U.S. Department of Agriculture Government Contracts — Contractor Guide
Researched by the BidStride Research Team
USDA provides leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, and rural development. USDA agencies include the Forest Service, Food and Nutrition Service, Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Agricultural Research Service. USDA contracts for IT systems, research services, food commodity procurement, forest management, and rural infrastructure support. Food commodity purchases for school lunch programs represent a major procurement category.
U.S. Department of Agriculture awards approximately $5B+ in contracts annually with a 25% small business contracting goal. Typical contract types used include FFP, IDIQ, BPA, Simplified Acquisition, SBIR. All USDA solicitations above the simplified acquisition threshold are posted on SAM.gov.
$5B+
25%
of prime contract dollars
Key Procurement Offices
U.S. Department of Agriculture contracting is distributed across these offices and commands. Target your business development toward the offices most aligned with your capabilities, and build relationships before solicitations are released.
- USDA Forest Service
- Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)
- Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
- Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
- Rural Development
Top NAICS Codes — USDA Contracting
These NAICS codes appear most frequently in U.S. Department of Agriculture solicitations. Ensure your SAM.gov registration includes the codes matching your services.
Small Business Goals — USDA
U.S. Department of Agriculture has a statutory small business prime contracting goal of 25% of annual contract dollars. This applies across all socioeconomic categories including 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, and SDVOSB.
Ensure your certifications are current on SAM.gov to qualify for set-aside competitions. Contracting officers are required by law to first consider whether requirements can be met by small businesses before opening competition to all offerors.
Key Regulations — USDA Contracts
Contractors bidding on U.S. Department of Agriculture contracts should understand these regulations and clauses. Review them before submitting any proposal.
- AGAR (Agriculture Acquisition Regulation)
- FAR
- Buy American Act
- Country of Origin Labeling (COOL)
Always verify applicable clauses in the actual solicitation. Clause applicability depends on contract type, value, and specific program requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions — USDA Contracting
USDA contracts extensively for IT modernization, cloud computing, data analytics, geospatial systems, and cybersecurity. USDA's Office of the Chief Information Officer manages enterprise IT strategy. USDA frequently uses GSA vehicles including OASIS, SEWP, and 8(a) STARS for IT and professional services. Agricultural data systems and precision farming technology are growing areas of IT investment.
The Forest Service manages 193 million acres and contracts for timber harvesting, reforestation, recreation management, trail maintenance, fire prevention, and IT. Forest Service contracting is highly decentralized with regional offices and individual forests running their own procurement. Entry points include local ranger district service contracts and national competitive procurements posted on SAM.gov.
USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) purchases agricultural commodities for school lunch programs, food banks, and disaster relief. These are significant commodity contracts covering beef, poultry, dairy, fruits, and vegetables. Food processors and distributors access these through AMS commodity solicitations. Domestic origin requirements are strict under the Buy American Act.
USDA has an active small business program with a 25% small business prime contract goal and goals for all socioeconomic categories. The USDA 1890 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) program creates additional contracting opportunities. USDA also participates in mentor-protege programs to help small businesses develop capabilities in agricultural research and rural services.
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