/LH) accounted for approximately 37 percent of contract obligations 

over the 5-year period, see figure 9.

Federal Agencies 

Used a Range of 

Contract Types, 

Indefinite Delivery 

Vehicles, and 

Procurement 

Procedures to 

Acquire Products and 

Services

Nearly Two-Thirds of 

Government Contract 

Obligations Are on Fixed 

Price Contracts
Page 18 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Figure 9: Government-wide Obligations by Contract Type, Fiscal Years 2011-2015

Note: Other includes contract awards where two or more contract types apply.

The FAR states that in the course of an acquisition program a series of 

contracts, or a single long-term contract, changing circumstances may 

make a different contract type appropriate in later periods than at the 

outset. For example, DOD guidance indicates that a cost-reimbursement 

contract is appropriate for research and development or for a major 

system prototype, while a fixed price incentive contract is suitable for the 

production of a major system based on the prototype or the long-term 

production of spare parts for a major system.23 In fiscal year 2015, DOD 

obligated a higher percentage of its total dollars for fixed price contracts 

than the civilian agencies, as shown in figure 10.

 23DOD, Guidance on Using Incentive and Other Contract Types (Washington, D.C.: 2016)
Page 19 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Figure 10: Defense and Civilian Obligations by Contract Type, Fiscal Year 2015

Note: Civilian agencies obligated less than one half of a percent on other contract types.
Page 20 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

OMB considers cost type contracts high risk because they do not directly 

incentivize contractors to control costs and thus carry significant potential 

risk of overspending.24 Further, we previously reported that when using 

cost-reimbursement or T&M/LH contracts some agencies did not 

document contract files to show a clear rationale for using them or 

address why a less risky contract type could not be used. We also found 

that agencies were generally not conducting analysis to determine the 

potential to transition to contract types with firmer pricing.25 In our prior 

work, we have found that transitioning to appropriate contract types can 

help agencies achieve savings. For example, procurement officials at 

DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) reviewed $1.5 

billion in contracting actions to identify risk reduction and contracts that 

may no longer be needed. Through this program, NNSA reported saving 

more than $40 million in fiscal year 2010.26

Cost-reimbursement and T&M/LH contracts awarded noncompetitively 

present two dimensions of risk lacking both a direct market mechanism to 

establish price and a direct incentive to keep costs down. Governmentwide obligations on noncompetitive cost reimbursement and T&M/LH 

contracts represented 11 percent of total contract obligations in fiscal 

years 2011 through 2013 and 12 percent in fiscal years 2014 and 2015. 

 24We have previously reported that cost-reimbursement and T&M/LH contracts are 

appropriate to use when uncertainties in the scope of the work, cost of services, or level of 

labor effort needed prevent the use of contract types in which prices are fixed. For 

example, cost-reimbursement contracts can help agencies carry out critical and innovative 

research where there is uncertainty around the resources needed to achieve the 

government’s objectives. T&M/LH contracts help agencies remain flexible and better 

respond to unforeseeable or emergency situations. 

25GAO, Contract Management: Extent of Federal Spending under Cost-Reimbursement 

Contracts Unclear and Key Controls Not Always Used, GAO-09-921 (Washington, D.C.: 

Sep. 30, 2009); and Defense Contracting: Improved Insight and Controls Needed over 

DOD’s Time-and-Materials Contracts, GAO-07-273 (Washington, D.C.: June 29, 2007). 

26GAO, Federal Contracting: OMB’s Acquisition Savings Initiative Had Results, but 

Improvements Needed, GAO-12-57 (Washington, D.C.: Nov. 15, 2011).

Civilian agencies that obligated more than 

90 percent of their fiscal year 2015 

contract obligations on fixed price 

contracts

• Department of Veteran’s Affairs

• U.S. Department of Agriculture

• Small Business Administration

• Office of Personnel Management

• Department of Education

• Department of the Treasury

Civilian agencies that obligated more than 

70 percent of their fiscal year 2015 

contract obligations on cost 

reimbursement and time & materials/labor 

hours contracts, in fiscal year 2015

• Department of Energy

• National Science Foundation

• U.S. Agency for International 

Development

• National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration

Source: GAO analysis of Federal Procurement Data SystemNext Generation data. | GAO-17-244SP

Use of CostReimbursement and 

T&M/LH Contracts 

Awarded Noncompetitively 

Remained at 11 or 12 

Percent of Government 

Contract Obligations from 

Fiscal Year 2011 through 

2015
Page 21 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

DOD obligated over $39 billion on these types of contracts, while civilian 

agencies obligated almost $14 billion in fiscal year 2015; see figure 11.

Figure 11: Defense and Civilian Competed and Noncompeted Obligations by Contract Type, Fiscal Year 2015

From fiscal year 2011 through fiscal year 2015, seven civilian agencies 

increased total obligations awarded under noncompetitive cost 

reimbursement and T&M/LH contracts by over 40 percent. Two military 

departments—the Navy and Air Force—obligated more than 20 percent 

on these contracts in fiscal year 2015. Three civilian agencies obligated 

more than 20 percent on these contracts in fiscal year 2015—the U.S. 

Agency for International Development, National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration, and the Department of Labor.

In addition to the competition and pricing considerations discussed above, 

federal agencies also must decide whether to use definitive contracts to 

acquire fixed quantities of products and services or to use more flexible 

indefinite delivery vehicles (IDV).27 Agencies can use IDVs, including the 

Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) and Government-wide Acquisition 

Contracts (GWAC), to leverage the government’s aggregate buying 

power and to more quickly procure commercial products and services 

through simplified methods.

 27Contracts or agreements that allow agencies to place orders against them are 

categorized in FPDS-NG as indefinite delivery vehicles. IDVs include indefinite delivery 

indefinite quantity contracts (IDIQ), which provide for an indefinite quantity, within stated 

limits, of supplies or services during a fixed period. GWACs and FSS contracts are 

examples of IDIQ contracts that can be used by multiple agencies to acquire products or 

services.

Federal Agencies Used 

Indefinite Delivery 

Vehicles for Half of Total 

Contract Obligations 

during Fiscal Years 2011 

through 2015
Page 22 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

From fiscal year 2011 through 2015, federal agencies used IDVs for 

approximately half of total contract obligations, with the other half 

obligated on other contract vehicles—specifically definitive contracts and 

purchase orders.28 In fiscal year 2015, DOD and civilian agencies 

obligated 47 percent and 55 percent, respectively, of total contract 

obligations on IDVs; see table 2.

Table 2: Defense and Civilian Obligations by Indefinite Delivery Vehicle (IDV) Type, Fiscal Year 2015

Defense Civilian

Obligated amount 

(in billions of 

dollars) 

Percentage of total 

contract obligations 

Obligated amount 

(in billions of 

dollars) 

Percentage of total 

contract obligations 

Federal Supply Schedule 4.4 1.6% 13.0 7.9%

Blanket Purchase Agreementsa 4.9 1.8% 8.6 5.3%

Basic Ordering Agreementsb 9.8 3.6% 0.9 0.5%

Government-wide Acquisition 

Contracts

2.4 0.9% 6.9 4.2%

Other Indefinite Delivery 

Vehicles, such as Indefinite 

Delivery, Indefinite Quantity 

(IDIQ) contracts

107.9 39.4% 60.3 36.7%

Total 129.4 47.3% 89.7 54.6%

Source: GAO analysis of FPDS-NG data. | GAO-17-244SP

Note: The type of IDV was missing for a small number of contract obligations—$0.06 billion for 

defense agencies and $0.3 billion for civilian agencies.

a

A Blanket Purchase Agreement is a simplified method of filling anticipated repetitive needs that 

functions as a “charge account” with qualified sources of supply. It is not a contract. This category 

includes obligations on Blanket Purchase Agreements established under General Service 

Administration schedule contracts.

b

A Basic Ordering Agreement is a written instrument of understanding with a contractor that contains 

terms and clauses applying to future contracts between the parties, a description of supplies or 

services to be provided, and methods for pricing and issuing orders. It is not a contract.

Prior GAO work has found that agencies were not using certain IDVs 

efficiently or effectively. For example, in 2010, we found that vendors 

were providing the same types of products and services on many different 

indefinite delivery vehicles, such as GWACs and other kinds of 

 28FPDS-NG categorizes definitive contracts as contracts with a defined scope of work that 

do not allow for individual orders to be placed against the contract. Purchase orders are 

an offer by the government to buy supplies or services generally valued under $150,000 

using simplified acquisition procedures.
Page 23 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

interagency and enterprise-wide contracts.29 This raised concerns about 

the duplication among contracting vehicles across the government, which 

vendors and agency officials said can result in increased procurement 

costs and an increased workload for the acquisition workforce.30 We 

recommended that OFPP ensure that departments and agencies 

complete a comprehensive business case analysis and include a 

requirement to address potential duplication with existing contracts, 

before new interagency and enterprise-wide contracts are established.31

We also previously reported that agencies were not maximizing 

opportunities for competition or pricing under Blanket Purchase 

Agreements (BPA) and the FSS. In 2009, we found that agencies did not 

frequently pursue additional opportunities to leverage competition or seek 

better pricing through discounts when establishing BPAs.32 We found that 

when agencies had made efforts to seek additional discounts through 

BPAs, substantial savings were achieved. For example, in 2012, Social 

Security Administration procurement officials told us that, as a result of 

various savings initiatives, the agency was able to receive over a 30 

percent discount on a BPA for printers and scanning services, saving 

more than $180 million over the life of the contract.33 We made a number 

 29GAO, Contracting Strategies: Data and Oversight Problems Hamper Opportunities to 

Leverage Value of Interagency and Enterprisewide Contracts, GAO-10-367 (Washington, 

D.C.: April 29, 2010). Enterprise-wide contracts are internal purchasing programs 

established within a federal department or agency to acquire products and services. They 

are similar to interagency contracts in that they can leverage the purchasing power of the 

federal agency but generally do not allow purchases from the contract by federal activities 

other than the original acquiring activity. 

30Since 2011, we have identified interagency contracting as an area in which Congress 

and the executive branch could take actions to minimize duplication and help the 

government leverage its vast buying power. GAO, 2016 Annual Report: Additional 

Opportunities to Reduce Fragmentation, Overlap, and Duplication and Achieve Other 

Financial Benefits, GAO-16-375SP (Washington, D.C.: Apr. 13, 2016). 

31GAO-10-367. This recommendation has been closed as implemented. In conjunction 

with a December 2010 update to the FAR requiring that agencies take specific actions 

before using an interagency contract, OFPP released guidance in September 2011 that 

includes a new process for developing, reviewing, and approving business cases. This 

process is intended to improve the communication and visibility for proposed interagency 

and agency-specific indefinite delivery vehicles and, as part of its business case analysis, 

agencies are required to expressly consider the potential for duplication. As part of 

OFPP’s new category management initiative, it is reviewing and updating this guidance. 

See also 75 Fed. Reg.77733 (Dec. 13, 2010).

32See GAO-09-792.

33GAO, Federal Contracting: OMB’s Acquisition Savings Initiative Had Results, but 

Improvements Needed, GAO-12-57 (Washington, D.C.: Nov. 15, 2011).
Page 24 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

of recommendations to OFPP that aimed to reduce the government’s risk 

of overpaying for products and services under BPAs.34 Also, in 2015, we 

found that agencies may be missing opportunities for cost savings when 

using the FSS because they were not assessing prices for certain items 

or had insufficient information to assess prices, and did not consistently 

seek discounts. We recommended that DOD, Department of Health and 

Human Services, and General Services Administration issue guidance 

emphasizing the requirement to seek discounts and assess the adequacy 

of training programs related to FSS ordering procedures.35

In addition to contracting with vendors to fulfill unique government 

requirements, federal agencies can procure commercial items, such as 

products and services from the commercial marketplace, using 

streamlined solicitation and evaluation procedures.36 These procedures 

are intended to be more consistent with customary commercial 

practices.37 When procuring commercial items, the government is 

generally prohibited from obtaining certified cost and pricing data from 

contractors.38 In fiscal year 2015, federal agencies obligated roughly 25 

percent of total contract obligations using commercial item procedures. 

 34GAO, Contract Management: Agencies Are Not Maximizing Opportunities for 

Competition or Savings under Blanket Purchase Agreements despite Significant Increase 

in Usage, GAO-09-792 (Washington, D.C.: Sep. 9, 2009). The FAR was revised in March 

2011 to reflect our recommendations. 

35GAO, Federal Supply Schedules: More Attention Needed to Competition and Prices, 

GAO-15-590 (Washington, D.C.: July 9, 2015). The recommendation to issue guidance 

emphasizing the requirement to seek discounts remains open at HHS, and the 

recommendation to assess training program adequacy remains open at HHS and DOD. 

36FAR Subpart 12.6.

37FAR § 2.101.Items considered commercial items include any item customarily used by 

the general public, commercial items evolved through technological advances not yet 

available in the commercial marketplace, but will be in time to satisfy government 

requirements; and items with minor modifications “of a type” not necessarily available in 

the commercial marketplace made to meet federal government requirements, or services 

“of a type” offered and sold competitively in substantial quantities in the commercial 

marketplace. 

38Certified cost or pricing data means cost or pricing data that were required to be 

submitted in accordance with FAR 15.403-4 and 15.403-5 and have been certified, or is 

required to be certified, in accordance with 15.406-2. This certification states that, to the 

best of the person’s knowledge and belief, the cost or pricing data are accurate, complete, 

and current as of a date certain before contract award. FAR 2.101. For prohibitions on 

obtaining this data, see 10 U.S.C. § 2306a and FAR Subsection 15.403-1(c)(3).

Agencies Used 

Commercial Item 

Procedures for a Quarter 

of All Contract Obligations 

in Fiscal Year 2015
Page 25 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

DOD used commercial item procedures for just over 18 percent, or $50 

billion, of total contract obligations in fiscal year 2015, while civilian 

agencies used these procedures for over 36 percent, or $60 billion, of 

total contract obligations in fiscal year 2015, as shown in figure 12.

