USDA

Department of Agriculture

Manages agricultural programs, rural development, and natural resources. Buyer of IT, engineering, environmental services.

FY2026 Budget

$200B+

farm programs, nutrition, rural services

OSDBU Contact

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization - OSDBU@usda.gov

2026 Trend

Climate-smart agriculture, rural broadband expansion, agricultural innovation programs, supply chain resilience for food security

Market Intelligence

Real-time spending data via USAspending.gov

Annual Spend (FY2025)

Total obligated amount for contract awards in the current fiscal year.

$0

Obligated to date

Budget UtilizationNaN%

Top Contract Awardees

$9.5B
$8.9B
$7.3B
$5.2B
$5.1B

WinBidIQ Insight: Department of Agriculture is showing high competition among the top 5 vendors. Small businesses should focus on subcontracting opportunities with these leaders or targeting niche set-asides where these giants are restricted.

How to Win Contracts from Department of Agriculture

As a major federal contracting entity, Department of Agriculture (USDA) commands a FY2026 budget of $200B+. Recent market intelligence indicates a highly active procurement cycle, with obligated spend distributed among 5 primary vendors.With a strategic focus on rural set-asides and disadvantaged farmer prioritization and conservation and environmental compliance increasingly important, this agency presents targeted opportunities for contractors operating within critical NAICS codes like 541320 and 541611.

For emerging contractors, the most effective entry strategy is to identify recompete opportunities — contracts currently held by incumbents that are expiring within the next 12 to 18 months.USDA recompetes often have predictable scopes and defined evaluation criteria, making them significantly easier to bid intelligently than entirely new requirements.

USDA offers diverse opportunities in agriculture IT, rural development, and environmental services. Less competitive than DoD. Strong focus on rural small businesses. Moderate compliance burden, good for contractors with agriculture/rural focus.

Procurement Focus & Requirements

  • Rural set-asides and disadvantaged farmer prioritization
  • Conservation and environmental compliance increasingly important
  • Data analytics for agricultural optimization
  • Broadband infrastructure projects (rural focus)

Top NAICS Codes — USDA

These NAICS codes appear most frequently in Department of Agriculture solicitations. Include these in your SAM.gov registration to appear in agency searches and qualify for relevant set-asides.

541320

541611

561210

237310

334512

Common Recompete Categories at USDA

Recompetes — contracts currently held by an incumbent that are coming up for renewal — are the highest-probability opportunity for new entrants. These categories see recurring recompetes at Department of Agriculture:

1

Agricultural data management and analytics systems

2

Rural broadband infrastructure and IT services

3

Environmental monitoring and natural resource management

4

Farm management and compliance systems

Track live recompete opportunities in WinBidIQ

Department of Agriculture Contracting: FAQs

How much does Department of Agriculture spend on contracts annually?+
Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a FY2026 budget of $200B+ (farm programs, nutrition, rural services). Contract spending goes toward 5 primary NAICS code categories, with climate-smart agriculture, rural broadband expansion, agricultural innovation programs, supply chain resilience for food security. Small businesses compete for set-aside contracts across all major spending categories.
What NAICS codes does USDA use for small business contracts?+
Department of Agriculture most frequently awards contracts under NAICS codes 541320, 541611, 561210, 237310, 334512. These cover Rural set-asides and disadvantaged farmer prioritization, Conservation and environmental compliance increasingly important, Data analytics for agricultural optimization. Register in SAM.gov with these codes and ensure your size is within SBA size standards for each code to qualify for set-asides.
How do I contact USDA's small business office?+
Department of Agriculture's small business contact is: Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization - OSDBU@usda.gov. This office — typically called the OSDBU or OSBP — runs small business outreach events, matchmaking sessions, and subcontracting fairs. Attending these events is one of the most effective ways to get pre-RFP visibility with contracting officers.
What types of contracts does USDA award to small businesses?+
Department of Agriculture awards set-aside contracts under multiple socioeconomic programs including small business, 8(a) Business Development, WOSB (Women-Owned Small Business), SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned), and HUBZone. Common contract vehicles include Agricultural data management and analytics systems and Rural broadband infrastructure and IT services. Most contracts over $25K are posted on SAM.gov.
What is the best strategy to win a first USDA contract?+
Start by identifying recompete opportunities — contracts expiring within 12 months where the incumbent may be vulnerable. Department of Agriculture recompete categories include: Agricultural data management and analytics systems; Rural broadband infrastructure and IT services; Environmental monitoring and natural resource management. Build past performance through subcontracting first, then bid on small set-asides. Attend OSDBU outreach events to meet program managers before RFPs drop.
What is USDA's procurement trend for 2026?+
Climate-smart agriculture, rural broadband expansion, agricultural innovation programs, supply chain resilience for food security. USDA offers diverse opportunities in agriculture IT, rural development, and environmental services. Less competitive than DoD. Strong focus on rural small businesses. Moderate compliance burden, good for contractors with agriculture/rural focus. Monitor SAM.gov and USASpending.gov for emerging solicitations and forecast notices — ideally 6-12 months before RFP release.

Find USDA Contracts Matched to Your Company

WinBidIQ monitors SAM.gov daily and scores every Department of Agriculture solicitation by fit to your company profile — NAICS codes, certifications, size, and past performance.

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