01 / NAICS Market Profile
NAICS 541720 Research And Development In The Social Sciences And Humanities Federal Contracts
North American Industry Classification System code 541720
Federal contract activity classified under Research And Development In The Social Sciences And Humanities across FY 2020–FY 2026. Net obligations include both new obligations and subsequent deobligations.
02 / Market Size
How large is the NAICS 541720 federal market?
03 / Spending Trend
NAICS 541720 contract spending by fiscal year
Annual obligations, activity, and participation across the same FY 2020–FY 2026 profile window.
Latest closed fiscal year$781.46M
FY 2026| Fiscal year | Obligations | Actions | Vendors | Customers | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $1.51B | 2,791 | 638 | 80 | — |
| FY 2021 | $1.10B | 2,468 | 593 | 84 | −26.9% |
| FY 2022 | $1.26B | 2,650 | 600 | 81 | +14.3% |
| FY 2023 | $1.11B | 2,290 | 564 | 86 | −11.6% |
| FY 2024 | $1.31B | 2,217 | 528 | 89 | +17.3% |
| FY 2025 | $732.29M | 2,231 | 484 | 83 | −44.0% |
| FY 2026 | $781.46M | 1,610 | 399 | 76 | +6.7% |
04 / Top Federal Customers
Which federal agencies buy most in this industry?
Ranked by net obligations during FY 2020–FY 2026.
| Federal customer | Code | Obligations | Actions | Vendors | Market share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES | 7530 | $2.53B | 2,361 | 39 | 32.5% |
| EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF | 9100 | $1.51B | 2,061 | 206 | 19.4% |
| MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY (MDA) | 97JC | $847.27M | 370 | 3 | 10.9% |
| DEPT OF THE AIR FORCE | 5700 | $435.62M | 655 | 26 | 5.6% |
| NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY | 1341 | $217.96M | 205 | 2 | 2.8% |
| FEDERAL ACQUISITION SERVICE | 4732 | $207.53M | 653 | 9 | 2.7% |
| AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY | 7528 | $196.81M | 101 | 9 | 2.5% |
| DEPT OF THE ARMY | 2100 | $170.89M | 1,745 | 128 | 2.2% |
| OFFICE OF PROCUREMENT OPERATIONS | 7001 | $156.15M | 640 | 33 | 2.0% |
| CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION | 7523 | $142.14M | 382 | 92 | 1.8% |
05 / Contracting Offices
Which contracting offices buy in NAICS 541720?
Ranked by net obligations during FY 2020–FY 2026.
| Office | Code | Agency | Obligations | Actions | Vendors | Market share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OFC OF ACQUISITION AND GRANTS MGMT | 75FCMC | CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES | $2.53B | 2,355 | 39 | 32.5% |
| CONTRACTS AND ACQUISTIONS MANAGEMEN | 919900 | EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF | $1.51B | 2,054 | 204 | 19.4% |
| MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY (MDA) | HQ0853 | MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY (MDA) | $847.26M | 367 | 1 | 10.9% |
| FA7014 AFDW PK | FA7014 | DEPT OF THE AIR FORCE | $358.73M | 496 | 8 | 4.6% |
| DEPT OF COMMERCE NIST | 1333ND | NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY | $217.96M | 205 | 2 | 2.8% |
| GSA FAS AAS REGION 9 | 47QFPA | FEDERAL ACQUISITION SERVICE | $206.75M | 643 | 5 | 2.6% |
| AHRQ/HEALTHCARE RESEARCH QUALITY | 75Q801 | AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY | $196.81M | 101 | 9 | 2.5% |
| CDC OFFICE OF ACQUISITION SERVICES | 75D301 | CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION | $142.14M | 382 | 92 | 1.8% |
| WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES | HQ0034 | WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES (WHS) | $139.27M | 819 | 80 | 1.8% |
| FDA OFFICE OF ACQ GRANT SVCS | 75F401 | FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION | $113.64M | 196 | 45 | 1.5% |
06 / Top Vendors
Which contractors lead the NAICS 541720 market?
