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What the federal government buys

MEDICAL- MANAGED HEALTHCARE accounted for more federal contract obligations than anything else the government bought in FY2026, $34.4 billion.

American Factbook Research

The 100 products and services with the most obligations · FY2026

The 100 products and services with the most obligations, FY2026
RankNameUSD
1MEDICAL- MANAGED HEALTHCARE$34,449,466,379
2AIRCRAFT, FIXED WING$23,852,451,106
3CONSTRUCTION OF OTHER NON-BUILDING FACILITIES$23,321,574,009
4SUPPORT- PROFESSIONAL: OTHER$23,096,752,636
5COMBAT SHIPS AND LANDING VESSELS$22,856,584,805
6SUPPORT- PROFESSIONAL: ENGINEERING/TECHNICAL$22,483,777,655
7DRUGS AND BIOLOGICALS$19,425,117,595
8GUIDED MISSILES$18,961,898,255
9OPERATION OF MISCELLANEOUS BUILDINGS$18,953,827,818
10IT AND TELECOM - BUSINESS APPLICATION/APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT SERVICES (LABOR)$18,532,975,624
11SOCIAL- GOVERNMENT HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAMS$10,836,259,893
12OPER OF GOVT R&D GOCO FACILITIES$10,209,803,717
13SUPPORT- PROFESSIONAL: PROGRAM MANAGEMENT/SUPPORT$8,368,331,982
14IT AND TELECOM - BUSINESS APPLICATION/APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE$8,364,505,487
15NATIONAL DEFENSE R&D SERVICES; DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE - MILITARY; EXPERIMENTAL DEVELOPMENT$7,740,926,960
16MEDICAL- EVALUATION/SCREENING$7,668,087,746
17SPECIAL SERVICE VESSELS$7,041,611,706
18MISCELLANEOUS AIRCRAFT ACCESSORIES AND COMPONENTS$6,748,314,139
19HOUSEKEEPING- GUARD$6,508,834,286
20LIQUID PROPELLANTS AND FUELS, PETROLEUM BASE$6,476,712,424
21SUPPORT- MANAGEMENT: LOGISTICS SUPPORT$6,453,755,114
22IT AND TELECOM - BUSINESS APPLICATION SOFTWARE (PERPETUAL LICENSE SOFTWARE)$6,299,879,118
23CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAYS, ROADS, STREETS, BRIDGES, AND RAILWAYS$5,853,473,107
24MAINT/REPAIR/REBUILD OF EQUIPMENT- AIRCRAFT AND AIRFRAME STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS$5,639,928,614
25AIRCRAFT, ROTARY WING$5,587,827,175
26MARINE LIFESAVING AND DIVING EQUIPMENT$5,544,474,118
27NATIONAL DEFENSE R&D SERVICES; DEFENSE-RELATED ACTIVITIES; APPLIED RESEARCH$4,897,107,784
28RADAR EQUIPMENT, EXCEPT AIRBORNE$4,643,716,536
29GUIDED MISSILE SYSTEMS, COMPLETE$4,337,192,890
30CONSTRUCTION OF MISCELLANEOUS BUILDINGS$4,137,574,997
31OPERATION OF GOVERNMENT-OWNED CONTRACTOR-OPERATED (GOCO) R&D FACILITIES$4,026,477,078
32NATIONAL DEFENSE R&D SERVICES; ATOMIC ENERGY DEFENSE ACTIVITIES; R&D ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES$3,897,259,037
33IT AND TELECOM - IT MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SERVICES (LABOR)$3,689,285,654
34R&D- OTHER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (BASIC RESEARCH)$3,662,273,593
35GAS TURBINES AND JET ENGINES, AIRCRAFT, PRIME MOVING; AND COMPONENTS$3,648,582,833
36MEDICAL AND SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES$3,576,127,776
37OPER OF GOVT OTHER INDUSTRIAL BLDG$3,396,516,491
38GUIDED MISSILE COMPONENTS$3,216,943,092
39CONSTRUCTION OF CANALS$3,089,075,134
40AIRFRAME STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS$3,058,370,707
41NATIONAL DEFENSE R&D SERVICES; DEFENSE-RELATED ACTIVITIES; EXPERIMENTAL DEVELOPMENT$3,052,621,181
42PASSENGER MOTOR VEHICLES$3,027,347,235
43MISCELLANEOUS CHEMICAL SPECIALTIES$3,000,760,740
44SUPPORT- MANAGEMENT: OTHER$2,841,726,137
45MAINT/REPAIR/REBUILD OF EQUIPMENT- AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS AND ACCESSORIES$2,837,257,038
46HARDWARE, WEAPON SYSTEM$2,746,403,273
47CARGO AND TANKER VESSELS$2,689,982,422
48NATIONAL DEFENSE R&D SERVICES; DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE - MILITARY; APPLIED RESEARCH$2,676,562,378
49MAINT/REPAIR/REBUILD OF EQUIPMENT- ENGINES, TURBINES, AND COMPONENTS$2,618,667,176
50IT AND TELECOM - NETWORK SUPPORT SERVICES (LABOR)$2,413,943,492
51NUCLEAR REACTORS$2,366,327,398
52ELECTRONIC COUNTERMEASURES, COUNTER-COUNTERMEASURES AND QUICK REACTION CAPABILITY EQUIPMENT$2,362,804,284
53OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES$2,362,171,137
54MEAT, POULTRY, AND FISH$2,179,198,233