Figure 12: Defense and Civilian Agency Use of Commercial Item Procedures as a 

Percentage of Total Obligations, Fiscal Year 2015

The Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 established a 

preference for the acquisition of commercial items; however, we could not 

determine the full extent to which agencies are procuring commercial 

items.39 FPDS-NG captures information on the procedures used, and not 

whether the items purchased are commercial or not commercial. Federal 

agencies can purchase commercial items using FAR part 12 commercial 

item procedures or other procedures laid out in the FAR, such as 

negotiated procurements (FAR part 15) or simplified acquisition 

procedures (FAR part 13). Further, products and services purchased 

through the Federal Supply Schedule (under FAR Part 8.4) are generally 

considered commercial, and in fact most of the schedule obligations in 

fiscal year 2015 were identified as having used commercial item 

procedures.40

 39Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994, Pub. L. No. 103-355, Title VII, § 8104.

40In fiscal year 2015, $17.3 billion was obligated through orders under the Federal Supply 

Schedule program, of which 71.4 percent was coded as having used FAR Part 12 

commercial item procedures. This does not include obligations under BPA calls awarded 

through Schedule contracts. 
Page 26 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Recently, Congress and DOD have taken a number of actions related to 

commercial item determinations. Specifically, Congress recently made a 

series of changes to commercial item procedures that encourage more 

innovation and participation by non-traditional defense contractors.41 For 

example, in certain circumstances, a DOD contracting officer may now 

presume that an item is commercial if it was deemed commercial in a 

prior procurement.42 Also, in 2015, DOD was required to issue guidance 

stating that an agency may not enter into a non-commercial contract over 

the simplified acquisition threshold—generally $150,000—for information 

technology products or services unless the head of the agency 

determines in writing that no commercial items are suitable to meet the 

agency’s needs. Finally, items and services provided by a non-traditional 

defense contractor may be treated as commercial items.43 DOD also 

established a centralized capability to make commercial item 

determinations on certain products purchased by DOD and to assist 

contracting officers when making commercial item determinations.

Key observations

• Small businesses received almost $100 billion in contract obligations in fiscal year 

2015.

• Most agencies met or exceeded their overall small business participation goals in 

fiscal year 2015, according to the Small Business Administration’s annual

scorecard report, though not all goals were consistently met.

• In fiscal year 2015, the 10 vendors receiving the most obligations accounted for 

nearly 30 percent of total contract obligations.

 41National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016, Pub. L. No. 114-92, §§ 851-

857 (2015) and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, Pub. L. No. 114-

328, §§ 871-880 (2016)

42A contracting officer may now make this presumption when determining whether there is 

an exception to the requirement to obtain certified cost and pricing data from a contractor. 

See FAR 15.403-1(c)(3) and 10 U.S.C. § 2306a.

43Pub. L. No. 114-92, § 857, codified at 10 U.S.C. § 2380a. Section 878 of the NDAA for 

Fiscal Year 2017 amended this provision to include the requirement that services provided 

by a business unit that is a nontraditional defense contractor shall be treated as 

commercial items for purposes of this chapter, to the extent that such services use the 

same pool of employees as used for commercial customers and are priced using 

methodology similar to methodology used for commercial pricing.

Small Business Goals 

Met and Top Vendors 

Received Nearly 30 

Percent of 

Obligations in Fiscal 

Year 2015
Page 27 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Our analysis of government-wide contracting data found that small 

businesses received over $97 billion in prime contract obligations in fiscal 

year 2015.44 Defense agency obligations to small businesses decreased 

from $64.4 billion to $54 billion over the 5-year period, while civilian 

agency obligations decreased from $46.1 billion to $41.7 billion from fiscal 

year 2011 to 2012. Between fiscal years 2012 and 2015, civilian agency 

obligations to small businesses increased from $41.7 billion to $43.4 

billion. However, defense agency obligations to large businesses 

decreased more significantly during this period, see figure 13.

Figure 13: Defense and Civilian Obligations by Vendor Type, Fiscal Years 2011 through 2015

 44FPDS-NG does not capture obligations to subcontractors, only prime contractors. Thus, 

dollars going to small businesses as subcontractors under contracts to large businesses is 

not identifiable. 

Almost $100 Billion 

Obligated to Small 

Businesses in Fiscal Year 

2015
Page 28 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

According to the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) scorecard, in 

fiscal year 2015, the government achieved over 25 percent small 

business participation at the prime contractor level exceeding the fiscal 

year 2015 goal of 23 percent.45 In addition, the government achieved its 

fiscal year 2015 prime contractor goals of 5 percent for the small 

disadvantaged business and women-owned small business and 3 percent 

for service-disabled veteran-owned small business categories, but it did 

not to meet its Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUB Zone) goal 

of 3 percent.46 According to the SBA’s scorecard, small business 

participation at the prime contractor level improved from fiscal year 2011 

in all categories, as shown in figure 14.

 45The Small Business Administration tracks small business goal achievement for 24 

federal government agencies in its annual scorecard summary. The government also met 

or exceeded its statutory goal of 23 percent of prime contract dollars to small businesses 

in fiscal years 2013 and 2014, but did not meet this goal in fiscal years 2011 and 2012. 

46SBA defines a small disadvantaged business generally as a firm that is 51 percent or 

more unconditionally owned and controlled by one or more disadvantaged persons. The 

disadvantaged person or persons must be both socially and economically disadvantaged 

and the firm must be considered small according to SBA’s size standards. For a complete 

definition see 13 C.F.R. § 124.1002(b). SBA’s HUBZone program helps small businesses 

located in designated urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal 

procurement opportunities.

Most Defense and Civilian 

Agencies Met or 

Exceeded the Overall 

Small Business 

Participation Goal

Agencies that did not meet their overall 

small business goal in fiscal year 2015

• Department of Veteran’s Affairs

• U.S. Department of Agriculture

• Department of the Treasury

• Environmental Protection Agency

Source: GAO analysis of Small Business Administration data.

| GAO-17-244SP
Page 29 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Figure 14: Number of Agencies Achieving Small Business Prime Contracting Goals

Note: In fiscal year 2011, the Department of the Treasury exceeded all prime small business 

contracting goals. In fiscal year 2015, the Departments of Homeland Security, Agriculture, State, and 

Transportation, the General Services and Small Business Administrations; and the Nuclear 

Regulatory Commission exceeded all prime small business contracting goals.

In fiscal year 2015, the top 10 vendors receiving federal contracts 

accounted for over 27 percent of total contract obligations. For defense 

contracts, the top 10 vendors accounted for about 36.7 percent of 

defense obligations, while the top 10 vendors receiving civilian agency 

contracts accounted for about 17.5 percent of total civilian obligations, 

see figure 15.47

 47One of the top vendors for civilian agencies is an educational institution, not a large 

business.

The Top 10 Vendors 

Received Almost 30 

Percent of Fiscal Year 

2015 Obligations
Page 30 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Figure 15: Obligations to Top 10 Vendors at Defense and Civilian Agencies as a 

Share of Total Obligations, Fiscal Year 2015

Obligations to the top 10 vendors at the Air Force and Navy represented 

more than half of these departments’ total obligations. For example, the 

Navy obligated $84.9 billion on contracts in fiscal year 2015, and $46.7 

billion was to its top 10 vendors. Similarly, within the civilian agencies, the 

top 10 vendors at DOE and NASA received more than half of those 

agency’s total obligations.

The same analysis performed on small business obligations shows that 

the dollars are far less concentrated with the top 10 small business 

vendors. The top 10 small business vendors receiving defense and 

civilian contracts account for less than 2 percent of total fiscal year 2015 

government-wide obligations, but about 5 percent of all obligations 

awarded to small business vendors (see figure 16).
Page 31 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Figure 16: Obligations to Top 10 Small Business Vendors at Defense and Civilian 

Agencies as a Share of all Obligations to Small Businesses, Fiscal Year 2015

The agency snapshots provide a 2-page profile for the 10 civilian 

agencies with the highest contract obligations in fiscal year 2015 and the 

three military departments within the Department of Defense (see figure 

17).

Agency Snapshots
Page 32 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Figure 17: Military Department and Top Civilian Agencies by Fiscal Year 2015 Obligations

Each agency snapshot provides background on the agency, including its 

mission; the types of products and services procured; the methods of 

procurement the agency uses; and details on the types of vendors.

Unless otherwise noted, the source for all graphics in the following 

snapshots is GAO analysis of Federal Procurement Data System – Next 

Generation data. In some cases percentages may not add to 100 percent 

due to rounding.
1 TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND

SERVICES PROCURED

dollars in billions dollars in billions

SERVICES AND PRODUCTS OBLIGATIONS

WITH PERCENT COMPETED

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

SERVICES

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

PRODUCTS

TOP FIVE

SERVICES

TOP FIVE

PRODUCTS

33 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 61.5

49.544.538.938.034.154.757.747.250.8

SERVICES PRODUCTS PERCENT OF TOTAL OBLIGATIONS COMPETED

48.2%

45.4%

40.9%

44.4% 43.7%

25%

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

75%

$34.1

BILLION

1 2 3 4 5

3.955

1.896

1.513

1.340

0.955

1 2 3 4 5

10.368

14.015

2.793

2.791

1.742

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

23%

77%

$50.8

BILLION

u n i t e d stat e s

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: NAVY

In fiscal year (FY) 2015, the Department of the Navy (Navy) 

obligated $84.9 billion on contracts. 

Navy’s mission is to maintain, train, and equip combat-ready

Naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and

maintaining freedom of the seas. Within the Navy, the

Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development,

and Acquisition serves as the Navy Acquisition executive--

providing weapons, systems, and platforms for the Navy and

Marine Corps. The organization consists of 14 program

executive offices and 9 direct reporting program managers

responsible for the development and acquisition of naval

systems. It also contains 7 Naval Systems Commands and

their field activities responsible for acquisition to support the

systems in the operating fleet.

About 60 percent of Navy’s contract obligations are for

products, and the top five products accounted for nearly 63

percent of the department’s total obligations for products in

fiscal year 2015. Navy’s top five services make up about 28

percent of total obligations for services, and the department had

a much higher competition rate for services versus products in

fiscal year 2015.

SERVICES REQUIRING MANAGEMENT 

ATTENTION

In FY 2015, about 20 percent of Navy’s 

service contract obligations, or $6.7 million, 

were for services GAO and the Office of 

Federal Procurement Policy have identified as 

requiring increased management attention.

1. Aircraft, fixed wing

2. Combat ships & landing vessels 

3. Nuclear reactors

4. Aircraft: gas turbines, jet engines, 

components

5. Guided missiles

1. Professional engineering & technical 

support

2. R&D - defense system: aircraft

3. Non-nuclear ship repair (west)

4. Non-nuclear ship repair (east)

5. Professional program management 

and support

TOTAL FY 2015 OBLIGATIONS

$84.9 BILLION
OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

OVERALL COMPETITION RATE

2

3

METHODS OF

PROCUREMENT

CONTRACTOR

DETAIL

CONTRACT TYPE

TOP VENDORS AND

SMALL BUSINESSES

dollars in billions

TOP 10 VENDORS

TOP 10 SMALL BUSINESS

FY 2015

OBLIGATIONS BILLIONS

CONTRACT TYPE

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

TYPE OF CONTRACT VEHICLE

FY 2015 OBLIGATED AMOUNT

VENDOR TYPE

SMALL BUSINESS

VENDOR TYPE

OTHER THAN SMALL BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

PERCENTAGE

GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

• HUBZone (Historically Underutilized 

Business Zone)

• SDVOSB (Service-disabled 

Veteran-owned Small Business)

• WOSB (Women-owned Small Business)

• SDB (Small Disadvantaged Business)

• SB (Small Business)

34 

$84.9

BILLION

36%

56.3%

7.7%

COMPETED, RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE OFFER

COMPETED, RECEIVED ONE OFFER NOT COMPETED

COMPETED NON-COMPETED

$20.5

$16.5

$0.03

$30.1

$17.7

$0.06

$37.0 $47.9 TOTAL

FIXED PRICE

COSTREIMBURSEMENT

TIME & 

MATERIAL/

LABOR HOUR

DEFINITIVE CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER

BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT/BASIC ORDERING AGREEMENT

FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE

GOVERNMENT-WIDE ACQUISITION CONTRACT

OTHER INDEFINITE DELIVERY VEHICLES

$55.6

$4.3

$0.73

$0.33

$24.0

WOSB

3.4%

3% Goal

SDVOSB

2.4% HUBZone

1.4%

SB: 18.8%

5% Goal

16.0% Goal

SDB

7.0%

1.2.75% Goal

5% Goal

GOAL ACTUAL

Source: GAO analysis of Navy data.

$12.6

dollars in billions

$72.3

dollars in billions

department of defense: navy TOTAL FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2015 OBLIGATIONS: $84.9 BILLION

In FY 2015, 43.7 percent of Navy’s obligations were awarded competitively, which 

represents a decrease of about 4.5 percent from FY 2011, and remains below the rate 

of 55 percent competed obligations for all defense agencies. In FY 2014, the Navy 

reported that it exceeded its competition goals and provided details on its efforts to 

improve competition, including communication with industry, such as market surveys 

and industry days. Further, Navy awarded 59.6 percent of its FY 2015 obligations on 

fixed price contracts, below the average of 67 percent for all defense agencies.

In FY 2015, $55.6 billion, or 65.5 

percent, of the Navy’s contract 

obligations were on definitive 

contracts and purchase orders. 

The remainder, $29.3 billion, or

34.5 percent, were on various

types of indefinite delivery

vehicles, which is a decrease

from fiscal year 2011, when

obligations on indefinite

delivery vehicles accounted for 

37 percent of total obligations.

According to the Navy’s Office of Small

Business Programs Fiscal Year 2015 

Executive Summary, the Navy awarded 

over $64.7 billion of its FY 2015 

obligations in small business eligible 

procurements. The Navy reported 

awarding almost 19 percent of those 

awards to small businesses.

USE OF COMMERCIAL ITEM 

PROCEDURES

7.5 percent of Navy’s FY 2015 

obligations, or $6.4 billion, were 

for contracts using commercial 

item procedures.