| Vendor | Obligations | Actions | Customers | Market share | Latest activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION | $847.26M | 367 | 1 | 10.9% | Feb 9, 2026 |
| RAND CORPORATION, THE | $719.57M | 1,521 | 14 | 9.2% | Sep 30, 2026 |
| MATHEMATICA INC. | $543.00M | 445 | 5 | 7.0% | Sep 30, 2026 |
| RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTE | $522.47M | 404 | 8 | 6.7% | Sep 24, 2026 |
| WESTAT, INC. | $508.63M | 243 | 10 | 6.5% | Sep 29, 2026 |
| NATIONAL OPINION RESEARCH CENTER | $426.11M | 345 | 15 | 5.5% | Sep 30, 2026 |
| AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH IN THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES | $350.75M | 307 | 2 | 4.5% | Sep 10, 2026 |
| EDUCATIONAL TESTING SERVICE | $306.26M | 139 | 1 | 3.9% | Sep 28, 2026 |
| LEWIN GROUP, INC., THE | $298.26M | 293 | 1 | 3.8% | Sep 2, 2026 |
| MATHEMATICA POLICY RESEARCH, INC. | $293.80M | 233 | 4 | 3.8% | Sep 22, 2026 |
07 / Product and Service Mix
What products and services are purchased under NAICS 541720?
| PSC | Description | Obligations | Actions | Vendors | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R499 | SUPPORT- PROFESSIONAL: OTHER | $2.22B | 2,765 | 268 | 28.5% |
| AN42 | HEALTH R&D SERVICES; HEALTH CARE - OTHER; APPLIED RESEARCH | $1.10B | 930 | 36 | 14.1% |
| B506 | SPECIAL STUDIES/ANALYSIS- DATA (OTHER THAN SCIENTIFIC) | $492.18M | 622 | 63 | 6.3% |
| K014 | MODIFICATION OF EQUIPMENT- GUIDED MISSILES | $430.62M | 87 | 1 | 5.5% |
| B599 | SPECIAL STUDIES/ANALYSIS- OTHER | $405.64M | 835 | 57 | 5.2% |
| AC24 | NATIONAL DEFENSE R&D SERVICES; ATOMIC ENERGY DEFENSE ACTIVITIES; R&D ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES | $403.27M | 225 | 2 | 5.2% |
| B550 | SPECIAL STUDIES/ANALYSIS- ORGANIZATION/ADMINISTRATIVE/PERSONNEL | $342.09M | 874 | 5 | 4.4% |
| AF11 | EDUCATION, TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT, & SOCIAL SVCS R&D SVCS; EDUCATION SVCS R&D; BASIC RESEARCH | $236.77M | 755 | 207 | 3.0% |
| AN41 | HEALTH R&D SERVICES; HEALTH CARE - OTHER; BASIC RESEARCH | $197.21M | 142 | 29 | 2.5% |
| B542 | SPECIAL STUDIES/ANALYSIS- EDUCATIONAL | $164.06M | 238 | 25 | 2.1% |
08 / Buying Pattern
How does the government buy in NAICS 541720?
| Common action type | Obligations | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| DELIVERY ORDER | $5.41B | 8,831 |
| DEFINITIVE CONTRACT | $2.24B | 4,608 |
| PURCHASE ORDER | $118.18M | 2,471 |
| BPA CALL | $36.12M | 347 |
09 / Recent Contract Awards
What was awarded most recently in NAICS 541720?
10 / Market Interpretation
How should contractors evaluate this market?
Start with the spending direction
Compare annual obligations with actions and vendor participation. Growth driven by only a few large actions represents a different opportunity from broad, recurring demand.
Follow the actual buyers
Move from federal customers to contracting offices. Offices reveal where acquisition responsibility and recurring purchasing activity are concentrated.
Measure accessible demand
Use competition, small-business participation, incumbent vendors, and PSC mix before treating the full $7.80B market as addressable.