Top DOT research and development in the social sciences and humanities contractors
In the 12 months ending Oct 5, 2026, the Department of Transportation obligated $14.9M in net prime contract dollars under NAICS 541720, up 41.9% from $10.5M in the preceding 12 months. 5 prime contractors received positive obligations, and 3 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 541720
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 | Toxcel LLC | $5.6M | $4.6M | 37.6% | — |
| 2 | Personnel Decisions Research Institutes, LLC | $4.7M | $0 | 31.4% | New |
| 3 | National Opinion Research Center | $3.1M | $4.0M | 20.6% | ▼ 1 |
| 4 | National Academy of Sciences | $1.0M | $1.3M | 6.7% | ▼ 1 |
| 5 | Chickasaw Health Consulting, LLC | $555K | $498K | 3.7% | ▼ 1 |
What changed in the last 12 months
Contractors with the largest change in reported obligations versus the preceding 12 months.
Largest gains
- Personnel Decisions Research Institutes, LLC$0 → $4.7M (+$4.7M) · now #2
- Toxcel LLC$4.6M → $5.6M (+$1.1M) · now #1
- Chickasaw Health Consulting, LLC$498K → $555K (+$56K) · now #5
Largest declines
- National Opinion Research Center$4.0M → $3.1M (−$925K) · now #3
- National Academy of Sciences$1.3M → $1.0M (−$259K) · now #4
- Dunlap and Associates, Inc.$171K → $0 (−$171K) · no latest-period obligations
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 Highway Administration | $5.6M | $5.4M | Up $186K (3.5%) |
| Federal Aviation Administration | $5.2M | $498K | Up $4.7M (940.8%) |
| National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | $3.4M | $3.6M | Down $194K (5.4%) |
| Immediate Office of the Secretary of Transportation | $545K | $882K | Down $337K (38.2%) |
| Maritime Administration | $80K | $76K | Up $4K (4.7%) |
| Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration | $79K | $81K | Down $2K (2.3%) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 693JJ924F00036N | Dunlap and Associates, Inc. TITLE: DRIVERS KNOWLEDGE/ CORRECT USE OF NEW TECHNOLOGY FEATURES IN VEHICLES: FOLLOW-ON PRMSID: 526 PURPOSE: THIS IS A NEW START, TO BE A SOLE SOURCE TO THE CONTRACTOR THAT IS… | $1.5M | Nov 24, 2026 |
| 693JJ925F00010N | National Opinion Research Center IS TO ISSUE A NEW TWO (02) YEAR BASE PLUS THREE (03) OPTION PERIODS TASK ORDER FOR STATISTICAL ANALYSIS FOR MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH INSIGHTS. | $7.1M | Jan 26, 2027 |
| 693JJ324F00304N | Toxcel LLC TASK ORDER UNDER HUMAN FACTORS IDIQ TITLED "TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR HUMAN FACTORS RELATED ACTIVITIES". | $2.6M | Aug 28, 2027 |
| 693JJ922C000009 | Dunlap and Associates, Inc. TITLE: NATIONAL ROADSIDE SAFETY | $7.7M | Sep 29, 2027 |
Common questions
Who are the top DOT contractors for NAICS 541720?
In the latest 12 months, Toxcel LLC ($5.6M), Personnel Decisions Research Institutes, LLC ($4.7M), National Opinion Research Center ($3.1M) received the most DOT obligations for research and development in the social sciences and humanities.
How concentrated is this market?
The eight largest primes held 100.0% of positive obligations, and Toxcel LLC alone held 37.6%. 0 contractors won their first obligations in this market during the latest 12 months.
Are any large DOT NAICS 541720 contracts ending soon?
4 of the largest awards in this market reach their current end date in the next 18 months. The first is 693JJ924F00036N (Dunlap and Associates, Inc., $1.5M obligated), ending Nov 24, 2026. An end date is a research lead, not a confirmed recompete: options and extensions often move it.
Related markets
NAICS 541720 across all agencies
HHS · NAICS 541720
$376.4MEducation · NAICS 541720
$163.2MDoD · NAICS 541720
$139.5MCommerce · NAICS 541720
$32.8MVA · NAICS 541720
$14.6MDHS · NAICS 541720
$14.3MFigures 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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