Spending Trends

Quarterly Federal Contract Spending Trends

Quarterly Federal Contract Spending Trends shows how federal contract spending changes across the visible time series in FPDS-derived procurement data.

The latest visible point is 2026 at 68.09.

Federal Contract Spending Spending Trends Spending Series Series

Updated 03/20/2026

Latest Period
2026
68.09
Visible Change
68.09
Peak Period
2025
291.19
Trend Direction
Up
Unknown

Analysis

The latest visible point is 2026 at 68.09.

Why it matters: Use this page to evaluate how federal contract spending levels shift over time and identify inflection points.

Methodology: The query returns a structured time series, detects a period column and a primary numeric metric, and computes visible-series statistics such as latest value, peak, low, and overall change.

Commentary

Quarterly Federal Contract Spending Trends tracks federal contract spending over time in FPDS-derived data.

Key takeaway: The latest visible point is 2026 at 68.09.

Analyst note: This page is best used for directional review, turning points, and quick comparison against related time windows or scopes.

Trend Chart

This chart plots Federal Contract Spending over the visible time series returned by the query.

Query Used

-- Quarterly Federal Contract Spending Trends
SELECT
    fiscal_year,
    fiscal_quarter,
    concat('FY', toString(fiscal_year), '-Q', toString(fiscal_quarter)) AS fiscal_period,
    round(sum(obligated_amount) / 1000000000, 2) AS spending_billion_usd,
    count() AS award_count,
    round(sum(obligated_amount) / count(), 0) AS avg_award_size
FROM
(
    SELECT
        if(
            toUInt8(substring(content__award__relevantContractDates__signedDate, 6, 2)) >= 10,
            toUInt16(substring(content__award__relevantContractDates__signedDate, 1, 4)) + 1,
            toUInt16(substring(content__award__relevantContractDates__signedDate, 1, 4))
        ) AS fiscal_year,
        multiIf(
            toUInt8(substring(content__award__relevantContractDates__signedDate, 6, 2)) IN (10, 11, 12), 1,
            toUInt8(substring(content__award__relevantContractDates__signedDate, 6, 2)) IN (1, 2, 3), 2,
            toUInt8(substring(content__award__relevantContractDates__signedDate, 6, 2)) IN (4, 5, 6), 3,
            4
        ) AS fiscal_quarter,
        content__award__dollarValues__obligatedAmount AS obligated_amount
    FROM fpds.data
    WHERE
        contract_type = 1
        AND content__award__relevantContractDates__signedDate != ''
)
WHERE fiscal_year < toYear(today()) + 1
GROUP BY
    fiscal_year,
    fiscal_quarter
ORDER BY
    fiscal_year ASC,
    fiscal_quarter ASC

Trend Table

This table shows the structured time series returned by the query.

