Key takeaways
- Arizona state government spent $96.4 billion in fiscal 2024, the 8th most of any state.
- Statewide purchasing runs through the State Procurement Office, and vendors register and find bids in Arizona Procurement Portal (APP).
- The fiscal year starts July 1; the governor's FY2028 budget proposal usually comes in January, within 5 days of convening.
- The 2027 legislative session convenes Jan. 11 and is scheduled to adjourn May 21.
Arizona government at a glance
| Fact | Arizona |
|---|---|
| State spending, FY 2024 | $96.4 billion (8th of 50) |
| Fiscal year starts | July 1 |
| Next budget | FY2028 · proposal usually in January, within 5 days of convening |
| 2027 legislative session | Jan. 11 to May 21 (131 days) |
| Central procurement office | State Procurement Office |
| Bid and vendor portal | Arizona Procurement Portal (APP) |
| State CIO | J.R. Sloan, Assistant Director and State Chief Information Officer |
| Local governments | 674 total, including 326 special districts and 242 school districts |
| Public power and co-op utilities | 28 public power utilities and 10 electric co-ops |
| State prison population | 34,473 (end of 2023) |
How Arizona buys
- Central purchasing. The State Procurement Office handles statewide contracts and purchasing rules for state agencies.
- Where bids are posted. Arizona Procurement Portal (APP) is where vendors register and find state solicitations.
- Registering as a vendor. Our Arizona vendor registration guide walks through the steps, fees and documents.
- Agencies and local buyers. Many agencies, universities, cities, counties and school districts buy on their own or through cooperative contracts; see our cooperative purchasing guide.
Purchase thresholds
| Tier | Rule |
|---|---|
| Little or no competition | $10,000 or less |
| Informal quotes | Over $10,000 to $100,000: quotes from at least 3 registered small businesses |
| Formal solicitation | Over $100,000 |
Source: A.R.S. §41-2535; SPO Technical Bulletin 040. Agency and local thresholds can differ; see our state procurement thresholds guide.
Budget and legislative calendar
- Fiscal year. Arizona's fiscal year starts July 1. The next budget covers FY2028.
- Governor's proposal. Usually released in January, within 5 days of convening. Status as of Nov. 8, 2026: not yet released. Track it in our governor budget proposals tracker.
- 2027 session. Convenes Jan. 11 and is scheduled to adjourn May 21. 100-day statutory date is April 20; usually extended for the budget. Dates may still change. See the 2027 legislative session calendar.
Technology and AI
- State CIO. J.R. Sloan, Assistant Director and State Chief Information Officer, leads the Arizona Strategic Enterprise Technology Office. See the full state CIO directory.
- AI policy. Our tracker counts no executive orders, no laws and 2 agency policies on government AI use, plus an AI office or council. See the state AI policy tracker.
- How IT buying works. See how state agencies buy technology.
Largest public buyers in Arizona
The biggest Arizona entities on our national rankings. Each one runs its own budget and, in most cases, its own purchasing.
| Buyer | Type | Size | National rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | City | 1,665,481 residents (2025) | 5 of 100 largest cities |
| Tucson | City | 548,371 residents (2025) | 34 of 100 largest cities |
| Mesa | City | 513,656 residents (2025) | 38 of 100 largest cities |
| Maricopa County | County | 4,689,558 residents (2025) | 4 of 100 largest counties |
| Pima County | County | 1,074,685 residents (2025) | 44 of 100 largest counties |
| Mesa Unified | School district | 58,859 students (fall 2021) | 69 of 100 largest districts |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion | Public university | 79,818 students (fall 2024) | 2 of 40 largest |
| Arizona State University Digital Immersion | Public university | 72,994 students (fall 2024) | 5 of 40 largest |
| Maricopa County Community College District | Community college | About 110,000 Fall 2025 (district projection at term start) students | 3 of 18 largest |
| City of Phoenix Public Transit Department | Transit agency | 19,524,300 trips (2023) | 41 of 50 largest |
| City of Tucson | Transit agency | 16,759,200 trips (2023) | 45 of 50 largest |
| Phoenix Sky Harbor International | Airport | 25,094,817 passengers boarded (2025) | 13 of 100 busiest |
| Tucson International Airport | Airport | 1,891,548 passengers boarded (2025) | 77 of 100 busiest |
| City of Phoenix Water Services | Water utility | 1,695,000 people served | 8 of 208 largest |
| Tucson Water | Water utility | 732,906 people served | 40 of 208 largest |
| Salt River Project | Public power utility | 1,166,094 electric customers (2024) | 3 of 50 largest |
| Phoenix (AZ) Police | Police department | 2,689 sworn officers (2016) | 9 of 50 largest |
| Tucson (AZ) Police | Police department | 876 sworn officers (2016) | 46 of 50 largest |
| Pima County Sheriff's Department | Sheriff's office | 533 sworn personnel (2016) | 27 of 50 largest |
| Valleywise Health | Public hospital system | About 550,000 patient visits a year | — |
| Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System | State agency | $23.3B budget | 11 of 16 largest |
Sources: KSG rankings of the largest cities, counties, school districts, public universities, transit agencies, airports, water utilities, public power utilities, police departments and other lists. Figures are from each list's source year.
Local government and utilities
- 674 local governments. That includes 326 special districts and 242 school districts. See special districts by state.
- Utilities. 28 public power utilities and 10 electric cooperatives serve 1,509,073 customers, 43% of the state. See Arizona utilities.
- Budget cycles. Cities, counties and school districts set their own fiscal years; see city and county budget calendars.
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 research Arizona buyers, time outreach to state and local budget cycles and get you in front of the people who own the problem you solve. See how our state and local sales development works.
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