When it comes to federal government contracting, one common question that arises is: how many federal government contractors are there? While a simple answer to this question may be difficult to provide, we can explore the available data and information to give an estimate.

According to a report published by the Congressional Research Service in September 2021, there were over 500,000 contractors working for the federal government in the fiscal year 2019. These contractors provided a wide range of goods and services to federal agencies, including information technology, construction, research and development, and professional services.

The same report states that the total amount of money spent on federal contracts in fiscal year 2019 was approximately $597 billion. This amount includes contracts awarded to both large and small businesses, as well as to individual contractors.

While this figure gives us an idea of the size and scope of the federal contracting industry, it is important to note that not all federal contractors are equal. Some contractors may have multiple contracts with different agencies, while others may have just one. Additionally, some contractors may work primarily with one agency, while others may work across multiple agencies.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides additional information on federal government contracting. According to the SBA, in fiscal year 2020, small businesses received approximately $133 billion in federal contracts. This represents about 22% of all federal contracting dollars awarded that year.

In terms of the number of small businesses participating in federal contracting, the SBA reports that there were over 235,000 small businesses registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) in fiscal year 2020. SAM is the federal government`s primary database of contractors, and all businesses that want to work with the federal government must register with the database.

So, how many federal government contractors are there? While we can`t provide an exact number, we know that at least 500,000 contractors provided goods and services to federal agencies in fiscal year 2019. Furthermore, we know that there were over 235,000 small businesses registered with SAM in fiscal year 2020, and that these businesses received approximately $133 billion in federal contracts. Ultimately, the federal contracting industry is large and diverse, with many opportunities for businesses of all sizes to participate.