Key takeaways
- The Department of Health and Human Services spent $2,004 billion in fiscal 2026, compared with $1,884 billion in fiscal 2025, according to the Monthly Treasury Statement.
- Its biggest programs: Medicare, Medicaid, NIH, CDC and FDA.
- The Department of Health and Human Services buys through seven main components and offices, each with its own contracting staff.
- HHS publishes a procurement forecast of upcoming contracts.
HHS at a glance
| Fact | HHS |
|---|---|
| FY 2026 outlays | $2,004 billion (1st of the 20 largest agencies) |
| FY 2025 outlays | $1,884 billion |
| Biggest programs | Medicare, Medicaid, NIH, CDC and FDA |
| Main buying components | 7 |
| Procurement forecast | HHS forecast |
Sources: U.S. Treasury, Monthly Treasury Statement for September 2026 (outlays); Acquisition.gov procurement forecast directory; SBA FY 2025 Small Business Procurement Scorecard as reported in June 2026.
Who buys at HHS
Most HHS spending is benefit payments and grants, but CMS, NIH, CDC and FDA are large buyers of IT, research, data and professional services. Each operating division has its own contracting office.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Indian Health Service (IHS)
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
- Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR)
How to start selling to HHS
- Register in SAM.gov. Every federal contractor needs an active SAM registration and Unique Entity ID; see our SAM registration guide.
- Check your NAICS codes and size. Each solicitation is assigned one NAICS code, and its size standard decides whether you can compete as a small business; see SBA size standards and the top NAICS codes for government contracts.
- Read the forecast. HHS's procurement forecast lists contracts planned for the coming year, often before they reach SAM.gov.
- Meet the small business office. HHS's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (or its equivalent) can explain how the agency buys and connect you with program offices.
- Consider contract vehicles. Many agency buys go through GSA's Multiple Award Schedule and other governmentwide or agency contracts rather than open competition.
- Find the program owner. Contracting officers run the process, but program offices decide what they need; reaching them before a solicitation is released is where deals are shaped.
Budget and funding timing
- Fiscal year. The federal fiscal year runs Oct. 1 to Sept. 30; see our government fiscal year calendar.
- Fiscal 2027 funding. HHS is operating under a continuing resolution through Dec. 11, 2026, which generally bars new starts; follow it in our FY 2027 appropriations tracker.
- Year-end buying. Agencies obligate a large share of contract dollars in the final quarter of the fiscal year, July through September.
How KSG helps
Kensington Sales Group's SDRs book meetings with public agencies across Federal, SLED, K-12 & Higher Ed, Healthcare, Tribal, Special Districts and Utilities. We map HHS's program offices, track its forecast and get you in front of the people who shape requirements before solicitations drop. See how our federal sales development works.
Found a broken link or something inaccurate? We keep this page up to date. If a link doesn't work or any information here is wrong or out of date, report it by email to research@kensingtonsalesgroup.com and we'll fix it.