State Contracting Guide
Government Contracts in New Hampshire
New Hampshire's federal contracting is concentrated at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and BAE Systems' Nashua electronic warfare campus.
Federal contracting in New Hampshire at a glance
- Annual federal obligations
- ~$2.7B
- Capital
- Concord
- Procurement hubs
- Portsmouth • Nashua • Manchester
New Hampshire-specific guidance
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard submarine overhauls and BAE Systems Electronic Systems in Nashua drive nearly all of the state's defense subcontract flow — electronics manufacturers with ITAR controls win quickly.
Step-by-step: winning federal work in New Hampshire
- Register on SAM.gov and select NAICS codes aligned with the buyers most active in New Hampshire — see the SAM.gov registration guide.
- Schedule a free consultation with the New Hampshire APEX Accelerator for capability statement review and local opportunity matching.
- Set saved searches on SAM.gov filtered to place-of-performance = NH for each of your NAICS codes.
- Attend small-business outreach events at Portsmouth-area installations and federal facilities.
- Pursue subcontracting with primes already on regional MATOC pools — particularly USACE and NAVFAC vehicles for construction trades.
Top industries receiving contracts in New Hampshire
- Defense Services
Defense services span everything from logistics and base operations support to PEO-level program management.
- Manufacturing
Federal manufacturing buys range from ammunition to precision optics.
Top federal buyers in New Hampshire
- Department of the Navy (Navy)~$175B annual federal spend
- Department of Defense (DoD)~$456B annual federal spend
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)~$36B annual federal spend
Most active NAICS codes in New Hampshire
- NAICS 336611 — Ship Building & Repair
- NAICS 541330 — Engineering Services
FAQs about government contracts in New Hampshire
- How much does the federal government spend on contracts in New Hampshire?
- Federal contract obligations in New Hampshire total approximately $2.7 billion annually, concentrated in defense and manufacturing.
- Who are the largest federal buyers in New Hampshire?
- The top federal buyers in New Hampshire are typically tied to installations and federal facilities around Portsmouth and Nashua, including programs run by agencies like Navy, DoD, VA.
- What is the New Hampshire APEX Accelerator?
- New Hampshire APEX Accelerator is the federally funded APEX Accelerator that provides free counseling for New Hampshire businesses pursuing federal, state, and local government contracts — including SAM.gov registration, capability statement reviews, and bid-matching.
- Which NAICS codes are most active in New Hampshire?
- The most active NAICS codes in New Hampshire include 336611 (Ship Building & Repair), 334511 (), 541330 (Engineering Services).
- Do I need to be located in New Hampshire to win contracts there?
- No — federal contracts are awarded based on the solicitation's place of performance and evaluation criteria, not contractor location. However, in-state presence often reduces travel costs, supports HUBZone eligibility in qualifying areas, and matters for state-funded opportunities.