Fiscal Year Fiscal Quarter Fiscal Period Spending Billion Usd Award Count Avg Award Size
1962 3 FY1962-Q3 0.00 1 5696246
1965 3 FY1965-Q3 0.00 1 77000
1967 2 FY1967-Q2 0.00 1 15397
1967 4 FY1967-Q4 0.00 1 57565
1970 3 FY1970-Q3 0.00 1 12164
1972 1 FY1972-Q1 0.00 1 333682
1973 4 FY1973-Q4 0.00 1 91809
1974 1 FY1974-Q1 0.04 1 45520000
1974 2 FY1974-Q2 0.00 1 2037300
1975 3 FY1975-Q3 0.00 1 88000
1976 1 FY1976-Q1 0.00 2 800
1976 2 FY1976-Q2 2.25 35 64493228
1976 3 FY1976-Q3 0.00 1 9920888
1976 4 FY1976-Q4 0.00 8 80375
1977 1 FY1977-Q1 0.32 1 323038581
1977 2 FY1977-Q2 0.00 1 80000
1977 3 FY1977-Q3 0.00 3 416667
1977 4 FY1977-Q4 0.00 3 2483706
1978 1 FY1978-Q1 0.00 1 450000
1978 2 FY1978-Q2 0.03 7 5345279
1978 3 FY1978-Q3 0.00 12 333455
1978 4 FY1978-Q4 12.35 24 514892136
1979 1 FY1979-Q1 31.94 86803 368062
1979 2 FY1979-Q2 16.62 83555 198975
1979 3 FY1979-Q3 15.20 88113 172592
1979 4 FY1979-Q4 22.84 112904 202347
1980 1 FY1980-Q1 30.38 115754 262454
1980 2 FY1980-Q2 23.73 115929 204733
1980 3 FY1980-Q3 22.59 121336 186183
1980 4 FY1980-Q4 26.57 153857 172713
1981 1 FY1981-Q1 36.92 107433 343723
1981 2 FY1981-Q2 29.48 106814 276056
1981 3 FY1981-Q3 24.35 114698 212363
1981 4 FY1981-Q4 32.44 145518 222944
1982 1 FY1982-Q1 38.39 123557 310756
1982 2 FY1982-Q2 33.79 122178 276570
1982 3 FY1982-Q3 29.58 128456 230309
1982 4 FY1982-Q4 37.02 160053 231330
1983 1 FY1983-Q1 41.53 85926 483328
1983 2 FY1983-Q2 33.37 85150 391912
1983 3 FY1983-Q3 30.51 89893 339437
1983 4 FY1983-Q4 34.58 122184 283094
1984 1 FY1984-Q1 49.42 88056 561247
1984 2 FY1984-Q2 40.17 86447 464756
1984 3 FY1984-Q3 27.94 90547 308583
1984 4 FY1984-Q4 38.57 127050 303635
1985 1 FY1985-Q1 65.25 95132 685988
1985 2 FY1985-Q2 36.05 89414 403236
1985 3 FY1985-Q3 34.03 93305 364770
1985 4 FY1985-Q4 43.19 131015 329693
1986 1 FY1986-Q1 52.89 98718 535847
1986 2 FY1986-Q2 43.49 91404 475885
1986 3 FY1986-Q3 32.52 90588 359065
1986 4 FY1986-Q4 43.63 120520 362095
1987 1 FY1987-Q1 45.77 85186 537380
1987 2 FY1987-Q2 38.60 92173 418848
1987 3 FY1987-Q3 34.54 101710 339687
1987 4 FY1987-Q4 52.41 128762 407060
1988 1 FY1988-Q1 42.48 88800 478467
1988 2 FY1988-Q2 54.21 85961 630644
1988 3 FY1988-Q3 38.33 87620 437514
1988 4 FY1988-Q4 41.57 125108 332304
1989 1 FY1989-Q1 46.93 71869 653014
1989 2 FY1989-Q2 38.46 74443 516668
1989 3 FY1989-Q3 25.27 74427 339628
1989 4 FY1989-Q4 36.62 100805 363338
1990 1 FY1990-Q1 45.11 82486 546975
1990 2 FY1990-Q2 40.43 83037 486993
1990 3 FY1990-Q3 26.55 80596 329535
1990 4 FY1990-Q4 40.38 119351 338383
1991 1 FY1991-Q1 50.89 88070 577922
1991 2 FY1991-Q2 42.31 95554 442823
1991 3 FY1991-Q3 28.82 87626 328933
1991 4 FY1991-Q4 48.85 143776 339816
1992 1 FY1992-Q1 48.41 93842 515924
1992 2 FY1992-Q2 36.53 98973 369092
1992 3 FY1992-Q3 30.99 100472 308511
1992 4 FY1992-Q4 41.34 190330 217250
1993 1 FY1993-Q1 33.96 60582 560725
1993 2 FY1993-Q2 37.55 98341 381936
1993 3 FY1993-Q3 30.25 101743 297407
1993 4 FY1993-Q4 42.24 153210 275712
1994 1 FY1994-Q1 59.95 93715 639800
1994 2 FY1994-Q2 34.91 95579 365256
1994 3 FY1994-Q3 32.04 102083 313884
1994 4 FY1994-Q4 44.76 146494 305554
1995 1 FY1995-Q1 58.87 112911 521446
1995 2 FY1995-Q2 37.17 109161 340533
1995 3 FY1995-Q3 32.21 117211 274873
1995 4 FY1995-Q4 48.46 183181 264596
1996 1 FY1996-Q1 48.90 114913 425554
1996 2 FY1996-Q2 44.61 132654 336311
1996 3 FY1996-Q3 39.71 137468 288872
1996 4 FY1996-Q4 60.51 201688 300064
1997 1 FY1997-Q1 60.96 105993 575174
1997 2 FY1997-Q2 37.34 113484 329109
1997 3 FY1997-Q3 36.49 111194 328178
1997 4 FY1997-Q4 41.82 165087 253361
1998 1 FY1998-Q1 66.71 111179 600101
1998 2 FY1998-Q2 39.28 108323 362641
1998 3 FY1998-Q3 36.45 113221 321995
1998 4 FY1998-Q4 43.20 167678 257696
1999 1 FY1999-Q1 64.73 110909 583641
1999 2 FY1999-Q2 41.63 111864 372169
1999 3 FY1999-Q3 34.96 120426 290314
1999 4 FY1999-Q4 47.92 174386 274809
2000 1 FY2000-Q1 66.80 119167 560565
2000 2 FY2000-Q2 46.43 132919 349321
