Top DOT research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) contractors
In the 12 months ending Oct 5, 2026, the Department of Transportation obligated $137.1M in net prime contract dollars under NAICS 541715, up 30.6% from $104.9M in the preceding 12 months. 100 prime contractors received positive obligations, and 35 of them accounted for 80% of that spend.
Prime contracts funded by the Department of Transportation. Latest 12 months: Oct 6, 2025 to Oct 5, 2026. Source: USAspending.gov.
Obligations by fiscal year
Net prime contract obligations by federal fiscal year (October to September).
Top DOT contractors for NAICS 541715
Ranked by positive obligations in the latest 12 months. Share is of all positive obligations in this market.
| # | Contractor | Latest 12 mo | Prior 12 mo | Share | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ensco Inc | $15.8M | $13.2M | 11.4% | ▲ 1 |
| 2 | University of Oklahoma | $10.0M | $0 | 7.2% | New |
| 3 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University | $7.8M | $6.4M | 5.7% | ▲ 1 |
| 4 | Genex Systems, LLC | $6.9M | $12.4M | 5.0% | ▼ 1 |
| 5 | SES Group & Associates, LLC | $5.8M | $495K | 4.2% | ▲ 32 |
| 6 | George Mason University | $4.3M | $1.1M | 3.1% | ▲ 15 |
| 7 | Regents of the University of Michigan | $3.7M | $228K | 2.7% | ▲ 46 |
| 8 | The MITRE Corporation | $3.4M | $2.3M | 2.5% | ▲ 3 |
| 9 | AECOM Technical Services, Inc. | $3.3M | $0 | 2.4% | New |
| 10 | Leidos, Inc. | $3.2M | $17.6M | 2.3% | ▼ 9 |
| 11 | Toxcel LLC | $3.0M | $543K | 2.2% | ▲ 22 |
| 12 | Cherokee Strategic Solutions, L.L.C. | $2.8M | $2.6M | 2.0% | ▼ 7 |
| 13 | The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC | $2.8M | $2.6M | 2.0% | ▼ 7 |
| 14 | ATI, Inc. | $2.7M | $2.4M | 1.9% | ▼ 4 |
| 15 | The Aerospace Corporation | $2.5M | $2.1M | 1.8% | ▼ 3 |
What changed in the last 12 months
Contractors with the largest change in reported obligations versus the preceding 12 months.
Largest gains
- University of Oklahoma$0 → $10.0M (+$10.0M) · now #2
- SES Group & Associates, LLC$495K → $5.8M (+$5.3M) · now #5
- Regents of the University of Michigan$228K → $3.7M (+$3.5M) · now #7
Largest declines
- Leidos, Inc.$17.6M → $3.2M (−$14.4M) · now #10
- Genex Systems, LLC$12.4M → $6.9M (−$5.5M) · now #4
- Design Interactive, LLC$2.0M → $0 (−$2.0M) · no latest-period obligations
New to this market
27 contractors received their first obligations in this market (since FY2022) during the latest 12 months. The largest:
| Contractor | First obligation | Latest 12 mo |
|---|---|---|
| University of Oklahoma | Jul 1, 2026 | $10.0M |
| AECOM Technical Services, Inc. | Jun 30, 2026 | $3.3M |
| Derq USA Inc | Sep 30, 2026 | $1.8M |
| SPS ARS LLC | Sep 17, 2026 | $1.6M |
| Dynamic Government Resources 2 LLC | Jun 26, 2026 | $1.5M |
| Railinc Corp | Sep 22, 2026 | $1.4M |
| General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. | Sep 22, 2026 | $1.3M |
| Railroad Technology and Services Limited Liability Company | May 20, 2026 | $1.2M |
Where the money comes from
Funding sub-agencies within the Department of Transportation, latest 12 months. The funding organization can differ from the office that runs the requirement.
| Funding sub-agency | Latest 12 mo | Prior 12 mo | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Aviation Administration | $36.3M | $12.9M | Up $23.4M (182.2%) |
| Federal Highway Administration | $35.4M | $43.7M | Down $8.3M (18.9%) |
| Federal Railroad Administration | $28.6M | $13.1M | Up $15.5M (118.2%) |
| Immediate Office of the Secretary of Transportation | $18.7M | $22.8M | Down $4.0M (17.8%) |
| National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | $12.0M | $3.8M | Up $8.1M (212.4%) |
| Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration | $3.6M | $5.9M | Down $2.2M (37.9%) |
Potential recompetes
Large awards in this market whose current period of performance ends in the next 18 months. Treat these as research leads: options, extensions, and follow-on vehicles often change the timing.