SMALL BUSINESS GOAL MET

The Navy reported achieving 

its goal of 16 percent of total 

obligations to small businesses 

in FY 2015.

64.6% of $72.3B

7.6% of $12.6B
1 TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND

SERVICES PROCURED

dollars in billions dollars in billions

SERVICES AND PRODUCTS OBLIGATIONS

WITH PERCENT COMPETED

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

SERVICES

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

PRODUCTS

TOP FIVE

SERVICES

TOP FIVE

PRODUCTS

35 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

52.780.769.858.149.745.043.931.927.127.7

SERVICES PRODUCTS PERCENT OF TOTAL OBLIGATIONS COMPETED

63.6% 63.2% 65.8% 64.3%

59.2%

1 2 3 4 5 4.377

2.060

1.670

1.548

1.266

1 2 3 4 5 1.943 3.875 1.866 1.220 1.187

24%

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

76%

$45.0

BILLION

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

33%

67%

$27.7

BILLION

u n i t e d stat e s

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: ARMY

In fiscal year (FY) 2015, the Department of the Army (Army)

obligated $72.6 billion on contracts.

The Army procures tens of billions in products and services in 

order to achieve its mission of fighting and winning our Nation’s 

wars by providing prompt, sustained land dominance across 

the full range of military operations and spectrum of conflict 

in support of combatant commanders. The majority of the 

Army’s contracting is executed by the Army Materiel Command, 

which is responsible for the full range of contracting services 

for deployed units and installation-level services, as well as 

supplies and common-use information technology hardware 

and software. The Army has seven major contracting commands 

including the Army Contracting Command, which is the 

department’s largest buyer of weapons systems.

About three-fifths of the Army’s FY 2015 contract obligations 

were for services, and its top five services accounted for just 

under a quarter of the department’s total obligations for 

services. The Army’s top five products, which were largely 

aircraft and weapons-related, accounted for more than 35 

percent of the department’s total obligations for products. 

The Army competed contracts for services more often than 

those for products.

SERVICES REQUIRING MANAGEMENT 

ATTENTION 

In FY 2015, almost 20 percent of Army’s 

service contract obligations, or $8.8 billion,

were for services GAO and the Office of 

Federal Procurement Policy have identified as 

requiring increased management attention.

1. Aircraft, rotary wing

2. Trucks and truck tractors, wheeled 

3. Guided missile components

4. Miscellaneous communication 

equipment

5. Guided missile systems, complete

1. Professional engineering & technical 

support

2. Logistics management support

3. Construction of miscellaneous 

buildings

4. Other professional support

5. Program management and support

TOTAL FY 2015 OBLIGATIONS

$72.6 BILLION
OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

OVERALL COMPETITION RATE

2

3

METHODS OF

PROCUREMENT

CONTRACTOR

DETAIL

CONTRACT TYPE

TOP VENDORS AND

SMALL BUSINESSES

dollars in billions

TOP 10 VENDORS

TOP 10 SMALL BUSINESS

FY 2015

OBLIGATIONS BILLIONS

CONTRACT TYPE

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

TYPE OF CONTRACT VEHICLE

FY 2015 OBLIGATED AMOUNT

VENDOR TYPE

SMALL BUSINESS

VENDOR TYPE

OTHER THAN SMALL BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

PERCENTAGE

GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

• HUBZone (Historically Underutilized 

Business Zone)

• SDVOSB (Service-disabled 

Veteran-owned Small Business)

• WOSB (Women-owned Small Business)

• SDB (Small Disadvantaged Business)

• SB (Small Business)

36 

$72.6

BILLION

51.9%

40.7%

7.3%

COMPETED, RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE OFFER

COMPETED, RECEIVED ONE OFFER NOT COMPETED

COMPETED NON-COMPETED

$31.1

$11.0

$0.88

$23.0

$6.4

$0.18

$43.0 $29.6 TOTAL

FIXED PRICE

COSTREIMBURSEMENT

TIME & 

MATERIAL/

LABOR HOUR

DEFINITIVE CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER

BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT/BASIC ORDERING AGREEMENT

FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE

GOVERNMENT-WIDE ACQUISITION CONTRACT

OTHER INDEFINITE DELIVERY VEHICLES

$38.7

$3.3

$1.2

$0.61

$28.8

$18.7

dollars in billions

$54.0

dollars in billions

GOAL ACTUAL

3% Goal3.5% Goal4.8% Goal11% Goal26.5% Goal

WOSB

5.9%

SB: 31.6%

SDVOSB SDB: 15.5%

4.8%

HUBZone

3.3%

Source: GAO analysis of Army data.

department of defense: army TOTAL FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2015 OBLIGATIONS: $72.6 BILLION

In FY 2015, 59 percent of Army’s obligations were awarded competitively, which 

represents a decrease of more than 4 percent from FY 2011, but remains above the 

average rate of 55 percent competed obligations for all defense agencies. In March 

2015, the Army reported that it missed its assigned FY 2014 competition goal and 

outlined its efforts to improve competition, including awarding multiple award, indefinite 

delivery / indefinite quantity contracts to streamline acquisition of design, fabrication, 

and testing of rapid technology solutions. Further, the Army awarded approximately 75 

percent of its FY 2015 obligations on fixed price contracts, above the average of 67 

percent for all defense agencies.

In FY 2015, $38.7 billion, or 53.3 

percent, of the Army’s contract 

obligations were on definitive 

contracts and purchase orders. 

The remainder, $33.9 billion, or 

46.7 percent,were on various 

types of indefinite delivery 

vehicles, which is a decrease from 

fiscal year 2011 when, obligations 

on indefinite delivery vehicles 

accounted for 56.6 percent of 

total obligations.

According to Army’s Office of Small 

Business Programs, the Army awarded 

almost $56 billion of its FY 2015 

obligations in small business eligible 

procurements. The Army reported 

awarding over 31 percent of those 

awards to small businesses.

USE OF COMMERCIAL ITEM 

PROCEDURES

About 18 percent of Army’s 

FY 2015 obligations, or $13.1 

billion, were for contracts using 

commercial item procedures.

SMALL BUSINESS GOAL MET

The Army reported acheiving its

goal of 26.5 percent of total

obligations, to small businesses

in FY 2015.

40.3% of $54.0B

7.3% of $18.7B
1 TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND

SERVICES PROCURED

dollars in billions dollars in billions

SERVICES AND PRODUCTS OBLIGATIONS

WITH PERCENT COMPETED

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

SERVICES

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

PRODUCTS

TOP FIVE

SERVICES

TOP FIVE

PRODUCTS

37 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 27.6

42.242.234.536.334.930.922.320.218.0

SERVICES PRODUCTS PERCENT OF TOTAL OBLIGATIONS COMPETED

42.3%

37.0%

40.7% 43.5%

39.2%

1 2 3 4 5

3.866

2.820

2.286

1.777

1.746

1 2 3 4 5 1.292 7.190 1.038

0.6790.670

53

%

COMPETED NOT COMPETED 47

%

$34.9

BILLION

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

24%

76%

$18.0

BILLION

u n i t e d stat e s

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: AIR FORCE

In fiscal year (FY) 2015, the Department of the Air Force 

(Air Force) obligated $52.9 billion on contracts. 

Every year, the Air Force procures tens of billions in products 

and services in order to achieve its mission—to fly, fight, 

and win in air, space, and cyberspace. The Air Force has 

two primary contracting missions—operational and systems 

acquisition. Operational commands award contracts for 

military installation support and system commands procure 

weapons systems and logistics support.

About two-thirds of the Air Force’s FY 2015 contract obligations 

were for services, and its top five services accounted for more 

than 35 percent of the department’s total obligations for 

services. From FY 2011 to FY 2015, Air Force increased its 

spending on services requiring increased management attention 

by over $600 million. The Air Force’s top products, which were 

largely aircraft- and weapons-related, accounted for about 60 

percent of the department’s total obligations for products. The 

Air Force competed contracts for services more often than 

those for products; however, both products and services had 

competition rates below 50 percent.

SERVICES REQUIRING MANAGEMENT 

ATTENTION

In FY 2015, over 20 percent of Air Force’s 

service contract obligations, or $7.9 billion, 

were for services GAO and the Office of 

Federal Procurement Policy have identified as 

requiring increased management attention.

1. Aircraft, fixed wing

2. Guided missiles 

3. Misc. aircraft accessories & 

components

4. Airframe structural components

5. Electronic countermeasures & 

quick reaction capability equipment

1. Professional engineering & technical 

support

2. Other professional support

3. Aircraft and airframe structural 

components

4. Aircraft components & accessories

5. Space transportation & launch

TOTAL FY 2015 OBLIGATIONS

$52.9 BILLION
OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

OVERALL COMPETITION RATE

2

3

METHODS OF

PROCUREMENT

CONTRACTOR

DETAIL

CONTRACT TYPE

TOP VENDORS AND

SMALL BUSINESSES

dollars in billions

TOP 10 VENDORS

TOP 10 SMALL BUSINESS

FY 2015

OBLIGATIONS BILLIONS

CONTRACT TYPE

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

TYPE OF CONTRACT VEHICLE

FY 2015 OBLIGATED AMOUNT

VENDOR TYPE

SMALL BUSINESS

VENDOR TYPE

OTHER THAN SMALL BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

PERCENTAGE

GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

• HUBZone (Historically Underutilized 

Business Zone)

• SDVOSB (Service-disabled 

Veteran-owned Small Business)

• WOSB (Women-owned Small Business)

• SDB (Small Disadvantaged Business)

• SB (Small Business)

38 

$52.9

BILLION

33.6%

60.8%

5.6%

COMPETED, RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE OFFER

COMPETED, RECEIVED ONE OFFER NOT COMPETED

COMPETED NON-COMPETED

$13.1

$7.4

$0.26

$20.3

$11.9

$0.04

$20.8 $32.2 TOTAL

FIXED PRICE

COSTREIMBURSEMENT

TIME & 

MATERIAL/

LABOR HOUR

DEFINITIVE CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER

BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT/BASIC ORDERING AGREEMENT

FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE

GOVERNMENT-WIDE ACQUISITION CONTRACT

OTHER INDEFINITE DELIVERY VEHICLES

$27.3

$4.3

$0.79

$0.29

$20.2

$8.4

dollars in billions

$44.5

dollars in billions

16.1% Goal1.2.4% Goal3.1% Goal6.8% Goal

2% Goal

WOSB

3.9%

SDB SB: 18.9%

SDVOSB 7.7%

3.1% HUBZone

1.2%

GOAL ACTUAL

Source: GAO analysis of Air Force data.

department of defense: air force TOTAL FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2015 OBLIGATIONS: $52.9 BILLION

In FY 2015, 39 percent of Air Force’s obligations were awarded competitively, which 

represents a decrease of about 3 percent from FY 2011, and remains below the 

average rate of 55 percent competed obligations for all defense agencies. In March 

2015, the Air Force reported on its efforts in FY 2014 to improve competition rates, 

which included challenging overly restrictive requirements and tracking the planned 

transition of contracts to a competitive environment. Further, the Air Force awarded 

about 63 percent of its FY 2015 obligations on fixed price contracts, below the average 

of 67 percent for all defense agencies. In 2013, the Department of Defense Inspector 

General found that Air Force contracting personnel had not justified the use of some 

cost-reimbursable contracts or documented the possibility of transitioning to a less-risky 

contract type, such as fixed price.

In FY 2015, $27.3 billion, or 

51.6 percent, of the Air Force’s 

contract obligations were on

definitive contracts and purchase 

orders. The remainder, $25.6 

billion, or 48.4 percent, were on 

various types of indefinite delivery

vehicles. This is similar to fiscal 

year 2011, when obligations 

on indefinite delivery vehicles 

accounted for 49 percent of total 

obligations.

According to the Air Force, the 

department awarded about $43.3 

billion of its FY 2015 obligations in small 

business eligible procurements. The Air 

Force reported awarding over 18 percent 

of those awards to small businesses.

USE OF COMMERCIAL ITEM 

PROCEDURES 

About 11 percent of Air Force’s

FY 2015 obligations, or $5.8

billion, were for contracts using

commercial item procedures.

SMALL BUSINESS GOAL MET 

The Air Force reported it acheived

its goal of 16.1 percent of total

obligations to small business in FY

2015.

66.8% of $44.5B

7.5% of $8.4B
1 TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND

SERVICES PROCURED

dollars in billions dollars in billions

SERVICES AND PRODUCTS OBLIGATIONS

WITH PERCENT COMPETED

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

SERVICES

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

PRODUCTS

TOP FIVE

SERVICES

TOP FIVE

PRODUCTS

39 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

0.8825.925.523.925.224.70.820.740.510.38

SERVICES PRODUCTS PERCENT OF TOTAL OBLIGATIONS COMPETED

89.2% 90.0% 90.2% 89.9% 91.8%

$25.1

BILLION

TOTAL

OBLIGATIONS

92%

8%

$0.38

BILLION

86%

14%

SERVICES COMPETED PRODUCTS COMPETED

SERVICES NOT COMPETED PRODUCTS NOT COMPETED

1 2 3 4 5 11.661 1.650 1.479 1.118

0.889

1 2 3 4 5

0.036

0.239

0.010.0080.008

u n i t e d stat e s

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

In fiscal year (FY) 2015, the Department of Energy (DOE) 

obligated $25.1 billion on contracts.

DOE’s mission is to ensure America’s security and prosperity by 

addressing its energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges 

through transformative science and technology solutions. 

The department relies on contract support to manage and 

operate many of its government-owned, contractor-operated 

sites to carry out its diverse missions. DOE has a decentralized 

procurement process carried out by contracting offices in its 

field locations and headquarters serving multiple program and 

staff offices, labs, technology centers, and field sites. Contract 

management at two of DOE’s largest divisions has remained on 

GAO’s high risk list since 1990.

Most of DOE’s contract obligations are for services, and

the top five services accounted for about 68 percent of the

department’s total obligations for services in fiscal year 2015.

While a much smaller share of the overall obligations, DOE’s

top five products make up nearly 80 percent of total obligations

for products. DOE had a slightly higher competition rate for

services versus products in fiscal year 2015.