2000 3 FY2000-Q3 41.73 126985 328674
2000 4 FY2000-Q4 52.12 189709 274765
2001 1 FY2001-Q1 69.42 125761 552030
2001 2 FY2001-Q2 54.88 142292 385694
2001 3 FY2001-Q3 44.05 140555 313417
2001 4 FY2001-Q4 54.94 207302 265035
2002 1 FY2002-Q1 61.83 164456 376019
2002 2 FY2002-Q2 80.20 175376 457318
2002 3 FY2002-Q3 49.57 182093 272244
2002 4 FY2002-Q4 72.70 273358 265957
2003 1 FY2003-Q1 81.69 217965 374825
2003 2 FY2003-Q2 82.51 262501 314334
2003 3 FY2003-Q3 65.36 263998 247609
2003 4 FY2003-Q4 95.11 390573 243515
2004 1 FY2004-Q1 102.10 499879 204256
2004 2 FY2004-Q2 86.31 412011 209504
2004 3 FY2004-Q3 66.52 417459 159349
2004 4 FY2004-Q4 81.07 584796 138644
2005 1 FY2005-Q1 110.17 629403 175052
2005 2 FY2005-Q2 100.67 674355 149286
2005 3 FY2005-Q3 73.97 662519 111655
2005 4 FY2005-Q4 103.86 885496 117294
2006 1 FY2006-Q1 99.54 623631 159616
2006 2 FY2006-Q2 123.75 675314 183261
2006 3 FY2006-Q3 80.11 1114474 71885
2006 4 FY2006-Q4 124.24 1312771 94642
2007 1 FY2007-Q1 124.58 777113 160323
2007 2 FY2007-Q2 108.37 941299 115135
2007 3 FY2007-Q3 93.40 1007905 92677
2007 4 FY2007-Q4 139.97 1285043 108923
2008 1 FY2008-Q1 118.78 908357 130773
2008 2 FY2008-Q2 137.92 1052201 131081
2008 3 FY2008-Q3 99.37 1079012 92100
2008 4 FY2008-Q4 181.93 1357954 133977
2009 1 FY2009-Q1 141.73 671981 210928
2009 2 FY2009-Q2 102.87 758518 135630
2009 3 FY2009-Q3 119.64 820701 145778
2009 4 FY2009-Q4 172.04 1100069 156397
2010 1 FY2010-Q1 120.41 684727 175859
2010 2 FY2010-Q2 134.73 792366 170042
2010 3 FY2010-Q3 112.70 817418 137883
2010 4 FY2010-Q4 167.73 1081539 155089
2011 1 FY2011-Q1 115.05 670734 171537
2011 2 FY2011-Q2 111.31 752388 147953
2011 3 FY2011-Q3 129.71 757363 171268
2011 4 FY2011-Q4 178.47 1051041 169805
2012 1 FY2012-Q1 100.81 609702 165352
2012 2 FY2012-Q2 139.13 704232 197563
2012 3 FY2012-Q3 114.43 760123 150542
2012 4 FY2012-Q4 161.47 878250 183857
2013 1 FY2013-Q1 122.67 482935 254028
2013 2 FY2013-Q2 72.77 524591 138725
2013 3 FY2013-Q3 108.09 558333 193603
2013 4 FY2013-Q4 155.88 753537 206869
2014 1 FY2014-Q1 86.57 452151 191480
2014 2 FY2014-Q2 106.02 510903 207515
2014 3 FY2014-Q3 105.96 577953 183351
2014 4 FY2014-Q4 142.73 792954 179999
2015 1 FY2015-Q1 94.76 984932 96212
2015 2 FY2015-Q2 112.43 959050 117239
2015 3 FY2015-Q3 90.41 1012509 89302
2015 4 FY2015-Q4 134.51 1225831 109733
2016 1 FY2016-Q1 91.02 943366 96493
2016 2 FY2016-Q2 127.76 1135087 112564
2016 3 FY2016-Q3 98.49 1177108 83672
2016 4 FY2016-Q4 147.26 1369047 107571
2017 1 FY2017-Q1 105.42 974891 108138
2017 2 FY2017-Q2 110.12 1142337 96401
2017 3 FY2017-Q3 115.56 1231821 93818
2017 4 FY2017-Q4 171.51 1367200 125449
2018 1 FY2018-Q1 106.71 1189066 89750
2018 2 FY2018-Q2 113.90 1386969 82127
2018 3 FY2018-Q3 141.38 1354687 104365
2018 4 FY2018-Q4 184.75 1477244 125069
2019 1 FY2019-Q1 148.85 1439596 103399
2019 2 FY2019-Q2 129.82 1646221 78865
2019 3 FY2019-Q3 123.59 1490932 82896
2019 4 FY2019-Q4 177.51 1720602 103170
2020 1 FY2020-Q1 136.44 1295081 105358
2020 2 FY2020-Q2 174.79 1634780 106920
2020 3 FY2020-Q3 157.69 1444243 109191
2020 4 FY2020-Q4 189.90 1676009 113306
2021 1 FY2021-Q1 121.17 1321133 91720
2021 2 FY2021-Q2 180.92 1596443 113332
2021 3 FY2021-Q3 128.17 1544505 82988
2021 4 FY2021-Q4 204.36 1725242 118457
2022 1 FY2022-Q1 133.29 1329945 100228
2022 2 FY2022-Q2 135.17 1633849 82732
2022 3 FY2022-Q3 176.71 1611741 109645
2022 4 FY2022-Q4 236.72 1850857 127902
2023 1 FY2023-Q1 138.38 1351337 102405
2023 2 FY2023-Q2 196.33 1692517 116002
2023 3 FY2023-Q3 169.38 1582689 107024
2023 4 FY2023-Q4 243.88 1832525 133089
2024 1 FY2024-Q1 144.28 1422328 101445
2024 2 FY2024-Q2 135.88 1623439 83702
2024 3 FY2024-Q3 197.44 1564761 126183
2024 4 FY2024-Q4 264.42 1829549 144529
2025 1 FY2025-Q1 156.89 1378865 113787
2025 2 FY2025-Q2 153.81 1585817 96997
2025 3 FY2025-Q3 178.24 1570182 113517
2025 4 FY2025-Q4 291.19 1798700 161892
2026 1 FY2026-Q1 130.75 1116237 117137
2026 2 FY2026-Q2 68.09 387198 175868

