Key takeaways
- Georgia state government spent $76.4 billion in fiscal 2024, the 13th most of any state.
- Statewide purchasing runs through the DOAS State Purchasing Division, and vendors register and find bids in Georgia Procurement Registry; Team Georgia Marketplace.
- The fiscal year starts July 1; the governor's FY2028 budget proposal usually comes in January (2nd week).
- The 2027 legislative session convenes Jan. 11 and is scheduled to adjourn March 31.
- A new governor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, takes office January 2027.
Georgia government at a glance
| Fact | Georgia |
|---|---|
| State spending, FY 2024 | $76.4 billion (13th of 50) |
| Fiscal year starts | July 1 |
| Next budget | FY2028 · proposal usually in January (2nd week) |
| 2027 legislative session | Jan. 11 to March 31 (80 days) |
| Governor-elect | Keisha Lance Bottoms, takes office January 2027 |
| Central procurement office | DOAS State Purchasing Division |
| Bid and vendor portal | Georgia Procurement Registry; Team Georgia Marketplace |
| State CIO | Shawnzia Thomas, State CIO and Executive Director |
| Local governments | 1,379 total, including 510 special districts and 180 school districts |
| Public power and co-op utilities | 53 public power utilities and 42 electric co-ops |
| State prison population | 50,425 (end of 2023) |
How Georgia buys
- Central purchasing. The DOAS State Purchasing Division handles statewide contracts and purchasing rules for state agencies.
- Where bids are posted. Georgia Procurement Registry; Team Georgia Marketplace is where vendors register and find state solicitations.
- Registering as a vendor. Our Georgia 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 | Under $25,000 (comparing 3 suppliers recommended) |
| Informal quotes | None |
| Formal solicitation | $25,000 and above |
Source: SPD Official Announcement 26-04 (December 17, 2025). Agency and local thresholds can differ; see our state procurement thresholds guide.
Budget and legislative calendar
- Fiscal year. Georgia's fiscal year starts July 1. The next budget covers FY2028.
- Governor's proposal. Usually released in January (2nd week). 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 March 31. See the 2027 legislative session calendar.
- New administration. Governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms takes office January 2027. New administrations often bring new agency leaders and priorities; see new governors in 2027.
Technology and AI
- State CIO. Shawnzia Thomas, State CIO and Executive Director, leads the Georgia Technology Authority. See the full state CIO directory.
- AI policy. Our tracker counts no executive orders, no laws and 3 agency policies on government AI use. See the state AI policy tracker.
- How IT buying works. See how state agencies buy technology.
Largest public buyers in Georgia
The biggest Georgia entities on our national rankings. Each one runs its own budget and, in most cases, its own purchasing.
| Buyer | Type | Size | National rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | City | 529,110 residents (2025) | 36 of 100 largest cities |
| Fulton County | County | 1,098,791 residents (2025) | 43 of 100 largest counties |
| Gwinnett County | County | 1,018,099 residents (2025) | 49 of 100 largest counties |
| Cobb County | County | 793,345 residents (2025) | 84 of 100 largest counties |
| Gwinnett County | School district | 179,581 students (fall 2021) | 11 of 100 largest districts |
| Cobb County | School district | 106,970 students (fall 2021) | 23 of 100 largest districts |
| DeKalb County | School district | 93,473 students (fall 2021) | 31 of 100 largest districts |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | Public university | 53,363 students (fall 2024) | 19 of 40 largest |
| Kennesaw State University | Public university | 47,764 students (fall 2024) | 29 of 40 largest |
| Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Auth. | Transit agency | 62,093,000 trips (2023) | 17 of 50 largest |
| Hartsfield/Jackson Atlanta International | Airport | 51,459,786 passengers boarded (2025) | 1 of 100 busiest |
| Savannah/Hilton Head International | Airport | 2,064,691 passengers boarded (2025) | 74 of 100 busiest |
| Atlanta Department of Watershed Management | Water utility | 1,089,893 people served | 24 of 208 largest |
| Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources | Water utility | 975,000 people served | 27 of 208 largest |
| Atlanta (GA) Police | Police department | 1,730 sworn officers (2016) | 26 of 50 largest |
| Bibb County Sheriff's Office | Sheriff's office | 447 sworn personnel (2016) | 44 of 50 largest |
| Grady Health System | Public hospital system | — | — |
| Port of Savannah and Port of Brunswick | Port | Nearly 5.7 million Calendar 2025 TEUs (2025) | 4 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
- 1,379 local governments. That includes 510 special districts and 180 school districts. See special districts by state.
- Utilities. 53 public power utilities and 42 electric cooperatives serve 2,654,905 customers, 49% of the state. See Georgia 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 Georgia 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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