Subcontracting opportunities: NAICS 541720, Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities
31 prime contractors held small business subcontracting plans on 229 federal research and development in the social sciences and humanities contracts (NAICS 541720) in FY2022–FY2024, worth $2B including options. Only primes that aren't small businesses need these plans, and each one sets goals for work the prime gives to small businesses, so these are the companies looking for small subcontractors in this industry.
- Primes with plans
- 31
- Plan contracts
- 229
- Agencies
- 15
- Total value
- $2B
A free account shows the primes that subcontract 541720 work in your state and the small businesses they hire.
Primes with subcontracting plans in 541720
Most plan contracts first. “Recent subcontracts” counts the subcontracts each prime reported among the 292 most recent reports in this code.
| Prime contractor | Plan contracts | Value | Main agencies | Recent subcontracts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rand Corporation, theSanta Monica, CA | 44 | $193M | Department of the Air Force, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | 12$4M |
| Fors Marsh Group LLCArlington, VA | 42 | $76.1M | Defense Human Resources Activity, Federal Acquisition Service+3 more | — |
| Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.Princeton, NJ · part of Mathematica Inc. | 29 | $294M | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Department of Education+1 more | — |
| American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral SciencesWashington, VA | 25 | $246M | Department of Education, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services | 29$18.6M |
| National Opinion Research CenterChicago, IL | 13 | $135M | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management+3 more | 5$2.5M |
| Research Triangle InstituteResearch Triangle Park, NC | 10 | $308M | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Department of Education+3 more | 51$36.1M |
| Lewin Group, Inc., theFalls Church, VA · part of Unitedhealth Group Incorporated | 9 | $298M | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services | — |
| Westat, Inc.Rockville, MD | 7 | $21.7M | Department of Education, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention+1 more | 1$257K |
| Deloitte Consulting LLPArlington, VA | 6 | $124M | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services | 16$17.1M |
| Peraton Inc.Herndon, VA | 6 | $12.5M | Federal Acquisition Service, Department of the Army | 2$160K |
| National Academy of SciencesWashington, DC · part of National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | 6 | $10.3M | Social Security Administration | — |
| Abt Global LLCRockville, MD | 4 | $22.5M | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Department of Education | 4$3.2M |
| ICF Incorporated, L.L.C.Reston, VA · part of ICF International Inc. | 4 | $6.1M | Department of the Army | 3$126K |
| Abt Associates Inc.Cambridge, MA | 3 | $32.6M | Department of Education, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services | 7$5.2M |
| Personnel Decisions Research Institutes, LLCMinneapolis, VA | 3 | $3.5M | Department of the Army | 3$681K |
| Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA | 2 | $86.9M | Food and Drug Administration | 2$741K |
| MDRCNew York, NY | 2 | $7.8M | Department of Education | 7$794K |
| WestedSan Francisco, CA | 1 | $23M | Department of Education | 4$5.6M |
| Sri InternationalMenlo Park, CA | 1 | $23M | Department of Education | — |
| Educational Testing ServicePrinceton, NJ | 1 | $7.7M | Department of Education | — |
| Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.McLean, VA | 1 | $5.7M | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services | 1$66.7K |
| Mckesson Specialty Health Pharmaceutical & Biotech Solutions LLCThe Woodlands, TX | 1 | $2.9M | Food and Drug Administration | — |
| General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc.Falls Church, VA · part of General Dynamics Corporation | 1 | $2.4M | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services | 1$41.6K |
| Dunlap and Associates, Inc.Cary, NC | 1 | $2.2M | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | — |
| University of Maryland, College ParkCollege Park, MD | 1 | $2M | National Science Foundation | 1$750K |
| Acumen, LLCBurlingame, CA | 1 | $1.6M | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services | — |
| Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortland, OR | 1 | $1.5M | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | — |
| Human Resources Research Organization (HUMRRO)Alexandria, VA · part of Human Resources Research Organization | 1 | $975K | Department of the Army | — |
| Regents of the University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MI | 1 | $904K | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services | — |
| Florida Institute of Technology IncMelbourne, FL | 1 | $899K | Department of the Army | — |
| Georgia State University Research Foundation IncAtlanta, GA | 1 | $795K | Department of the Army | 4$204K |
Recent subcontracts to small businesses
Of the 292 most recent subcontracts primes reported under NAICS 541720 since Jan 30, 2024, 79 went to small businesses, worth $32.2M.