SERVICES REQUIRING MANAGEMENT 

ATTENTION

In FY 2015, about 4 percent of DOE’s service

contract obligations, or $940 million, were 

for services GAO and the Office of Federal 

Procurement Policy have identified as 

requiring increased management attention.

1. Fuel oils

2. Information technology: software 

3. Combat, assault, and tactical 

vehicles, tracked

4. Trucks and truck tractors, wheeled

5. Transformers: distribution and power 

station

1. Operation of government-owned 

contractor operated facilities

2. Operation of miscellaneous buildings

3. Other research & development

4. Operation of restoration of real 

property

5. Operation of other industrial buildings

TOTAL FY 2015 OBLIGATIONS

$25.1 BILLION
OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

OVERALL COMPETITION RATE

2

3

METHODS OF

PROCUREMENT

CONTRACTOR

DETAIL

CONTRACT TYPE

TOP VENDORS AND

SMALL BUSINESSES

dollars in billions

TOP 10 VENDORS

TOP 10 SMALL BUSINESS

FY 2015

OBLIGATIONS BILLIONS

CONTRACT TYPE

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

TYPE OF CONTRACT VEHICLE

FY 2015 OBLIGATED AMOUNT

VENDOR TYPE

SMALL BUSINESS

VENDOR TYPE

OTHER THAN SMALL BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

PERCENTAGE

GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

• HUBZone (Historically Underutilized 

Business Zone)

• SDVOSB (Service-disabled 

Veteran-owned Small Business)

• WOSB (Women-owned Small Business)

• SDB (Small Disadvantaged Business)

• SB (Small Business)

40 

$25.1

BILLION

79.4%

8.2%

9.2%

COMPETED, RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE OFFER

COMPETED, RECEIVED ONE OFFER NOT COMPETED

COMPETED NON-COMPETED

$0.6

$22.2

$0.3

$0.3

$1.5

$0.3

$23.0 $2.1 TOTAL

FIXED PRICE

COSTREIMBURSEMENT

TIME & 

MATERIAL/

LABOR HOUR

DEFINITIVE CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER

BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT/BASIC ORDERING AGREEMENT

FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE

GOVERNMENT-WIDE ACQUISITION CONTRACT

OTHER INDEFINITE DELIVERY VEHICLES

$23.9

$0.12

$0.30

$0.26

$0.55

WOSB

2.0%

5% Goal

SDVOSB

0.93% SB: 9.0% 5% Goal

6.0% Goal

SDB

3.4%

3% Goal3% Goal

HUBZone

0.64%

GOAL ACTUAL

Source: GAO analysis of Small

Business Administration data.

$1.2

dollars in billions

$23.9

dollars in billions

department of energy TOTAL FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2015 OBLIGATIONS: $25.1 BILLION

Federal Procurement Data System - Next Generation (FPDS-NG) data show DOE 

achieved a high rate of competition—about 92 percent compared to the civilian agency 

rate of 79 percent. However, this is misleading. Our prior work identified there is a 

limited competitive environment for DOE’s management and operating (M&O) contracts 

that support work at DOE’s labs and other facilities. This environment is a result of the 

long duration of the contracts and the nature of the work. These 22 M&O contracts 

account for more than three quarters of FY 2015 obligations. DOE awarded less than 4 

percent of its FY 2015 obligations on fixed price contracts, far below the civilian agency 

rate of 56 percent.

In FY 2015, $23.9 billion, or

95.1 percent, of DOE’s contract 

obligations were on definitive 

contracts and purchase orders. 

The remainder, $1.2 billion, or 4.9 

percent, were on various types 

of indefinite delivery vehicles, 

which is a slight increase from 

fiscal year 2011, when obligations 

on indefinite delivery vehicles 

accounted for 4.2 percent of total 

obligations.

According to the Small Business 

Administration’s FY 2015 scorecard, DOE 

awarded over $23 billion of its FY 2015 

obligations on small business eligible 

procurements. About 9 percent of the 

department’s FY 2015 obligations were 

awarded to small businesses, an increase 

from 5.3 percent of eligible procurements 

in FY 2011.

USE OF COMMERCIAL ITEM 

PROCEDURES 

About 3 percent of DOE’s 

FY 2015 obligations, or $811

million, were for contracts using

commercial item procedures.

SMALL BUSINESS GOAL MET 

The Small Business Administration 

reported that DOE exceeded its 

small business goal of 6 percent 

in FY 2015.

65.2% of $23.9B

27.6% of $1.2B
1 TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND

SERVICES PROCURED

dollars in billions dollars in billions

SERVICES AND PRODUCTS OBLIGATIONS

WITH PERCENT COMPETED

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

SERVICES

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

PRODUCTS

TOP FIVE

SERVICES

TOP FIVE

PRODUCTS

41 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 6.5

14.414.615.116.216.05.55.65.45.7

SERVICES PRODUCTS PERCENT OF TOTAL OBLIGATIONS COMPETED

75.6%

79.2% 81.2% 82.9% 83.2%

1 2 3 4 5 2.848 1.804 1.184

0.681

0.633

1 2 3 4 5

0.289

4.346

0.226

0.187

0.125

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

19%

81%

$16.0

BILLION

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

$5.7

BILLION

89%

11%

u n i t e d stat e s

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

In fiscal year (FY) 2015, the Department of Health and 

Human Services (HHS) obligated $21.7 billion on contracts.

Every year, HHS procures billions in goods and services in 

order to carry out its mission to enhance the health and wellbeing of Americans by providing for effective health and human 

services and by fostering sound, sustained advances in the 

sciences underlying medicine, public health, and social services. 

HHS has 10 contracting activities responsible for carrying out 

acquisition functions for its 11 operating divisions. In 2015, 

the HHS Inspector General (IG) identified the administration 

and management of contracts as one of the department’s top 

management challenges.

In FY 2015, roughly 74 percent of HHS’s contract obligations

were for services, and its top five services accounted for almost

45 percent of the department’s total obligations for services.

From FY 2011 to FY 2015, HHS increased its spending on

services requiring increased management attention by over

$820 million. HHS’s top products, which were largely drug 

related, accounted for 91 percent of total obligations for 

products. HHS competed contracts for products more often than 

those for services. In 2013, we identified potentially duplicative 

information technology (IT) investments totaling approximately

$260 million at HHS and recommended that the department

assess the cost-effectiveness of consolidating functions among

IT systems.

SERVICES REQUIRING MANAGEMENT 

ATTENTION 

In FY 2015, approximately 27 percent of 

HHS’s service contract obligations, or $4.3 

billion, were for services GAO and the Office of 

Federal Procurement Policy have identified as 

requiring increased management attention.

1. Drugs & biologicals

2. IT: equipment system configuration 

3. Laboratory equipment & supplies

4. IT: Software

5. Medical and surgical instruments,

equipment and supplies

1. Other professional support

2. IT & telecommunications

3. Government health insurance 

programs

4. Research & development: biomedical

5. Professional program management 

& support

TOTAL FY 2015 OBLIGATIONS

$21.7 BILLION
OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

OVERALL COMPETITION RATE

2

3

METHODS OF

PROCUREMENT

CONTRACTOR

DETAIL

CONTRACT TYPE

TOP VENDORS AND

SMALL BUSINESSES

dollars in billions

TOP 10 VENDORS

TOP 10 SMALL BUSINESS

FY 2015

OBLIGATIONS BILLIONS

CONTRACT TYPE

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

TYPE OF CONTRACT VEHICLE

FY 2015 OBLIGATED AMOUNT

VENDOR TYPE

SMALL BUSINESS

VENDOR TYPE

OTHER THAN SMALL BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

PERCENTAGE

GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

• HUBZone (Historically Underutilized 

Business Zone)

• SDVOSB (Service-disabled 

Veteran-owned Small Business)

• WOSB (Women-owned Small Business)

• SDB (Small Disadvantaged Business)

• SB (Small Business)

42 

$21.7

BILLION

65.0%

16.8%

18.3

%

COMPETED, RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE OFFER

COMPETED, RECEIVED ONE OFFER NOT COMPETED

COMPETED NON-COMPETED

$8.7

$7.2

$2.0

$2.1

$1.1

$0.44

$17.9 $3.6 TOTAL

FIXED PRICE

COSTREIMBURSEMENT

TIME & 

MATERIAL/

LABOR HOUR

DEFINITIVE CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER

BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT/BASIC ORDERING AGREEMENT

FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE

GOVERNMENT-WIDE ACQUISITION CONTRACT

OTHER INDEFINITE DELIVERY VEHICLES

$9.3

$0.91

$1.9

$1.2

$8.2

$5.1

dollars in billions

$16.6

dollars in billions

WOSB

7.5%

5.0% Goal

SDVOSB

1.3%

HUBZone

0.73%

SB: 23.3%

5.0% Goal23.0% Goal

SDB

10.7%

3.0% Goal3.0% Goal

GOAL ACTUAL

Source: GAO analysis of Small

Business Administration data.

department of health and human services TOTAL FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2015 OBLIGATIONS: $21.7 BILLION

In FY 2015, over 83 percent of HHS’s obligations were awarded competitively, which 

is above the rate of 79 percent competed obligations for all civilian agencies. In 2015, 

HHS’s IG reported on procurement inadequacies for selected health care services 

contracts, such as failing to complete acquisition strategies and selecting contract 

types that placed the risk of cost increases solely on the government. HHS awarded 

50 percent of its FY 2015 obligations on fixed price contracts, below the average of 56 

percent for all civilian agencies.

In FY 2015, $9.3 billion, or 43.6

percent, of HHS’s contract

obligations were on definitive

contracts and purchase orders.

The remainder, $12.2 billion, or

56.4 percent, were on various

types of indefinite delivery

vehicles, which is an increase

from fiscal year 2011, when

obligations on indefinite delivery

vehicles accounted for 36.2

percent of total obligations.

According to the Small Business 

Administration’s FY 2015 scorecard, HHS 

awarded over $21.1 billion of its FY 2015 

obligations on small business eligible 

procurements. Approximately 23 percent 

of those obligations were awarded to 

small businesses, about the same 

proportion a FY 2011.

USE OF COMMERCIAL ITEM 

PROCEDURES 

About 38 percent, or roughly

$8.2 billion, of HHS’s FY 2015 

obligations were for contracts 

using commercial item procedures.

SMALL BUSINESS GOAL MET 

The Small Business Administration 

reported that HHS achieved its 

overall small business goal of 

23 percent in FY 2015.

39.2% of $16.6B

13.5% of $5.1B
1 TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND

SERVICES PROCURED

dollars in billions dollars in billions

SERVICES AND PRODUCTS OBLIGATIONS

WITH PERCENT COMPETED

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

SERVICES

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

PRODUCTS

TOP FIVE

SERVICES

TOP FIVE

PRODUCTS

43 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 8.6

10.09.49.610.110.28.79.39.29.9

SERVICES PRODUCTS PERCENT OF TOTAL OBLIGATIONS COMPETED

76.7% 77.3% 80.3% 80.0% 79.8%

1 2 3 4 5 1.603 0.875 0.617 0.419

0.367

1 2 3 4 5 2.040 6.017

0.435

0.335

0.108

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

27%

73%

$10.2

BILLION

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

$9.9

BILLION

86%

14%

u n i t e d stat e s

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

In fiscal year (FY) 2015, the Department of Veterans Affairs

(VA) obligated $20.1 billion on contracts.

VA’s mission is to serve veterans of the U.S. armed forces,

and provide health, pension, burial, and other benefits. The

VA’s acquisition function is spread across its three operational

administrations, including the Veterans Health Administration,

and a number of organizations with department-wide roles,

such as the Office of Acquisition and Logistics. The department 

has eight heads of contracting activity. In September 2016, 

we found that VA’s procurement policy framework is outdated 

and fragmented, and that acquisition responsibilities are not 

always clear. Contracting offices were unsure what guidance 

to use, exposing the department to potential oversights and 

inefficiencies in contracting.

The department obligates slightly less on products than 

services. Its top five services accounted for 38 percent of the 

department’s total obligations for services. By contrast, the top 

five products accounted for 90 percent of the department’s 

total obligations for products, with drugs and biologicals 

accounting for over 60 percent. The VA decreased its obligations 

on services requiring increased management attention from 

about 11 percent in FY 2011 to about 8.5 percent in FY 2015. 

However, in 2014 the VA’s inspector general found deficiencies 

in the award, monitoring, and documentation of support service 

contracts.

SERVICES REQUIRING MANAGEMENT 

ATTENTION 

In FY 2015, about 8.5 percent of VA’s service

contract obligations, or $857 million, were 

for services GAO and the Office of Federal

Procurement Policy have identified as 

requiring increased management attention.

1. Drugs & biologicals

2. Medical and surgical instruments, 

equipment and supplies 

3. Imaging equipment & supplies

4. Hospital furniture, equipment & 

supplies

5. Food, oils & fats

1. Information technology &

telecommunications

2. Medical: Other

3. Construction of hospitals & 

infirmaries

4. Medical: Nursing home care contracts

5. Medical: Evaluation & screening

TOTAL FY 2015 OBLIGATIONS

$20.1 BILLION
OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

OVERALL COMPETITION RATE

2

3

METHODS OF

PROCUREMENT

CONTRACTOR

DETAIL

CONTRACT TYPE

TOP VENDORS AND

SMALL BUSINESSES

dollars in billions

TOP 10 VENDORS

TOP 10 SMALL BUSINESS

FY 2015

OBLIGATIONS BILLIONS

CONTRACT TYPE

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

TYPE OF CONTRACT VEHICLE

FY 2015 OBLIGATED AMOUNT

VENDOR TYPE

SMALL BUSINESS

VENDOR TYPE

OTHER THAN SMALL BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

PERCENTAGE

GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

• HUBZone (Historically Underutilized 

Business Zone)

• SDVOSB (Service-disabled 

Veteran-owned Small Business)

• WOSB (Women-owned Small Business)

• SDB (Small Disadvantaged Business)

• SB (Small Business)

44 

$20.1

BILLION

67.8%

20.2%

12.0

%

COMPETED, RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE OFFER

COMPETED, RECEIVED ONE OFFER NOT COMPETED

COMPETED NON-COMPETED

$15.5

$0.28

$0.003

$3.8

$0.05

$0.46

$16.01 $4.08 TOTAL

FIXED PRICE

COSTREIMBURSEMENT

TIME & 

MATERIAL/

LABOR HOUR

DEFINITIVE CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER

BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT/BASIC ORDERING AGREEMENT

FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE

GOVERNMENT-WIDE ACQUISITION CONTRACT

OTHER INDEFINITE DELIVERY VEHICLES

$3.7

$1.2

$2.0

$0.54

$12.6

SDVOSB

16.8%

3.0% Goal

SB: 30.8%

32.0% Goal

WOSB

3.0%

5.0% Goal

HUBZone

1.7%

5.0% Goal

SDB

7.5%

3.0% Goal

GOAL ACTUAL

Source: GAO analysis of Small

Business Administration data.

