Key takeaways
- Lockheed Martin received $81.2 billion in net contract obligations in fiscal 2025, more than twice any other company.
- The top 10 contractors received about $266 billion, roughly 30% of all federal contract dollars.
- Defense companies dominate, but five health care companies rank in the top 20, led by UnitedHealth Group.
- Big primes rely on subcontractors, which makes them a major market for smaller companies.
Federal agencies obligated about $878 billion on contracts in fiscal 2025. This list ranks the companies that won the most of it, with each company's subsidiaries rolled up under its parent.
The largest federal contractors
Ranked by fiscal 2025 net contract obligations (Oct. 1, 2024, through Sept. 30, 2025), with each company's fiscal 2024 rank.
| # | Company | FY 2025 obligations | FY 2024 rank | Main federal business |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lockheed Martin | $81.2B | 1 | F-35 fighter, missiles, helicopters and space systems |
| 2 | General Dynamics | $37.9B | 4 | Submarines, combat vehicles and IT services through GDIT |
| 3 | RTX | $37.1B | 2 | Raytheon missiles and radars, Pratt & Whitney engines |
| 4 | UnitedHealth Group | $25.4B | 5 | Veterans community care networks through Optum |
| 5 | Boeing | $23.0B | 3 | Military aircraft, tankers, satellites and space |
| 6 | Northrop Grumman | $14.4B | 6 | Bombers, missile systems, space and mission systems |
| 7 | TriWest Healthcare Alliance | $13.4B | 12 | Veterans community care and TRICARE health networks |
| 8 | McKesson | $12.0B | 13 | Pharmaceutical distribution to the VA and other agencies |
| 9 | Leidos | $11.9B | 7 | IT, health services, defense and intelligence systems |
| 10 | HII (Huntington Ingalls Industries) | $10.2B | 8 | Aircraft carriers, submarines and amphibious ships |
| 11 | L3Harris Technologies | $10.1B | 11 | Tactical communications, space and electronic systems |
| 12 | Honeywell International | $9.4B | 14 | Aerospace systems and nuclear security site management |
| 13 | BAE Systems | $9.3B | 9 | Combat vehicles, ship repair, munitions and electronics |
| 14 | Amentum | $8.3B | — | Engineering, environmental cleanup and mission support; merged with Jacobs' government unit in 2024 |
| 15 | Booz Allen Hamilton | $7.9B | 10 | Consulting, IT, analytics and cyber |
| 16 | Cencora | $7.4B | 21 | Pharmaceutical distribution, formerly AmerisourceBergen |
| 17 | Fluor | $6.5B | 15 | Engineering, construction and Energy Department site work |
| 18 | Humana Government Business | $6.5B | 19 | TRICARE health coverage for military families |
| 19 | Atlantic Diving Supply (ADS) | $6.1B | 20 | Tactical equipment and supply for the military |
| 20 | CACI International | $5.5B | 26 | Intelligence, IT and mission technology |
| 21 | Triad National Security | $5.1B | 17 | Manages Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| 22 | SAIC (Science Applications International) | $4.6B | 18 | IT modernization, engineering and space |
| 23 | V2X | $4.2B | 33 | Base operations, logistics and aircraft maintenance |
| 24 | General Electric | $4.1B | 34 | Military aircraft engines |
| 25 | Battelle Memorial Institute | $4.0B | 31 | National laboratory management and research |
| 26 | Deloitte | $3.8B | 25 | Consulting, technology and audit services |
| 27 | Maximus Federal Services | $3.8B | 80 | Contact centers, benefits processing and medical exams |
| 28 | Accenture Federal Services | $3.7B | 28 | IT, cloud and digital services |
| 29 | Textron | $3.7B | 39 | Bell helicopters and Textron Systems |
| 30 | Bechtel | $3.7B | 23 | Nuclear security sites, laboratories and engineering |
Source: GovTribe federal contractor rankings, based on FPDS contract actions published on SAM.gov, with each action counted under the ultimate parent named in the award record; joint ventures are counted separately. Net obligations are amounts obligated minus deobligations. Washington Technology's 2026 Top 100, which counts only IT, professional services and telecommunications contracts, ranks Leidos first at $11.8 billion. Fiscal 2026 rankings are expected in early 2027.
What the rankings show
- Defense dominates. Four of the top five and most of the top 30 sell mainly to the Defense Department, led by aircraft, ships, missiles and the systems that support them.
- Health care is the second-biggest story. Veterans' community care, TRICARE and drug distribution put UnitedHealth Group, TriWest, McKesson, Cencora and Humana in the top 20.
- Services firms rank high. Leidos, Booz Allen, CACI, SAIC, Deloitte and Accenture Federal Services win billions in IT, consulting and mission support.
- National labs are big contracts. Triad, Battelle, Bechtel and Honeywell manage Energy Department laboratories and nuclear sites under large management contracts.
- Rankings move. Maximus jumped from 80th to 27th and V2X, GE and Textron each climbed 10 spots, while BAE Systems and Booz Allen fell.
How to work with prime contractors
Most companies on this list buy heavily from subcontractors and suppliers. On large federal contracts, primes that aren't small businesses must file small business subcontracting plans with goals, which creates steady demand for small, veteran-owned, women-owned, HUBZone and disadvantaged suppliers.
- Register in SAM.gov and keep your NAICS codes and certifications current; see our guide to SAM registration.
- Join supplier portals. Each large prime runs its own supplier registration and small business office.
- Target specific programs. Find the contracts and programs where your product fits, and track when they recompete; see our contract expirations guide.
- Use mentor-protege programs. SBA and Defense Department mentor-protege programs pair small firms with large primes.
- Reach the right people. Small business liaison officers, supply chain and procurement managers, and program and capture managers are the usual contacts.
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, and with the prime contractors that serve them. We find the program, capture and supplier contacts at agencies and primes and set up the conversations that lead to teaming and subcontracts. See how our federal sales development works.