Spending Trends

Small Business Share of Federal Spending Over Time

Small Business Share of Federal Spending Over Time shows how federal contract spending changes across the visible time series in FPDS-derived procurement data.

The latest visible point is 2025 at 780.15.

Federal Contract Spending Spending Trends Spending Series Series

Updated 03/20/2026

Latest Period
2025
780.15
Visible Change
780.15
Peak Period
2025
780.15
Trend Direction
Up
Unknown

Analysis

The latest visible point is 2025 at 780.15.

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

Small Business Share of Federal Spending Over Time tracks federal contract spending over time in FPDS-derived data.

Key takeaway: The latest visible point is 2025 at 780.15.

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

-- Small Business Share of Federal Spending Over Time
SELECT
    fiscal_year,
    round(total_spending / 1000000000, 2) AS total_spending_billion_usd,
    round(small_business_spending / 1000000000, 2) AS small_business_spending_billion_usd,
    round(
        if(total_spending = 0, NULL, small_business_spending / total_spending * 100),
        2
    ) AS small_business_share_pct
FROM
(
    SELECT
        fiscal_year,
        sum(obligated_amount) AS total_spending,
        sumIf(obligated_amount, is_small_business = 1) AS small_business_spending
    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,
            content__award__dollarValues__obligatedAmount AS obligated_amount,
            content__award__vendor__vendorSiteDetails__vendorSocioEconomicIndicators__isSmallBusiness AS is_small_business
        FROM fpds.data
        WHERE
            contract_type = 1
            AND content__award__relevantContractDates__signedDate != ''
    )
    WHERE fiscal_year < toYear(today())
    GROUP BY fiscal_year
)
ORDER BY fiscal_year ASC

Trend Table

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

Fiscal Year Total Spending Billion Usd Small Business Spending Billion Usd Small Business Share Pct
1962 0.00
1965 0.00
1967 0.00
1970 0.00
1972 0.00
1973 0.00
1974 0.04
1975 0.00
1976 2.26
1977 0.33
1978 12.39 0.01 0
1979 86.62 13.25 15
1980 103.27 15.09 14
1981 123.21 19.51 15
1982 138.79 22.46 16
1983 140.00 21.13 15
1984 156.11 23.78 15
1985 178.54 25.29 14
1986 172.56 26.37 15
1987 171.34 26.32 15
1988 176.60 25.34 14
1989 147.29 23.41 15
1990 152.50 25.64 16
1991 170.89 28.28 16
1992 157.29 27.13 17
1993 144.03 25.58 17
1994 171.67 27.65 16
1995 176.73 31.93 18
1996 193.74 32.66 16
1997 176.63 31.4 17
1998 185.66 33.11 17
1999 189.24 34.04 17
2000 207.09 36.62 17
2001 223.29 39.43 17
2002 264.31 48.31 18
2003 324.69 54.39 16
2004 336.02 56.72 16
2005 388.68 64.12 16
2006 427.65 70.87 16
2007 466.34 50.54 10
2008 538.02 48.38 8
2009 536.30 15.68 2
2010 535.59 16.28 3
2011 534.55 15.08 2
2012 515.84 15.96 3
2013 459.43 10.74 2
2014 441.29 11.48 2
2015 432.13 12.16 2
2016 464.55 14.47 3
2017 502.62 16.41 3
2018 546.76 18.6 3
2019 579.78 21.06 3
2020 658.83 22.95 3
2021 634.64 22.5 3
2022 681.91 24.82 3
2023 747.99 27.81 3
2024 742.04 29.56 3
2025 780.15 30.35 3

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.
  • total_spending_billion_usd — Defines the main value plotted and analyzed over time.
  • small_business_spending_billion_usd — Provides additional numeric context that can support interpretation.
  • small_business_share_pct — 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
58
First Visible Point
1962
Mean
281.00
Median
182.10
Max
780.15
2025
Min
0.00
1962
Volatility
228.31
228.31
Rows Returned
58

Series Extremes

Largest Increase
79.05
2019 → 2020 · 13.63%
Largest Decrease
-56.41
2012 → 2013 · -10.94%

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.