$6.1

dollars in billions

$13.9

dollars in billions

department of veterans affairs TOTAL FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2015 OBLIGATIONS: $20.1 BILLION

The VA’s competition rate in FY 2015 of about 80 percent represents a slight increase 

from about 77 percent in FY 2011 and is on par with the rate of competed obligations 

for all civilian agencies. In addition, the VA has certain unique sole-source contracting 

authorities and obligates funds to its Federally Funded Research and Development 

Centers on a noncompetitive basis. The VA awarded about 96 percent of its FY 2015 

obligations on fixed price contracts, above the average of 56 percent for all civilian 

agencies.

In FY 2015, $3.7 billion, or 18.5 

percent, of the VA’s contract 

obligations were on definitive 

contracts and purchase orders. 

The remainder, $16.3 billion, or 

81.4 percent, were on various 

types of indefinite delivery 

vehicles, which is an increase 

from fiscal year 2011, when 

obligations on these contracts 

accounted for 66.6 percent of 

total obligations.

According to the Small Business 

Administration’s FY 2015 scorecard, 

VA awarded over $20 billion of its FY 

2015 obligations on small business 

eligible procurements. About 31 percent 

of those obligations were awarded to 

small businesses, a slight decrease from 

33.7 percent of eligible procurements 

in FY 2011. The VA has special 

statutory contracting preferences for 

service disabled, veteran-owned small 

businesses and veteran-owned small 

businesses which requires the agency to

limit competition within these categories

in certain situations.

USE OF COMMERCIAL ITEM 

PROCEDURES 

About 77 percent of VA’s FY 2015

obligations were for contracts

using commercial item procedures.

SMALL BUSINESS GOAL NOT MET 

The Small Business Administration 

reported that the VA did not meet 

its overall small business goal of 

32 percent in FY 2015.

57.1% of $13.9B

12.7% of $6.1B
1 TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND

SERVICES PROCURED

dollars in billions dollars in billions

SERVICES AND PRODUCTS OBLIGATIONS

WITH PERCENT COMPETED

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

SERVICES

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

PRODUCTS

TOP FIVE

SERVICES

TOP FIVE

PRODUCTS

45 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 1.3

15.214.513.213.51

1.

4.3

4

1.5

1.6

1.6

SERVICES PRODUCTS PERCENT OF TOTAL OBLIGATIONS COMPETED

57.4%

61.6%

65.1% 67.5% 67.9%

1 2 3 4 5

2.356

1.307

1.112

1.061

0.944

1 2 3 4 5 0.248

0.834

0.155

0.069

0.602

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

28%

72%

$14.3

BILLION

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

66% 34%

$1.6

BILLION

u n i t e d stat e s

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

In fiscal year (FY) 2015, the National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration (NASA) obligated $15.9 billion on contracts.

NASA’s mission is to drive advances in science, technology, 

aeronautics, and space exploration to enhance knowledge, 

education, innovation, economic vitality, and stewardship of the 

Earth. NASA has 14 procurement sites serving its headquarters, 

research centers and facilities, and the contractor-operated 

Jet Propulsion Laboratory. NASA acquisition management has 

been on GAO’s high risk list since 1990 due to its history of cost 

growth and schedule slippage in its major projects. Our work 

identified causal factors, including poor cost estimating and 

underestimating development risks.

In FY 2015, roughly 90 percent of NASA’s contract obligations 

were for services, and its top five services, accounted for about 

47 percent of the department’s total obligations for services. 

In 2015, NASA’s Inspector General (IG) identified the task of 

ensuring the integrity of the contracting process as one of 

the agency’s top management challenges. Further, in 2013, 

the IG also has reported on critical information technology 

(IT) security acquisitions, finding that the agency was missing 

opportunities to achieve cost savings and standardize IT security 

tools agencywide. NASA’s obligations for products, which were 

largely space vehicle-related, accounted for 87 percent of total 

obligations for products. NASA competed contracts for services 

more often than those for products.

SERVICES REQUIRING MANAGEMENT 

ATTENTION 

In 2015, 12 percent of NASA’s service 

contract obligations, or $1.7 billion, were 

for services GAO and the Office of Federal 

Procurement Policy have identified as 

requiring increased management attention.

1. Space vehicles components

2. Space vehicle launchers

3. Space vehicles

4. IT: support equipment

5. Optical instruments, test equipment, 

components and accessories

1. Research & development (R&D): 

Science and applications

2. Space transportation

3. R&D: Aeronautics and technology

4. Professional engineering & 

technical support

5. R&D: Space flight

TOTAL FY 2015 OBLIGATIONS

$15.9 BILLION
OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

OVERALL COMPETITION RATE

2

3

METHODS OF

PROCUREMENT

CONTRACTOR

DETAIL

CONTRACT TYPE

TOP VENDORS AND

SMALL BUSINESSES

dollars in billions

TOP 10 VENDORS

TOP 10 SMALL BUSINESS

FY 2015

OBLIGATIONS BILLIONS

CONTRACT TYPE

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

TYPE OF CONTRACT VEHICLE

FY 2015 OBLIGATED AMOUNT

VENDOR TYPE

SMALL BUSINESS

VENDOR TYPE

OTHER THAN SMALL BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

PERCENTAGE

GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

• HUBZone (Historically Underutilized 

Business Zone)

• SDVOSB (Service-disabled 

Veteran-owned Small Business)

• WOSB (Women-owned Small Business)

• SDB (Small Disadvantaged Business)

• SB (Small Business)

46 

$15.9

BILLION

60.5%

32.1%

7.3%

COMPETED, RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE OFFER

COMPETED, RECEIVED ONE OFFER NOT COMPETED

COMPETED NON-COMPETED

$3.7

$7.0

$0.05

$0.94

$4.2

$0.005

$10.8 $5.1 TOTAL

FIXED PRICE

COSTREIMBURSEMENT

TIME & 

MATERIAL/

LABOR HOUR

DEFINITIVE CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER

BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT/BASIC ORDERING AGREEMENT

FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE

GOVERNMENT-WIDE ACQUISITION CONTRACT

OTHER INDEFINITE DELIVERY VEHICLES

$9.0

$0.16

$0.10

$0.07

$6.5

WOSB

3.4%

5.0% Goal5.0% Goal

SDB

8.7% SDVOSB

0.71%

3.0% Goal

HUBZone

0.62%

SB

17.3%

3.0% Goal17.0% Goal

GOAL ACTUAL

Source: GAO analysis of Small

Business Administration data.

$2.5

dollars in billions

$13.4

dollars in billions

national aeronautics and space administration TOTAL FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2015 OBLIGATIONS: $15.9 BILLION

In FY 2015, 68 percent of NASA’s obligations were awarded competitively, which is 

below the rate of 79 percent competed obligations for all civilian agencies. In 2015, 

NASA’s IG found that the agency had successfully reduced the cost of its operation and 

maintenance service contracts for the International Space Station in part by openly 

competing requirements. NASA awarded less than 30 percent of it FY 2015 obligations 

on fixed price contracts, below the average of 56 percent for all civilian agencies. In 

2016, the IG recommended that NASA examine the feasibility of transitioning some 

of its Kennedy Center engineering service contracts from cost reimbursement to a 

combination of cost-reimbursement and fixed price contracts to potentially reduce costs 

and administrative burdens.

In FY 2015, $9.0 billion, or 57

percent, of NASA’s contract

obligations were on definitive

contracts and purchase orders. 

The remainder, $6.8 billion, or 

43 percent, were on various 

types of indefinite delivery 

vehicles, which is an increase 

from fiscal year 2011, when 

obligations on these contracts 

accounted for 27.5 percent of 

total obligations.

According to the Small Business 

Administration’s FY 2015 scorecard, 

NASA awarded over $14.4 billion of its 

FY 2015 obilgations on small business 

eleigble procurements. About 17 percent 

of those obligations were awarded to 

small businesses, the same proportion 

as in FY 2011.

USE OF COMMERCIAL ITEM 

PROCEDURES 

Approximately 7 percent, or 

$1.1 billion, of NASA’s FY 2015 

obligations were for contracts 

using commercial item procedures. 

SMALL BUSINESS GOAL MET

The Small Business Administration 

reported that NASA achieved its 

overall small business goal of 

17 percent in FY 2015.

66.5% of $13.4B

29.1% of $2.5B
1 TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND

SERVICES PROCURED

dollars in billions dollars in billions

SERVICES AND PRODUCTS OBLIGATIONS

WITH PERCENT COMPETED

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

SERVICES

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

PRODUCTS

TOP FIVE

SERVICES

TOP FIVE

PRODUCTS

47 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 4.4 3.0 3.1 3.3

3.010.810.09.59.610.4

SERVICES PRODUCTS PERCENT OF TOTAL OBLIGATIONS COMPETED

68.5%

73.1%

70.1% 72.3% 71.2%

1 2 3 4 5 1.569 0.843 0.769 0.548 0.545

1 2 3 4 5

0.529

0.565

0.172

0.158

0.131

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

23%

77%

$10.4

BILLION

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

50% 50%

$3.0

BILLION

u n i t e d stat e s

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

In fiscal year (FY) 2015, the Department of Homeland 

Security (DHS) obligated $13.4 billion on contracts.

DHS has five core missions—prevent terrorism and enhance 

security; secure and manage borders; enforce and administer 

immigration laws; safeguard and secure cyberspace; and ensure 

resilience to disasters. The department and its underlying 

components are acquiring systems to help execute a wide 

variety of operations to meet its mission of a safe, secure, 

and resilient homeland. DHS has 9 contracting offices serving 

16 operational and support components. DHS management 

functions, including acquisition management, have remained on 

GAO’s high risk list since 2003.

More than three quarters of DHS’s FY 2015 contract obligations 

were for services, and its top five services accounted for more 

than 40 percent of the department’s total obligations for 

services. Similarly, DHS’s top five products, which were largely 

informationg technology (IT) related, accounted for about half 

the department’s total obligations for products. DHS competed 

contracts for services more often than those for products, with 

more than 75 percent of all obligations for services competed.

SERVICES REQUIRING MANAGEMENT 

ATTENTION 

In FY 2015, over 20 percent of DHS’s service

contract obligations, or $2.2 billion, were for

services GAO and the Office of Federal 

Procurement Policy have identified as 

requiring increased management attention.

1. IT: software

2. Miscellaneous vessels 

3. Miscellaneous security detection 

systems

4. IT: Components 

5. IT: Equipment system configuration

1. Housekeeping: Guard

2. Construction: laboratories & clinics

3. IT & telecommunications

4. Other professional support

5. Professional program 

management & support

TOTAL FY 2015 OBLIGATIONS

$13.4 BILLION
OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

OVERALL COMPETITION RATE

2

3

METHODS OF

PROCUREMENT

CONTRACTOR

DETAIL

CONTRACT TYPE

TOP VENDORS AND

SMALL BUSINESSES

dollars in billions

TOP 10 VENDORS

TOP 10 SMALL BUSINESS

FY 2015

OBLIGATIONS BILLIONS

CONTRACT TYPE

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

TYPE OF CONTRACT VEHICLE

FY 2015 OBLIGATED AMOUNT

VENDOR TYPE

SMALL BUSINESS

VENDOR TYPE

OTHER THAN SMALL BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

PERCENTAGE

GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

• HUBZone (Historically Underutilized 

Business Zone)

• SDVOSB (Service-disabled 

Veteran-owned Small Business)

• WOSB (Women-owned Small Business)

• SDB (Small Disadvantaged Business)

• SB (Small Business)

48 

$13.4

BILLION

60.1%

28.9%

11.2%

COMPETED, RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE OFFER

COMPETED, RECEIVED ONE OFFER NOT COMPETED

$0.47

COMPETED NON-COMPETED

$6.5

$1.3

$1.8

$3.1

$0.27

$9.6 $3.8 TOTAL

FIXED PRICE

COSTREIMBURSEMENT

TIME & 

MATERIAL/

LABOR HOUR

DEFINITIVE CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER

BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT/BASIC ORDERING AGREEMENT

FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE

GOVERNMENT-WIDE ACQUISITION CONTRACT

OTHER INDEFINITE DELIVERY VEHICLES

$4.0

$1.6

$1.1

$0.33

$6.4

$4.6

dollars in billions

$8.8

dollars in billions

WOSB

7.3%

5.0% Goal5.0% Goal

SDB

14.7% SDVOSB

5.4%

3.0% Goal

HUBZone

4.1%

SB

34.1%

3.0% Goal32.0% Goal

GOAL ACTUAL

Source: GAO analysis of Small

Business Administration data.

department of homeland security TOTAL FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2015 OBLIGATIONS: $13.4 BILLION

In FY 2015, 71 percent of DHS’s obligations were awarded competitively, which 

represents an increase of about 3 percent from FY 2011, but remains below the 

average rate of 79 percent competed obligations for all civilian agencies. The DHS 

inspector general reports on DHS’s grants and contracts awarded noncompetitively 

on an annual basis, and its most recent report noted improvements in its competition 

rates. Further, DHS awarded about 72 percent of its FY 2015 obligations on fixed price 

contracts, above the average of 56 percent for all civilian agencies.