55BOMBS$2,160,551,745
56HOUSEKEEPING- FACILITIES OPERATIONS SUPPORT$2,146,286,817
57LAUNCHERS, GUIDED MISSILE$2,122,128,179
58IT and Telecom - Network: Satellite Communications and Telecom Access Services$2,103,247,434
59SPACE VEHICLES$2,102,630,387
60TRANSPORTATION/TRAVEL/RELOCATION- TRANSPORTATION: SPACE TRANSPORTATION/LAUNCH$2,101,927,022
61NATURAL RESOURCES/CONSERVATION- FOREST-RANGE FIRE SUPPRESSION/PRESUPPRESSION$2,020,907,042
62PRECIOUS METALS PRIMARY FORMS$1,996,492,489
63MEDICAL- OTHER$1,990,394,680
64REPAIR OR ALTERATION OF DAMS$1,869,898,840
65NATIONAL DEFENSE R&D SERVICES; DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE - MILITARY; BASIC RESEARCH$1,865,087,309
66UNMANNED AIRCRAFT$1,857,583,394
67NON-NUCLEAR SHIP REPAIR (WEST)$1,840,413,982
68NON-NUCLEAR SHIP REPAIR (EAST)$1,838,687,706
69SPACE R&D SERVICES; SPACE FLIGHT, RESEARCH AND SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES; BASIC RESEARCH$1,809,238,010
70FUEL OILS$1,789,860,319
71SUPPORT- MANAGEMENT: FINANCIAL$1,779,280,120
72SUPPORT- ADMINISTRATIVE: OTHER$1,745,825,557
73ARCHITECT AND ENGINEERING- GENERAL: OTHER$1,744,144,340
74MAINT/REPAIR/REBUILD OF EQUIPMENT- GUIDED MISSILES$1,712,187,976
75FRUITS AND VEGETABLES$1,649,132,227
76IT AND TELECOM - APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE (PERPETUAL LICENSE SOFTWARE)$1,581,425,995
77IT AND TELECOM - SERVICE DELIVERY SUPPORT SERVICES: ITSM, OPERATIONS CENTER, PROJECT/PM (LABOR)$1,563,756,841
78EDUCATION/TRAINING- VOCATIONAL/TECHNICAL$1,534,251,325
79TRANSPORTATION/TRAVEL/RELOCATION- TRANSPORTATION: MARINE CHARTER$1,509,680,195
80COMBAT, ASSAULT, AND TACTICAL VEHICLES, TRACKED$1,506,174,683
81TRANSPORTATION/TRAVEL/RELOCATION- TRAVEL/LODGING/RECRUITMENT: AIR PASSENGER$1,463,568,743
82REPAIR OR ALTERATION OF MISCELLANEOUS BUILDINGS$1,460,979,555
83SPACE R&D SERVICES; SPACE FLIGHT, RESEARCH AND SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES; APPLIED RESEARCH$1,440,558,748
84FIRE CONTROL DESIGNATING AND INDICATING EQUIPMENT$1,434,757,930
85HOUSEKEEPING- CUSTODIAL JANITORIAL$1,395,269,711
86CONSTRUCTION OF OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE FACILITIES AND SERVICE BUILDINGS$1,377,718,614
87OPERATION TRAINING DEVICES$1,349,964,868
88IT AND TELECOM - IT MANAGEMENT TOOLS/PRODUCTS (HARDWARE AND PERPETUAL LICENSE SOFTWARE)$1,347,638,588
89CONSTRUCTION OF LABORATORIES AND CLINICS$1,324,155,347
90COMBAT, ASSAULT, AND TACTICAL VEHICLES, WHEELED$1,317,185,916
91REPAIR OR ALTERATION OF OFFICE BUILDINGS$1,226,541,611
92IT AND TELECOM - NETWORK AS A SERVICE$1,209,063,906
93IT and Telecom - End User: Help Desk;Tier 1-2,Workspace,Print,Output,Productivity Tools (HW/Perp SW)$1,198,322,363
94IT and Telecom - End User: Help Desk; Tier 1-2, Workspace, Print, Output, Productivity Tools (Labor)$1,192,948,786
95IT AND TELECOM - NETWORK: DIGITAL NETWORK PRODUCTS (HARDWARE AND PERPETUAL LICENSE SOFTWARE)$1,176,102,377
96UTILITIES- ELECTRIC$1,174,577,023
97COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY EQUIPMENT AND COMPONENTS$1,161,155,154
98R&D- SPACE: SCIENCE/APPLICATIONS (APPLIED RESEARCH/EXPLORATORY DEVELOPMENT)$1,128,083,197
99TRANSPORTATION/TRAVEL/RELOCATION- TRANSPORTATION: OTHER$1,103,036,682
100FIRE CONTROL SYSTEMS, COMPLETE$1,098,238,058

What this data cannot show

  • The fiscal year is not over. These are obligations recorded so far, and a figure here is not comparable with a full year.
  • An obligation is a binding commitment to pay, not money paid. Outlays are reported separately and the two are never equal in the same year.
  • Contracts only. A Product and Service Code describes a purchase, and a grant, a loan or a direct payment is not a purchase, so these figures do not add to the hub’s headline total.
  • A code is assigned by the buying agency. Broad codes such as research and development or professional services cover work that differs greatly between contracts, and the code alone does not say what was delivered.
  • This ranks what was bought. Who sold it is the industry ranking, and the two answer different questions about the same contracts.

Sources

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