Key takeaways
- New York state government spent $234.9 billion in fiscal 2024, the 2nd most of any state.
- Statewide purchasing runs through the Office of General Services, Procurement Services, and vendors register and find bids in New York State Contract Reporter.
- The fiscal year starts April 1; the governor's FY2028 budget proposal usually comes by Feb. 1 in the year after a governor's election.
- The 2027 legislative session convenes Jan. 6 and is scheduled to adjourn June 10.
New York government at a glance
| Fact | New York |
|---|---|
| State spending, FY 2024 | $234.9 billion (2nd of 50) |
| Fiscal year starts | April 1 |
| Next budget | FY2028 · proposal usually by Feb. 1 in the year after a governor's election |
| 2027 legislative session | Jan. 6 to June 10 (156 days) |
| Central procurement office | Office of General Services, Procurement Services |
| Bid and vendor portal | New York State Contract Reporter |
| State CIO | Jenson Jacob, Acting CIO |
| Local governments | 3,447 total, including 1,189 special districts and 676 school districts |
| Public power and co-op utilities | 48 public power utilities and 5 electric co-ops |
| State prison population | 32,583 (end of 2023) |
How New York buys
- Central purchasing. The Office of General Services, Procurement Services handles statewide contracts and purchasing rules for state agencies.
- Where bids are posted. New York State Contract Reporter is where vendors register and find state solicitations.
- Registering as a vendor. Our New York 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 $5,000 |
| Informal quotes | $5,000 up to the discretionary limit; purchases over $50,000 also need an advertisement in the Contract Reporter |
| Formal solicitation | Above the discretionary limit, listed by the State Comptroller as $50,000 for state agencies ($85,000 for OGS; up to $750,000 for New York small businesses, MWBEs and SDVOBs) |
Source: State Finance Law §163(6); OSC guide (June 2026). Agency and local thresholds can differ; see our state procurement thresholds guide.
Budget and legislative calendar
- Fiscal year. New York's fiscal year starts April 1. The next budget covers FY2028.
- Governor's proposal. Usually released By Feb. 1 in the year after a governor's election. Status as of Nov. 8, 2026: not yet released. Track it in our governor budget proposals tracker.
- 2027 session. Convenes Jan. 6 and is scheduled to adjourn June 10. See the 2027 legislative session calendar.
Technology and AI
- State CIO. Jenson Jacob, Acting CIO, leads the Office of Information Technology Services. See the full state CIO directory.
- AI policy. Our tracker counts no executive orders, 1 law and 1 agency policy on government AI use. See the state AI policy tracker.
- How IT buying works. See how state agencies buy technology.
Largest public buyers in New York
The biggest New York entities on our national rankings. Each one runs its own budget and, in most cases, its own purchasing.
| Buyer | Type | Size | National rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | City | 8,584,629 residents (2025) | 1 of 100 largest cities |
| Buffalo | City | 274,613 residents (2025) | 83 of 100 largest cities |
| Kings County | County | 2,653,963 residents (2025) | 9 of 100 largest counties |
| Queens County | County | 2,358,182 residents (2025) | 12 of 100 largest counties |
| New York County | County | 1,664,862 residents (2025) | 21 of 100 largest counties |
| New York City | School district | 859,514 students (fall 2021) | 1 of 100 largest districts |
| MTA New York City Transit | Transit agency | 2,632,003,000 trips (2023) | 1 of 50 largest |
| New Jersey Transit Corporation | Transit agency | 198,590,100 trips (2023) | 6 of 50 largest |
| John F Kennedy International | Airport | 30,792,806 passengers boarded (2025) | 6 of 100 busiest |
| Laguardia | Airport | 16,278,532 passengers boarded (2025) | 19 of 100 busiest |
| New York City water system (NYC DEP) | Water utility | 8,271,000 people served | 1 of 208 largest |
| Suffolk County Water Authority | Water utility | 1,100,000 people served | 21 of 208 largest |
| Long Island Power Authority | Public power utility | 1,161,788 electric customers (2024) | 4 of 50 largest |
| New York (NY) Police | Police department | 36,008 sworn officers (2016) | 1 of 50 largest |
| Nassau County (NY) Police | Police department | 2,462 sworn officers (2016) | 12 of 50 largest |
| Onondaga County Sheriff's Office | Sheriff's office | 519 sworn personnel (2016) | 30 of 50 largest |
| NYC Health + Hospitals | Public hospital system | $13.13 billion budget (FY2027 executive plan) | — |
| Erie County Medical Center | Public hospital system | $982.4 million operating revenue (2026 budget) | — |
| New York State Department of Health | State agency | $111.9B budget | 2 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
- 3,447 local governments. That includes 1,189 special districts and 676 school districts. See special districts by state.
- Utilities. 48 public power utilities and 5 electric cooperatives serve 1,349,863 customers, 18% of the state. See New York utilities.
- Budget cycles. Cities, counties and school districts set their own fiscal years; see city and county budget calendars.
New York state holidays in 2027
Besides the 11 federal holidays, New York state offices close on these days in 2027:
- Lincoln's Birthday: Friday, Feb. 12 (Connecticut, Illinois, Missouri, New York)
See the full 2027 federal and state holiday calendar.
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 New York 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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