How This Trend Is Built

Measure how a selected procurement metric changes across time.

Query structure

  • The query selects a time dimension used as the x-axis for the trend.
  • It calculates or returns a numeric metric for each visible period.
  • The result is interpreted as a chronological series for trend analysis.
  • The metric focuses on obligated dollars or a directly related spending aggregate.

Included fields

  • fiscal_year — Defines the chronological unit used for the trend series.
  • spending_billion_usd — Defines the main value plotted and analyzed over time.
  • fiscal_quarter — Provides additional numeric context that can support interpretation.
  • award_count — Provides additional numeric context that can support interpretation.
  • avg_award_size — Provides additional numeric context that can support interpretation.

How to use this trend

  • trend direction analysis
  • time-series review
  • federal procurement timing analysis
  • spending trajectory review
  • budget pattern review

Computed Metrics

Series Points
212
First Visible Point
1962
Mean
77.81
Median
56.91
Max
291.19
2025
Min
0.00
1962
Volatility
58.39
58.39
Rows Returned
212

Series Extremes

Largest Increase
112.95
2025 → 2025 · 63.37%
Largest Decrease
-160.44
2025 → 2026 · -55.10%

Related Pages

Method Notes

  • Trend interpretation is based on the returned query result set ordered by the detected period column.
  • Change metrics compare the first visible point and the latest visible point in the series.
  • Volatility is based on the standard deviation of the visible numeric series.

Use FPDS Query for deeper trend analysis

Go beyond the published time series with custom SQL, broader filters, saved queries, and deeper procurement analysis across agencies, vendors, industries, states, contract structures, and competitive segments.

Continue from this trend page into full FPDS Query workflows with deeper filtering, custom SQL, saved queries, and broader market comparison.