In FY 2015, $4 billion, or 29.9 

percent, of DHS’s contract 

obligations were on definitive 

contracts and purchase orders. 

The remainder, $9.4 billion, or 

70.3 percent, were on various 

types of indefinite delivery 

vehicles, which is a slight 

decrease from fiscal year 2011, 

when obligations on these 

contracts accounted for 71.4 

percent of total obligations.

According to the Small Business 

Administration’s FY 2015 scorecard, 

DHS awarded about $13.9 billion of its 

FY 2015 obligations on small business 

eligible procurements. Just over 34 

percent of those obligations were 

awarded to small businesses, an increase 

from 29 percent of eligible procurements 

in FY 2011. DHS tracks changes in small 

business spending for each strategic 

sourcing initiative, allowing it to measure 

the impact of its strategic sourcing efforts 

on small businesses.

USE OF COMMERCIAL ITEM 

PROCEDURES 

48 percent of DHS’s FY 2015 

obligations, or $6.5 billion, were 

or contracts using commercial 

item procedures.

SMALL BUSINESS GOAL MET 

The Small Business Administration 

noted that DHS exceeded its 

overall small business goal of 

32 percent in FY 2015.

41.6% of $8.8B

16.1% of $4.6B
1 TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND

SERVICES PROCURED

dollars in billions dollars in billions

SERVICES AND PRODUCTS OBLIGATIONS

WITH PERCENT COMPETED

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

SERVICES

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

PRODUCTS

TOP FIVE

SERVICES

TOP FIVE

PRODUCTS

49 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2.6

12.27.86.86.46.8

2.6

2.2

2.7

2.3

SERVICES PRODUCTS PERCENT OF TOTAL OBLIGATIONS COMPETED

75.0% 74.4%

79.8% 79.3%

82.7%

1 2 3 4 5 1.099 0.778

0.585

0.526

0.354

1 2 3 4 5 0.19

0

0

.955

0.162

0.145

0.119

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

21%

79%

$6.8

BILLION

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

94%

$2.3

BILLION

6%

u n i t e d stat e s

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

In fiscal year (FY) 2015, the General Services Administration

(GSA) obligated $9.2 billion on contracts. 

GSA’s mission is to deliver the best value in real estate, 

acquisition, and technology services to the government and the 

American people. The agency provides centralized procurement 

services for the federal government to obtain products and 

services from commercial vendors, helps federal agencies 

build and acquire office space, products and other workspace 

services, and oversees the preservation of historic federal 

properties. GSA delivers goods and services to its federal 

customers through 11 regional offices and headquarters. 

Sixteen services and staff offices support 22 programs, 

including the Federal Acquisition Service. Only 1 percent of 

GSA’s total budget is provided through direct congressional 

appropriations, with most operating costs recovered through the 

products and services it provides.

Almost three-quarters of GSA’s FY 2015 contract obligations 

were for services, and its top five services accounted for nearly 

half of the agency’s total obligations for services. GSA’s top five 

products accounted almost 68 percent of the department’s total 

obligations for products. GSA competed contracts for products 

more often than those for services, with about 94 percent of all 

obligations for products competed.

SERVICES REQUIRING MANAGEMENT 

ATTENTION 

In FY 2015, over 36 percent of GSA’s service

contract obligations, or $2.5 billion, were for

services GAO and the Office of Federal 

Procurement Policy have identified as 

requiring increased management attention.

1. Passenger motor vehicles

2. Trucks and truck tractors, wheeled 

3. IT: Software

4. Chemical & pharmaceutical 

products manufacturing machinery

5. IT: Equipment system configuration

1. Other professional support

2. Repair or alteration of office buildings

3. Information technology (IT) & 

telecommunications

4. Construction of office buildings

5. IT: Systems development

TOTAL FY 2015 OBLIGATIONS

$9.2 BILLION
OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

OVERALL COMPETITION RATE

2

3

METHODS OF

PROCUREMENT

CONTRACTOR

DETAIL

CONTRACT TYPE

TOP VENDORS AND

SMALL BUSINESSES

dollars in billions

TOP 10 VENDORS

TOP 10 SMALL BUSINESS

FY 2015

OBLIGATIONS BILLIONS

CONTRACT TYPE

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

TYPE OF CONTRACT VEHICLE

FY 2015 OBLIGATED AMOUNT

VENDOR TYPE

SMALL BUSINESS

VENDOR TYPE

OTHER THAN SMALL BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

PERCENTAGE

GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

• HUBZone (Historically Underutilized 

Business Zone)

• SDVOSB (Service-disabled 

Veteran-owned Small Business)

• WOSB (Women-owned Small Business)

• SDB (Small Disadvantaged Business)

• SB (Small Business)

50 

$9.2

BILLION

71.2%

17.4%

11

.4

%

COMPETED, RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE OFFER

COMPETED, RECEIVED ONE OFFER NOT COMPETED

$0.19

COMPETED NON-COMPETED

$5.4

$1.1

$1.1

$1.3

$0.15

$7.6 $1.6 TOTAL

FIXED PRICE

COSTREIMBURSEMENT

TIME & 

MATERIAL/

LABOR HOUR

DEFINITIVE CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER

BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT/BASIC ORDERING AGREEMENT

FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE

GOVERNMENT-WIDE ACQUISITION CONTRACT

OTHER INDEFINITE DELIVERY VEHICLES

$2.0

$0.58

$1.6

$1.9

$3.0

$3.0

dollars in billions

$6.2

dollars in billions

WOSB

9.3%

5.0% Goal

5.0% Goal

SDVOSB

4.8%

3.0% Goal

HUBZone

4.4%

SB: 44.2%

SDB:

21.4%

3.0% Goal

32.0% Goal

GOAL ACTUAL

Source: GAO analysis of Small

Business Administration data.

general services administration TOTAL FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2015 OBLIGATIONS: $9.2 BILLION

In FY 2015, nearly 83 percent of GSA’s obligations were awarded competitively, which 

represents an increase of about 8 percent from FY 2011, and is above the rate of 79 

percent competed obligations for all civilian agencies. Further, GSA awarded about 72 

percent of its FY 2015 obligations on fixed price contracts, above the average of 56 

percent for all civilian agencies.

In FY 2015, $2 billion, or 22.2 

percent, of GSA’s contract 

obligations were on definitive 

contracts and purchase orders 

The remainder, $7.1 billion, or 

77.6 percent, were on various 

types of indefinite delivery 

vehicles, which is an increase 

from fiscal year 2011, when 

obligations on these contracts 

accounted for 60 percent of 

total obligations.

According to the Small Business 

Administration’s FY 2015 scorecard, GSA 

awarded over $3.7 billion of its FY 2015 

obligations on small business eligible 

procurements. About 44 percent of GSA’s 

FY 2015 those obligations were awarded 

to small businesses, an increase from 

38.8 percent of eligible procurements in 

FY 2011.

USE OF COMMERCIAL ITEM 

PROCEDURES 

About 40 percent of GSA’s

FY 2015 obligations were for 

contracts using commercial item 

procedures.

SMALL BUSINESS GOAL MET 

The Small Business Administration 

noted that GSA exceeded its 

overall small business goal of 

32 percent in FY 2015.

44.4% of $6.2B

12.6% of $3.0B
1 TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND

SERVICES PROCURED

dollars in billions dollars in billions

SERVICES AND PRODUCTS OBLIGATIONS

WITH PERCENT COMPETED

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

SERVICES

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

PRODUCTS

TOP FIVE

SERVICES

TOP FIVE

PRODUCTS

51 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 1.6

8.27.36.58.07.

1.

2

4

1.21.21.2

SERVICES PRODUCTS PERCENT OF TOTAL OBLIGATIONS COMPETED

75.0% 77.2% 79.7% 80.8%

75.6%

1 2 3 4 5 1.049 0.847

0.782

0.519

0.367

1 2 3 4 5 0.124 0.172 0.070 0.047 0.042

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

23%

77%

$7.2

BILLION

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

29% 70%

$1.2

BILLION

u n i t e d stat e s

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

In fiscal year (FY) 2015, the Department of State (State) 

obligated $8.39 billion on contracts. 

State’s mission, which it shares with the U.S. Agency for 

International Development (USAID), is to shape and sustain 

a peaceful, prosperous, just, and democratic world, and 

foster conditions for stability and progress for the benefit 

of the American people and people everywhere. State’s 

acquisition function is independent of USAID and spread 

across three headquarters offices, two regional procurement 

support offices, and, to a limited degree, the embassies and 

consulates worldwide. There are five divisions within the Office 

of Acquisition Management, including diplomatic security and 

facilities, design, and construction divisions.

Most of State’s contracts are for the procurement of services, 

with less than 15 percent of the department’s FY 2015 

contract obligations for products. Its top five services—

including professional and management support as well as 

construction and guard services—accounted for nearly half of 

the department’s total obligations for services. State competed 

contracts for services and products at nearly the same rate, with 

more than 75 percent of all service obligations and 70 percent 

of all obligations for products from competed awards. In 2010, 

we found that State’s department-wide workforce plan generally 

did not address the extent to which contractors should be used 

to perform specific functions, such as contract and grants 

management.

SERVICES REQUIRING MANAGEMENT 

ATTENTION 

In FY 2015, over 25 percent of State’s service 

contract obligations, or $1.8 billion, were 

for services GAO and the Office of Federal 

Procurement Policy have identified as 

requiring increased management attention.

1. IT: Software

2. IT: Components

3. Household furniture

4. Fuel oils

5. Telephone & telegraph equipment

1. Professional program & 

management support

2. Construction of office buildings

3. Housekeeping: Guard

4. Information technology (IT) & 

telecommunications

5. Logistics management support

TOTAL FY 2015 OBLIGATIONS

$8.4 BILLION
OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

OVERALL COMPETITION RATE

2

3

METHODS OF

PROCUREMENT

CONTRACTOR

DETAIL

CONTRACT TYPE

TOP VENDORS AND

SMALL BUSINESSES

dollars in billions

TOP 10 VENDORS

TOP 10 SMALL BUSINESS

FY 2015

OBLIGATIONS BILLIONS

CONTRACT TYPE

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

TYPE OF CONTRACT VEHICLE

FY 2015 OBLIGATED AMOUNT

VENDOR TYPE

SMALL BUSINESS

VENDOR TYPE

OTHER THAN SMALL BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

PERCENTAGE

GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

• HUBZone (Historically Underutilized 

Business Zone)

• SDVOSB (Service-disabled 

Veteran-owned Small Business)

• WOSB (Women-owned Small Business)

• SDB (Small Disadvantaged Business)

• SB (Small Business)

52 

$8.4

BILLION

62.5%

24.2%

13.0%

COMPETED, RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE OFFER

COMPETED, RECEIVED ONE OFFER NOT COMPETED

$0.72

COMPETED NON-COMPETED

$4.9

$0.19

$1.3

$1.1

$0.22

$6.3 $2.0 TOTAL

FIXED PRICE

COSTREIMBURSEMENT

TIME & 

MATERIAL/

LABOR HOUR

DEFINITIVE CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER

BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT/BASIC ORDERING AGREEMENT

FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE

GOVERNMENT-WIDE ACQUISITION CONTRACT

OTHER INDEFINITE DELIVERY VEHICLES

$3.3

$0.57

$0.35

$0.6

$3.6

WOSB

9.8%

5.0% Goal

5.0% Goal

SDVOSB

5.8%

3.0% Goal

HUBZone

3.2%

SB: 44.0%

3.0% Goal

39.0% Goal

SDB:

23.2%

GOAL ACTUAL

Source: GAO analysis of Small

Business Administration data.

$2.2

dollars in billions

$6.2

dollars in billions

department of state TOTAL FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2015 OBLIGATIONS: $8.4 BILLION

Although State’s competition rate in FY 2015—just over 75 percent—was about the 

same as the FY 2011 rate, the department’s competition rate increased to about 81 

percent in fiscal year 2014. Overall, however, in FY 2015, State’s competition rate was 

below the rate of 79 percent competed obligations for all civilian agencies. Further, 

State awarded about 71 percent of its FY 2015 obligations on fixed price contracts, 

above the average of 56 percent for all civilian agencies. The department also achieved 

a higher rate of competition for its fixed price contracts than cost type contracts, about 

82 percent and 44 percent, respectively.

In FY 2015, $3.3 billion, or 39.3 

percent, of State’s contract 

obligations were on definitive 

contracts and purchase orders.

The remainder, $5.1 billion, or 

60.5 percent, were on various 

types of indefinite delivery 

vehicles, which is a decrease 

from fiscal year 2011, when 

obligations on these contracts 

accounted for 63.7 percent of 

total obligations.

According to the Small Business 

Administration’s FY 2015 scorecard, 

State awarded over $3.8 billion of its 

FY 2015 obligations on small business 

eligible procurements. About 44 percent 

of those obligations were awarded to 

small businesses, an increase from 34.3 

percent of eligible procurements in FY 

2011.

USE OF COMMERCIAL ITEM 

PROCEDURES 

About 32 percent of State’s 

FY 2015 obligations were for 

contracts using commercial item 

procedures. 

SMALL BUSINESS GOAL MET 

The Small Business Administration 

noted that State exceeded its 

overall small business goal of 

39 percent in FY 2015.

49.6% of $6.2B

23.7% of $2.2B
1 TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND

SERVICES PROCURED

dollars in billions dollars in billions

SERVICES AND PRODUCTS OBLIGATIONS

WITH PERCENT COMPETED

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

SERVICES

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

PRODUCTS

TOP FIVE

SERVICES

TOP FIVE

PRODUCTS

53 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 1.5

6.25.26.15.56.

1.

2

7

1.51.61.5

SERVICES PRODUCTS PERCENT OF TOTAL OBLIGATIONS COMPETED

68.8% 69.2%

75.4%

70.8%

75.7%

1 2 3 4 5 1.043

0.833

0.4460.432

0.300

1 2 3 4 5 0.111 0.169

0.092

0.088

0.079

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

23%

76%

$6.18

BILLION

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

73%

27%

$1.5

BILLION

u n i t e d stat e s

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

In fiscal year (FY) 2015, the Department of Justice (DOJ) 

obligated $7.7 billion on contracts. 

