Top VA research and development in the social sciences and humanities contractors
In the 12 months ending Oct 5, 2026, the Department of Veterans Affairs obligated $14.6M in net prime contract dollars under NAICS 541720, up 75.8% from $8.3M in the preceding 12 months. 32 prime contractors received positive obligations, and 5 of them accounted for 80% of that spend.
Prime contracts funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs. 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 VA 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 | Trustees of Boston University | $4.4M | $4.6M | 29.9% | — |
| 2 | Westat, Inc. | $3.4M | $0 | 22.7% | New |
| 3 | National Opinion Research Center | $2.2M | $594K | 14.6% | ▲ 1 |
| 4 | Oregon Health & Science University | $1.2M | $1.2M | 8.4% | ▼ 2 |
| 5 | University of Pittsburgh - of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education | $905K | $597K | 6.1% | ▼ 2 |
| 6 | University of Washington | $515K | $161K | 3.5% | ▲ 2 |
| 7 | University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston | $484K | $140K | 3.3% | ▲ 2 |
| 8 | National Disease Research Interchange | $374K | $272K | 2.5% | ▼ 3 |
| 9 | Regents of the University of Michigan | $190K | $0 | 1.3% | New |
| 10 | Education Development Center, Inc. | $183K | $0 | 1.2% | New |
| 11 | Nathalie Dieujuste | $120K | $0 | 0.8% | New |
| 12 | Mapi Research Trust | $100K | $70K | 0.7% | — |
| 13 | Georgetown University | $93K | $84K | 0.6% | ▼ 3 |
| 14 | Kaiser Foundation Hospitals | $90K | −$1 | 0.6% | New |
| 15 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | $85K | $29K | 0.6% | ▲ 5 |
What changed in the last 12 months
Contractors with the largest change in reported obligations versus the preceding 12 months.
Largest gains
- Westat, Inc.$0 → $3.4M (+$3.4M) · now #2
- National Opinion Research Center$594K → $2.2M (+$1.6M) · now #3
- University of Washington$161K → $515K (+$354K) · now #6
Largest declines
- University of Maryland, College Park$237K → $0 (−$237K) · no latest-period obligations
- Trustees of Boston University$4.6M → $4.4M (−$200K) · now #1
- Verve, LLC$167K → $0 (−$167K) · no latest-period obligations
New to this market
9 contractors received their first obligations in this market (since FY2022) during the latest 12 months. The largest:
| Contractor | First obligation | Latest 12 mo |
|---|---|---|
| Westat, Inc. | Aug 10, 2026 | $3.4M |
| Regents of the University of Michigan | Mar 3, 2026 | $190K |
| Education Development Center, Inc. | Sep 3, 2026 | $183K |
| Nathalie Dieujuste | Jul 20, 2026 | $120K |
| University of Missouri System | Sep 21, 2026 | $32K |
| Larry L Bivens | Aug 5, 2026 | $30K |
| EVE Technologies Corp | Mar 23, 2026 | $29K |
| Quest Diagnostics Incorporated | Nov 26, 2025 | $25K |
Where the money comes from
Funding sub-agencies within the Department of Veterans Affairs, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Veterans Affairs | $14.6M | $8.3M | Up $6.3M (75.8%) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36C25924C0017 | National Opinion Research Center ASCEND/TWV | $6.6M | Feb 14, 2027 |
| 36C24E26N0216 | Trustees of Boston University RESEARCH SERVICES | $4.4M | Aug 31, 2027 |
| 36C24124P1078 | National Disease Research Interchange PATHOLOGY AND TRANSPORT SERVICES FOR BRAIN BANK | $1.2M | Sep 24, 2027 |
Common questions
Who are the top VA contractors for NAICS 541720?
In the latest 12 months, Trustees of Boston University ($4.4M), Westat, Inc. ($3.4M), National Opinion Research Center ($2.2M) received the most VA obligations for research and development in the social sciences and humanities.
How concentrated is this market?
The eight largest primes held 90.8% of positive obligations, and Trustees of Boston University alone held 29.9%. 9 contractors won their first obligations in this market during the latest 12 months.
Are any large VA NAICS 541720 contracts ending soon?
3 of the largest awards in this market reach their current end date in the next 18 months. The first is 36C25924C0017 (National Opinion Research Center, $6.6M obligated), ending Feb 14, 2027. 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
$32.8MDOT · NAICS 541720
$14.9MDHS · 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.
Ready to connect your pursuit work?
GovEagle gives BD directors, capture managers, and proposal teams one AI workspace from pipeline through proposal, with CMMC/FedRAMP Certified compliance built in.