State Contracting Guide
Government Contracts in Texas
Texas captures the second-largest federal contract spend in the country, with Fort Cavazos, JBSA, Lackland, NASA Johnson, Sheppard AFB, and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi all driving multi-billion-dollar pipelines.
Federal contracting in Texas at a glance
- Annual federal obligations
- ~$53.6B
- Capital
- Austin
- Procurement hubs
- San Antonio • Houston • Dallas-Fort Worth • El Paso
Texas-specific guidance
Joint Base San Antonio is the largest joint base in DoD, and NASA Johnson runs every U.S. human spaceflight program — small businesses with HUBZone status in South Texas have an exceptional set-aside footprint to leverage.
Step-by-step: winning federal work in Texas
- Register on SAM.gov and select NAICS codes aligned with the buyers most active in Texas — see the SAM.gov registration guide.
- Schedule a free consultation with the Texas APEX Accelerator (multiple regions) for capability statement review and local opportunity matching.
- Set saved searches on SAM.gov filtered to place-of-performance = TX for each of your NAICS codes.
- Attend small-business outreach events at San Antonio-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 Texas
- Defense Services
Defense services span everything from logistics and base operations support to PEO-level program management.
- Aerospace
Federal aerospace obligations cluster around aircraft production, sustainment, and space systems.
Top federal buyers in Texas
- Department of Defense (DoD)~$456B annual federal spend
- Department of the Air Force (Air Force)~$220B annual federal spend
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)~$24B annual federal spend
Most active NAICS codes in Texas
- NAICS 336411 — Aircraft Manufacturing
- NAICS 541330 — Engineering Services
- NAICS 541512 — Computer Systems Design Services
FAQs about government contracts in Texas
- How much does the federal government spend on contracts in Texas?
- Federal contract obligations in Texas total approximately $53.6 billion annually, concentrated in defense and aerospace.
- Who are the largest federal buyers in Texas?
- The top federal buyers in Texas are typically tied to installations and federal facilities around San Antonio and Houston, including programs run by agencies like DoD, Air Force, NASA.
- What is the Texas APEX Accelerator (multiple regions)?
- Texas APEX Accelerator (multiple regions) is the federally funded APEX Accelerator that provides free counseling for Texas 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 Texas?
- The most active NAICS codes in Texas include 336411 (Aircraft Manufacturing), 541330 (Engineering Services), 541512 (Computer Systems Design Services).
- Do I need to be located in Texas 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.