Every year, DOJ procures billions in goods and services in order 

to carry out its mission of preventing terrorism and promoting 

security, preventing crime and protecting the rights of the 

American people, and ensuring a fair, impartial, efficient, and 

transparent administration of justice. DOJ has nine components 

with procurement offices serving its approximately 40 separate 

component organizations. In the DOJ Inspector General’s (IG) 

2015 annual report on the department’s top management 

challenges, the IG stated that contracts continue to present 

significant oversight and management challenges, specifically 

identifying the department’s use of high dollar contracts to run 

private-managed prisons as an area of significant exposure.

In FY 2015, more than 80 percent of DOJ’s contract obligations 

were for services, and its top five services accounted for more 

than 49 percent of the department’s total obligations for 

services. From FY 2011 to FY 2015, DOJ increased its spending 

on services requiring increased management attention by over 

$450 million. DOJ’s top products, which were largely information 

technology-related, accounted for 36 percent of total obligations 

for products. DOJ competed contracts for services more often 

than those for products.

SERVICES REQUIRING MANAGEMENT 

ATTENTION 

In FY 2015, approximately 30 percent of 

DOJ’s service contract obligations, or $1.8 

billion, were for services GAO and the Office of 

Federal Procurement Policy have identified as 

requiring increased management attention.

1. IT: Software

2. Drugs & biologicals

3. IT: Equipment system configuration

4. IT: Support equipment

5. IT: Input-output and storage devices

1. Social: Social rehabilitation

2. Other professional support

3. Housekeeping: Guard

4. Information technology (IT) & 

telecommunications

5. Medical: Other

TOTAL FY 2015 OBLIGATIONS

$7.7 BILLION
OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

OVERALL COMPETITION RATE

2

3

METHODS OF

PROCUREMENT

CONTRACTOR

DETAIL

CONTRACT TYPE

TOP VENDORS AND

SMALL BUSINESSES

dollars in billions

TOP 10 VENDORS

TOP 10 SMALL BUSINESS

FY 2015

OBLIGATIONS BILLIONS

CONTRACT TYPE

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

TYPE OF CONTRACT VEHICLE

FY 2015 OBLIGATED AMOUNT

VENDOR TYPE

SMALL BUSINESS

VENDOR TYPE

OTHER THAN SMALL BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

PERCENTAGE

GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

• HUBZone (Historically Underutilized 

Business Zone)

• SDVOSB (Service-disabled 

Veteran-owned Small Business)

• WOSB (Women-owned Small Business)

• SDB (Small Disadvantaged Business)

• SB (Small Business)

54 

$7.7

BILLION

57.6%

23.9%

18.1%

COMPETED, RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE OFFER

COMPETED, RECEIVED ONE OFFER NOT COMPETED

$0.30

COMPETED NON-COMPETED

$4.0

$0.10

$1.7

$1.5

$0.02

$5.7 $1.8 TOTAL

FIXED PRICE

COSTREIMBURSEMENT

TIME & 

MATERIAL/

LABOR HOUR

DEFINITIVE CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER

BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT/BASIC ORDERING AGREEMENT

FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE

GOVERNMENT-WIDE ACQUISITION CONTRACT

OTHER INDEFINITE DELIVERY VEHICLES

$2.5

$0.75

$0.88

$0.36

$3.2

WOSB

6.0%

5.0% Goal5.0% Goal

SDB

SDVOSB 9.4%

3.6%

3.0% Goal

HUBZone

0.85%

SB: 29.8%

3.0% Goal27.5% Goal

GOAL ACTUAL

Source: GAO analysis of Small

Business Administration data.

$2.1

dollars in billions

$5.6

dollars in billions

department of justice TOTAL FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2015 OBLIGATIONS: $7.7 BILLION

In FY 2015, over 75 percent of DOJ’s obligations were awarded competitively, which 

is below the rate of 79 percent competed obligations for all civilian agencies. In 2012 

and 2016, DOJ’s IG reported on procurement deficiencies, such as failing to justify 

noncompetitive awards, which could result in requirements not being met in the most 

economical manner. DOJ awarded 71 percent of its FY 2015 obligations on fixed price 

contracts, above the average of 56 percent for all civilian agencies.

In FY 2015, $2.5 billion, or 

32.1 percent, of DOJ’s contract 

obligations were on definitive 

contracts and purchase orders. 

The remainder, $5.2 billion, or 

67.3 percent, were on various 

types of indefinite delivery 

vehicles, which is a decrease 

from fiscal year 2011, when 

obligations on these contracts 

accounted for 70.6 percent of 

total obligations.

According to the Small Business 

Administration’s FY 2015 scorecard, 

DOJ awarded over $7 billion of its FY 

2015 obligations on small business 

eligible procurements. Approximately 

29.8 percent of those obligations 

were awarded to small businesses, an 

increase from 26.2 percent of eligible 

procurements in FY 2011.

USE OF COMMERCIAL ITEM 

PROCEDURES 

Almost half, or roughly $3.8 billion, 

of DOJ’s FY 2015 obligations were 

for contracts using commercial 

item procedures. 

SMALL BUSINESS GOAL MET 

The Small Business Administration 

reported that DOJ exceeded its 

overall small business goal of 

27.5 percent in FY 2015.

36.8% of $5.6B

18.9% of $2.1B
1 TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND

SERVICES PROCURED

dollars in billions dollars in billions

SERVICES AND PRODUCTS OBLIGATIONS

WITH PERCENT COMPETED

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

SERVICES

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

PRODUCTS

TOP FIVE

SERVICES

TOP FIVE

PRODUCTS

55 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 1.1

5.75.75.55.65.

1.

3

0

0.80.70.8

SERVICES PRODUCTS PERCENT OF TOTAL OBLIGATIONS COMPETED

76.4%

83.5% 83.7% 83.2% 82.7%

1 2 3 4 5 1.121

0.358

0.271

0.2650.254

1 2 3 4 5

0.084

0.329

0.043

0.030

0.020

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

18%

82%

$5.3

BILLION

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

12%

88%

$0.8

BILLION

u n i t e d stat e s

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

In fiscal year (FY) 2015, the Department of Transportation 

(DOT) obligated $6.1 billion on contracts. 

Every year, DOT procures billions in goods and services in 

order to achieve its mission of ensuring a fast, safe, efficient, 

accessible and convenient transportation system that meets 

vital national interests and enhances the quality of life of the 

American people. DOT’s Office of the Senior Procurement 

Executive (OSPE) is responsible for department-wide 

acquisition policy and oversight across 9 of its 10 operating 

administrations. One of the operating administrations, the 

Federal Aviation Agency (FAA), has independent procurement 

authority. In FY 2016, DOT’s Inspector General (IG) identified 

FAA’s management of contracts and acquisitions as a top 

management challenge.

In FY 2015, more than 85 percent of DOT’s contract obligations 

were for services, and its top five services accounted for more 

than 40 percent of the department’s total obligations for 

services. In 2014, DOT’s IG reviewed the department’s spending 

on management support services and recommended that the 

OSPE and Chief Financial Officer develop a department-wide 

policy and comprehensive implementation plan to help DOT 

focus on its management support services spending and better 

manage its contracts. DOT’s top products, which were largely 

radio and television communications equipment, accounted 

for more than 60 percent of total obligations for products. DOT 

competed contracts for products slightly more often than those 

for services.

SERVICES REQUIRING MANAGEMENT 

ATTENTION 

In FY 2015, over 30 percent of DOT’s service 

contract obligations, or $1.7 billion, were 

for services GAO and the Office of Federal 

Procurement Policy have identified as 

requiring increased management attention.

1. Radio & television communication 

equipment

2. Information technology (IT): Software

3. IT: Input-output and storage devices 

4. IT: Equipment system configuration

5. Switches

1. Prof. engineering & technical support

2. Construction: Roads & railways

3. Research and development: 

Management and support

4. Prof. program management & support 

5. Operation of non-building facilities

TOTAL FY 2015 OBLIGATIONS

$7.7 BILLION
OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

OVERALL COMPETITION RATE

2

3

METHODS OF

PROCUREMENT

CONTRACTOR

DETAIL

CONTRACT TYPE

TOP VENDORS AND

SMALL BUSINESSES

dollars in billions

TOP 10 VENDORS

TOP 10 SMALL BUSINESS

FY 2015

OBLIGATIONS BILLIONS

CONTRACT TYPE

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

TYPE OF CONTRACT VEHICLE

FY 2015 OBLIGATED AMOUNT

VENDOR TYPE

SMALL BUSINESS

VENDOR TYPE

OTHER THAN SMALL BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

PERCENTAGE

GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

• HUBZone (Historically Underutilized 

Business Zone)

• SDVOSB (Service-disabled 

Veteran-owned Small Business)

• WOSB (Women-owned Small Business)

• SDB (Small Disadvantaged Business)

• SB (Small Business)

56 

$7.7

BILLION

77.2%

17.1%

5.4%

COMPETED, RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE OFFER

COMPETED, RECEIVED ONE OFFER NOT COMPETED

$0.15

COMPETED NON-COMPETED

$3.0

$1.6

$0.47

$0.59

$0.29

$5.0 $1.0 TOTAL

FIXED PRICE

COSTREIMBURSEMENT

TIME & 

MATERIAL/

LABOR HOUR

DEFINITIVE CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER

BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT/BASIC ORDERING AGREEMENT

FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE

GOVERNMENT-WIDE ACQUISITION CONTRACT

OTHER INDEFINITE DELIVERY VEHICLES

$2.5

$0.56

$0.13

$0.04

$2.86

WOSB

9.1%

SDVOSB

3.6%

HUBZone

10.7%

3% Goal 3% Goal

SB: 50.9%

5% Goal

44% Goal

5% Goal

SDB:

22.8%

GOAL ACTUAL

Source: GAO analysis of Small

Business Administration data.

$2.1

dollars in billions

$4.0

dollars in billions

department of transportation TOTAL FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2015 OBLIGATIONS: $5.3 BILLION

In FY 2015, 83 percent of DOT’s obligations were awarded competitively, which is 

above the rate of 79 percent competed obligations for all civilian agencies. Further, 

DOT awarded 58 percent of its FY 2015 obligations on fixed price contracts, slightly 

above the average of 56 percent for all civilian agencies. In 2013, DOT’s IG reported 

on DOT’s use of cost-reimbursement contracts and recommended that the agency 

provide guidance to help acquisition personnel understand and properly implement 

FAR requirements for the use of cost-reimbursement awards. Also, in 2016, the IG 

recommended that the FAA reduce the use of sole source contracts by implementing a 

standardized process for identifying requirements that can be competed in the future.

In FY 2015, $2.5 billion, or 

40.7 percent, of DOT’s contract 

obligations were on definitive 

contracts and purchase orders. 

The remainder, $3.6 billion, or 

59.2 percent, were on various 

types of indefinite delivery 

vehicles, which is an increase 

from fiscal year 2011, when 

obligations on these contracts 

accounted for 52.2 percent of 

total obligations.

According to the Small Business 

Administration’s FY 2015 scorecard, DOT 

awarded over $1.6 billion of its FY 2015 

obligations on small business eligible 

procurements. Approximately 51 percent 

of those obligations were awarded to 

small businesses, an increase from 

40.6 percent of eligible procurements

in FY 2011.

USE OF COMMERCIAL ITEMS 

PROCEDURES 

Approximately 16 percent, or 

roughly $1.0 billion, of DOT’s FY 

2015 obligations were for contracts 

using commercial item procedures.

SMALL BUSINESS GOAL MET 

The Small Business Administration 

reported that DOT exceeded its 

overall small business goal of 

44 percent in FY 2015.

54.6% of $4.0B

17.5% of $2.1B
1 TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND

SERVICES PROCURED

dollars in billions dollars in billions

SERVICES AND PRODUCTS OBLIGATIONS

WITH PERCENT COMPETED

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

SERVICES

OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

PRODUCTS

TOP FIVE

SERVICES

TOP FIVE

PRODUCTS

57 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 3.3

2.32.12.22.3

2.9

3.33.23.13.1

SERVICES PRODUCTS PERCENT OF TOTAL OBLIGATIONS COMPETED

83.0% 84.3% 84.3% 84.9% 83.0%

1 2 3 4 5

0.535

0.353

0.183

0.1100.105

1 2 3 4 5 0.872 0.912

0.297

0.180

0.177

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

26%

71%

$2.9

BILLION

COMPETED NOT COMPETED

6%

94%

$3.1

BILLION

u n i t e d stat e s

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

In fiscal year (FY) 2015, the Department of Agriculture 

(USDA) obligated $6.1 billion on contracts.

USDA procures billions in goods and services annually in order to 

meet its missions, including ensuring that children have access 

to safe, nutritious, and balanced meals, and national forests 

and private lands are conserved, restored, and made resilient 

to climate change. USDA’s contracting function is decentralized 

across 11 buying agencies serving more than 30 agencies and 

staff offices.

Just under half of USDA’s FY 2015 contract obligations were 

for services, and its top five services accounted for more than 

40 percent of the department’s total obligations for services. 

In 2014, GAO reviewed professional, administrative, and 

management support services contracts at USDA and found 

that some of its components may not be able to fully assess 

the quality and timeliness of the services they receive because 

most of the contracts we reviewed did not contain necessary 

oversight mechanisms. USDA’s top five products, which were 

largely food products such as meat, fruits, and dairy products, 

accounted for 78 percent of the department’s total FY 2015 

obligations for products. USDA competed contracts for products 

more often than those for services.

SERVICES REQUIRING MANAGEMENT 

ATTENTION 

In FY 2015, over 15 percent of USDA’s 

service contract obligations, or $0.5 billion, 

were for services GAO and the Office of 

Federal Procurement Policy have identified as 

requiring increased management attention.