| Award | Incumbent | Obligated | Current end |
|---|---|---|---|
| 693JJ324F00014N | Syntek Technologies, Inc. THE PURPOSE OF THIS TIME-AND-MATERIALS TASK ORDER IS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE HIGHWAY DRIVING SIMULATOR. WORK SHALL BE CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ATTACHED… | $2.9M | Oct 31, 2026 |
| 693KA723C00002 | The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC THIS IS A LETTER CONTRACT FOR TECHNICAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES SUPPORT FOR AUTOMATED DEPENDENT BROADCAST (ADS-B) SURVEILLANCE BROADCAST SERVICES (SBS). | $4.4M | Nov 30, 2026 |
| 693JJ321F000247 | Leidos, Inc. STOL III: MANAGEMENT, OPERATIONS, AND COMMUNICATIONS (MOC) SUPPORT FOR THE SAXTON TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS LABORATORY (SAXTON LAB) | $11.5M | Jan 21, 2027 |
| 693JJ922F00118N | The University of Iowa TITLE: HUMAN INTERACTION WITH DRIVING AUTOMATION SYSTEMS NEW TASK ORDER UNDER THE NATIONAL ADVANCED DRIVING SIMULATOR (NADS) IDIQ CONTRACT | $7.4M | Mar 11, 2027 |
| 693JJ324F00377N | Leidos, Inc. TASK ORDER UNDER CONTRACT 693JJ321D000010 (STOL 3 IDIQ) FOR SUPPORT OF THE HIGHLY AUTOMATED SYSTEMS SAFETY (HASS) AUTOMATED TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM (ATEP). | $3.8M | Jul 21, 2027 |
| 693JJ325F00149N | Leidos, Inc. NEXT GENERATION WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS TECHNICAL SUPPORT 3 | $3.3M | Jul 21, 2027 |
| 693JJ325F00102N | Genex Systems, LLC THIS IS A HYBRID FIRM FIXED PRICE AND COST-PLUS FIXED FEE TASK ORDER FOR THE PROJECT ENTITLED, "TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICES STRUCTURES (STR) LABORATORY" UNDER THE IEL IDIQ. WORK… | $8.2M | Sep 15, 2027 |
| 693KA720C00016 | The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC ENGINEERING AND DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT FOR THE EXECUTION OF THE AIRBORNE COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM (ACAS X) PROGRAM. | $9.7M | Sep 30, 2027 |
| 693JJ325F00090N | Genex Systems, LLC TO ISSUE A NEW HYBRID FFP/CPFF TASK ORDER NON-PERSONAL TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE HYDRAULICS (HYD) LABORATORY UNDER THE TSSC IEL IDIQ | $6.0M | Nov 4, 2027 |
| 693JJ326C000002 | AECOM Technical Services, Inc. THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONTRACT IS FOR NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES TO SUPPORT AUTOMATED VEHICLE USE IN REMOTE PUBLIC LANDS. | $3.3M | Dec 31, 2027 |
Common questions
Who are the top DOT contractors for NAICS 541715?
In the latest 12 months, Ensco Inc ($15.8M), University of Oklahoma ($10.0M), Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University ($7.8M) received the most DOT obligations for research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology).
How concentrated is this market?
The eight largest primes held 41.8% of positive obligations, and Ensco Inc alone held 11.4%. 27 contractors won their first obligations in this market during the latest 12 months.
Are any large DOT NAICS 541715 contracts ending soon?
10 of the largest awards in this market reach their current end date in the next 18 months. The first is 693JJ324F00014N (Syntek Technologies, Inc., $2.9M obligated), ending Oct 31, 2026. An end date is a research lead, not a confirmed recompete: options and extensions often move it.
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$47.8MFigures are net obligations on prime contracts (award types A–D) from USAspending.gov, grouped by funding agency and the NAICS code on each award. Net obligations include deobligations and corrections, so they can differ from positive-obligation totals. See methodology.
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