1. Meat, poultry, and fish

2. Fruits and vegetables

3. Dairy foods and eggs 

4. Bakery and cereal products

5. Miscellaneous crude agricultural 

and forestry products

1. Natural resources & conservation

2. Logistics management support

3. Information technology (IT) & 

telecommunications

4. IT: System development 

5. Environmental systems protection

TOTAL FY 2015 OBLIGATIONS

$6.1 BILLION
OBLIGATIONS AND COMPETITION

OVERALL COMPETITION RATE

2

3

METHODS OF

PROCUREMENT

CONTRACTOR

DETAIL

CONTRACT TYPE

TOP VENDORS AND

SMALL BUSINESSES

dollars in billions

TOP 10 VENDORS

TOP 10 SMALL BUSINESS

FY 2015

OBLIGATIONS BILLIONS

CONTRACT TYPE

DOLLARS IN BILLIONS

TYPE OF CONTRACT VEHICLE

FY 2015 OBLIGATED AMOUNT

VENDOR TYPE

SMALL BUSINESS

VENDOR TYPE

OTHER THAN SMALL BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

PERCENTAGE

GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Analysis

• HUBZone (Historically Underutilized 

Business Zone)

• SDVOSB (Service-disabled 

Veteran-owned Small Business)

• WOSB (Women-owned Small Business)

• SDB (Small Disadvantaged Business)

• SB (Small Business)

58 

$6.1

BILLION

67.5%

15.6%

15.5

%

COMPETED, RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE OFFER

COMPETED, RECEIVED ONE OFFER NOT COMPETED

$0.14

COMPETED NON-COMPETED

$4.9

$0.02

$0.12

$0.8

$0.002

$5.0 $0.94 TOTAL

FIXED PRICE

COSTREIMBURSEMENT

TIME & 

MATERIAL/

LABOR HOUR

DEFINITIVE CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER

BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT/BASIC ORDERING AGREEMENT

FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE

GOVERNMENT-WIDE ACQUISITION CONTRACT

OTHER INDEFINITE DELIVERY VEHICLES

$3.6

$0.63

$0.27

$0.24

$1.4

SDB

15.1%

SDVOSB

3.5%

HUBZone

3.0%

WOSB

9.7%

5% Goal

3% Goal3% Goal

SB: 50.0%

5% Goal

53% Goal

GOAL ACTUAL

Source: GAO analysis of Small

Business Administration data.

$3.1

dollars in billions

$2.9

dollars in billions

department of agriculture TOTAL FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2015 OBLIGATIONS: $6.1 BILLION

In FY 2015, 83 percent of USDA’s obligations were awarded competitively, which is 

above the rate of 79 percent for all civilian agencies. Further, USDA awarded 95 percent 

of its FY 2015 obligations on fixed price contracts, above the average of 56 percent for 

all civilian agencies. USDA obligated roughly $140 million, or 2 percent of total contract 

obligations, on noncompetitive, cost reimbursement and Time & Material/Labor Hour 

contracts; reflecting an increase of 100 percent from FY 2011 obligations on these 

types of contracts. USDA’s inspector general (IG) previously found that some contracts 

may not have been awarded in a way that met the agency’s needs in the most effective, 

economical, and timely manner due to improper contracting methods and inadequate 

acquisition documentation.

In FY 2015, $3.6 billion, or 59 

percent, of USDA’s contract 

obligations were on definitive 

contracts and purchase orders.

The remainder, $2.5 billion, or 41 

percent, were on various types of 

indefinite delivery vehicles, which 

is an increase from fiscal year 

2011, when obligations on these

contracts accounted for 34.4 

percent of total obligations.

According to the Small Business 

Administration’s FY 2015 scorecard, 

USDA awarded almost $6.3 billion of its 

FY 2015 obligations on small business 

eligible procurements. Approximately 

50 percent of those obligations were 

awarded to small businesses, a 

decrease from 52.4 percent of eligible 

procurements in FY 2011.

USE OF COMMERCIAL ITEM 

PROCEDURES 

Approximately 49 percent, or 

roughly $3.0 billion, of USDA’s FY 

2015 obligations were for contracts 

using commercial item procedures.

SMALL BUSINESS GOAL NOT MET 

The Small Business Administration 

reported that USDA did not achieve 

its overall small business goal of 

53 percent in FY 2015.

38.9% of $2.9B

18.0% of $3.1B
Page 59 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

We provided a draft of this report to the Department of Defense, the 

Office of Federal Procurement Policy within the Office of Management 

and Budget, and the General Services Administration for their review and 

comment. The Department of Defense and the General Services 

Administration had no comment. The Office of Federal Procurement 

Policy had technical comments, which we incorporated as appropriate.

We are sending copies to appropriate congressional committees, the 

Secretary of Defense, the Administrators of OMB and GSA, and other 

interested parties. In addition, the report will be available at no charge on 

the GAO website at http://www.gao.gov.

If you or your staff have any questions concerning this report, please 

contact me at (202) 512-4841 or by e-mail at woodsw@gao.gov. Contact 

points for our Offices of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may 

be found on the last page of this report. Key contributors to this report are 

listed in appendix II.

William T. Woods

Director

Acquisition and Sourcing Management

Agency Comments
Page 60 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

List of Addressees

The Honorable Ron Johnson

Chairman

The Honorable Claire McCaskill

Ranking Member

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

United States Senate

The Honorable Jason Chaffetz

Chairman

The Honorable Elijah E. Cummings

Ranking Member

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

House of Representatives
Appendix I: Objectives, Scope and 

Methodology

Page 61 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

This report addresses defense and civilian agency trends in contracting. 

The objectives are to determine (1) the kinds of products and services 

acquired; (2) the levels of competition for products and services; (3) the 

use of various procurement methods and contract types; and (4) the 

types of vendors providing products and services. Our government-wide 

analysis includes all federal agencies reporting to the Federal 

Procurement Data System-Next Generation (FPDS-NG) and covers the 

5-year-period from fiscal years 2011 through 2015, the last year for which 

complete data were available at the time of our review.1 In addition, we 

developed snapshots of procurement activity for the three military 

departments—the Air Force, Army, and Navy—and the 10 civilian 

agencies with the highest obligations for contracts during fiscal year 2015.

To identify trends in defense and civilian agencies’ contract obligations, 

we analyzed data from the FPDS-NG archive files for fiscal years 2011 

through 2015, which is the government’s procurement database.2 Unless 

otherwise noted, all data in the report are reflected in constant fiscal year 

2015 dollars. We include specific agency data on the three military 

departments and the ten civilian agencies with the highest contract 

obligations in fiscal year 2015 in our agency snapshots.

To identify procurement trends by fiscal year, we selected data elements 

from FPDS-NG that would provide information on contracting actions, 

including contract type, amount obligated, the types of products or 

services purchased, and various vendor characteristics. We determined 

that these elements reflect data relevant to key issues and trends 

identified in prior GAO reports or that provide basic information valuable 

to understanding an agency’s procurement trends. We conducted both 

government-wide and agency-level analyses.

We assessed the reliability of FPDS-NG data by (1) performing electronic 

testing of selected data elements, and (2) reviewing existing information 

about the FPDS-NG system and the data it produces. Specifically, we 

reviewed the data dictionary, data validation rules, and the Federal 

Government Procurement Data Quality Summary Fiscal Year 2015 For 

Agency Data in the Federal Procurement Data System. We determined 

 1

The complete fiscal year 2016 data set was not available at the time of our review, in part 

because the Department of Defense delays public availability of the data for 90 days. 

2

We downloaded the archive files for fiscal years 2011 through 2015 in October 2013, 

November 2014, March 2015, and March 2016. 

Appendix I: Objectives, Scope and 

Methodology
Appendix I: Objectives, Scope and 

Methodology

Page 62 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

the FPDS-NG data were sufficiently reliable for the purposes of this 

report.

Table 3 provides additional information on the data elements we 

assessed at the government-wide and agency levels.

Table 3: Information on FPDS-NG Data Elements Assessed

Category/description Comments

What are federal agencies procuring?

Spending on Products and Services, 

fiscal years 2011 through 2015

To determine the total amount obligated for products and services, we obtained the total 

amount obligated for contracts on products and services from fiscal year 2011 through fiscal 

year 2015. Services consisted of the 23 service categories identified in FPDS-NG, as well 

as construction and research and development. Products reflected all other FPDS-NGrequired reporting categories. 

Top Products and Services in fiscal year 

2015

To determine the top products and services by obligation amount, we used FPDS-NG data 

that identified how much agencies obligated on specific products and services in fiscal year 

2015. We identified the five types of products and services with the highest obligations 

during fiscal year 2015. 

Services requiring increased 

management attention, fiscal years 

2011 through 2015

To determine the extent to which agencies procured services that require increased 

management attention, we used FPDS-NG data for specific product service codes the Office 

of Management and Budget’s Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) and GAO 

identified as services requiring increased management attention. Specifically, we selected 

19 service codes including the special interest codes from OFPP’s 2010 civilian agency 

service contract inventory guidance, codes from OFPP’s 2011 memorandum to reduce 

contract spending for management support services, and two product service codes that 

GAO recommended OFPP add to the special interest codes. 

What competition rates are federal agencies achieving?

Competition, fiscal years 2011 through 

2015

For the purposes of this report, we defined noncompetitive obligations to include obligations 

through contracts that were awarded using the exceptions to full and open competition listed 

in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 6.3 (Other than Full and Open 

Competition). We also included noncompetitive orders issued under multiple award 

indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts or under the General Service Administration’s 

schedules program. For competitive contract actions, we included contracts and orders 

coded as “full and open competition,” “full and open after exclusion of sources,” and 

“competed under simplified acquisition procedures” as well as orders coded as “subject to 

fair opportunity” and as “fair opportunity given,” and “competitive set aside.” For 

noncompetitive contract actions, we included contracts and orders coded as “not competed,”

“not available for competition,” and “not competed under simplified acquisition procedures,”

as well as orders coded as an exception to “subject to fair opportunity,” including “urgency,”

“only one source,” “minimum guarantee,” “follow-on action following competitive initial 

action,” “other statutory authority,” and “sole source.” We calculated competition rates as the 

percentage of obligations on competitive contracts and orders over all obligations on 

contracts and orders annually.

We also calculated the extent to which obligations were competitively awarded for products 

and services.
Appendix I: Objectives, Scope and 

Methodology

Page 63 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

Category/description Comments

Obligations under competed contracts 

for which agencies received one bid, 

fiscal year 2015

We used FPDS-NG data for fiscal year 2015 to identify how much agencies obligated under 

contracts that were awarded competitively and agencies received only one offer. We 

calculated this as the percentage of obligations on competitive contracts and orders for 

which agencies received only one offer over all obligations on competed contracts and 

orders in fiscal year 2015.

What procurement methods are federal agencies using?

Contract Type, fiscal years 2011 

through 2015

To determine the contract types used, we obtained FPDS-NG data to identify the total 

amounts obligated on four principal types of contracts in fiscal years 2011 through 2015. 

These types are: (1) firm fixed price contracts; (2) other fixed price contracts, which include, 

fixed-price-economic price adjustment, and fixed-price incentive; (3) cost-reimbursable, 

which include cost-plus award fee, cost-no fee, cost sharing, cost-plus fixed fee, and costplus incentive fee; and (4) labor hours/time and material contracts. 

Contract Type by competition, fiscal 

years 2011 through 2015

To determine the extent to which different contract types were awarded competitively, we 

obtained FPDS-NG data to identify the total amounts obligated on four contract types listed 

above and determined whether they were competed or not competed, as outlined in the 

competition section above.

Indefinite Delivery Vehicle (IDV) Type, 

fiscal years 2011 through 2015

To determine the type of contract vehicle used, we obtained data from FPDS-NG to identify 

the total amounts obligated on two types of definitive vehicles—definitive contracts and 

purchase orders—and five types of indefinite delivery vehicles in fiscal years 2011 through 

2015. The types of indefinite delivery vehicles are: (1) orders under the Federal Supply 

Schedule; (2) Blanket Purchase Agreements; (3) Basic Ordering Agreements; (4) 

Government-wide Acquisition Contracts; and (5) Other indefinite delivery vehicles, such as 

indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contracts. 

Commercial Item Procedures, fiscal 

year 2015

To determine the extent to which commercial item procedures were used, we obtained data 

from FPDS-NG obligations under contracts that were identified as having used FAR Part 12 

procedures to acquire commercial items. 

What types of vendors are providing products and services?

Vendor Type, fiscal years 2011 through 

2015

To determine the amount obligated to various types of vendors, we obtained FPDS-NG data 

for fiscal years 2011 through 2015 for small business and other than small business 

vendors. 

Top Vendors, fiscal year 2015 We used the FPDS-NG generated report on top 100 vendors for fiscal year 2015 to 

determine the amount obligated to the top vendors.

Top Small Business Vendors, fiscal 

year 2015

To determine the top small business vendors, we obtained FPDS-NG data on obligations for 

contracts awarded to small businesses by unique Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS) number. 

Source: GAO analysis of Federal Procurement Data System-Next Generation (FPDS-NG) data elements. | GAO-17-244SP

To determine the extent to which DOD and civilian agencies met small 

business goals, we used the Small Business Administration’s small 

business scorecard reports from fiscal years 2011 and 2015. For the 

military department snapshots, we relied on data their small business 

offices reported for fiscal year 2015.

We also reviewed GAO and agency Inspectors General reports that 

identified procurement-related issues relevant to the variables we 

reviewed, such as trends in the rate of competition or use of certain 

contract types.
Appendix I: Objectives, Scope and 

Methodology

Page 64 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

We conducted this performance audit March 2016 to March 2017 in 

accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. 

Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain 

sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our 

findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe that 

the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and 

conclusions based on our audit objectives.
Appendix II: GAO Contact and Staff 

Acknowledgments

Page 65 GAO-17-244SP Contracting Data Trends

William T. Woods, (202) 512-4841 or woodsw@gao.gov

In addition to the contact named above, Tatiana Winger (Assistant 

Director), Stephanie M. Gustafson, Julia Kennon, Caryn E. Kuebler, 

Matthew T. Lowney, Elizabeth Reed Fritts, Roxanna T. Sun, and Alyssa 

Weir made key contributions to this report.

Appendix II: GAO Contact and Staff 

Acknowledgments

GAO Contact

Staff 

Acknowledgments

(100764)
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