| Date | Small business | Prime | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 19, 2026 | Itc Federal, LLCVA | The MITRE CorporationNational Institute of Standards and Technology | $1.8M |
| Jul 15, 2026 | Mcchrystal Group LLCVA | Rand Corporation, theFederal Emergency Management Agency | $904K |
| Jun 24, 2026 | Akayla IncVA | The MITRE CorporationNational Institute of Standards and Technology | $93.5K |
| Jun 16, 2026 | L&M Policy Research, LLCDC | Abt Global LLCCenters for Medicare and Medicaid Services | $1.1M |
| Jun 15, 2026 | Spherical Cow Consulting, LLCWA | The MITRE CorporationNational Institute of Standards and Technology | $72.8K |
| Jun 5, 2026 | Itc Federal, LLCVA | The MITRE CorporationNational Institute of Standards and Technology | $1.9M |
| Feb 13, 2026 | Safeside Prevention, LLCNY | University of RochesterDepartment of the Air Force | $1.1M |
| Feb 5, 2026 | BNP Education Partners LLCCO | WestedDepartment of Education | $309K |
| Dec 4, 2025 | Sevyngen Consulting LLCNM | Stampede Ventures, Inc.Bureau of Reclamation | $81.2K |
| Nov 3, 2025 | Activate Research Inc.DC | Research Triangle InstituteDepartment of Education | $103K |
| Oct 23, 2025 | Itc Federal, LLCVA | The MITRE CorporationNational Institute of Standards and Technology | $1.1M |
| Oct 17, 2025 | Stratcomm, Inc.MA | American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral SciencesCenters for Medicare and Medicaid Services | $168K |
| Sep 19, 2025 | Nexight Group LLCMD | The MITRE CorporationNational Institute of Standards and Technology | $100K |
| Sep 15, 2025 | Techwerks LLCIL | Peraton Inc.Federal Acquisition Service | $92.5K |
| Sep 8, 2025 | Nexight Group LLCMD | The MITRE CorporationNational Institute of Standards and Technology | $200K |
| Sep 4, 2025 | Applied Integrated Technologies, Inc.MD | The MITRE CorporationNational Institute of Standards and Technology | $850K |
| Apr 24, 2025 | Akayla IncVA | The MITRE CorporationNational Institute of Standards and Technology | $40K |
| Apr 21, 2025 | Itc Federal, LLCVA | The MITRE CorporationNational Institute of Standards and Technology | $1M |
| Apr 14, 2025 | Spherical Cow Consulting, LLCWA | The MITRE CorporationNational Institute of Standards and Technology | $92.8K |
| Apr 8, 2025 | BNP Education Partners LLCCO | WestedDepartment of Education | $4M |
| Mar 25, 2025 | Akayla IncVA | The MITRE CorporationNational Institute of Standards and Technology | $53K |
| Mar 20, 2025 | Spherical Cow Consulting, LLCWA | The MITRE CorporationNational Institute of Standards and Technology | $35K |
| Mar 19, 2025 | Actuarial Research CorporationVA | Research Triangle InstituteCenters for Medicare and Medicaid Services | $210K |
| Mar 17, 2025 | Actuarial Research CorporationVA | Research Triangle InstituteCenters for Medicare and Medicaid Services | $1.3M |
| Mar 10, 2025 | Objective Interface Systems, Inc.VA | Lockheed Martin CorporationMissile Defense Agency | $439K |
Small businesses winning these subcontracts
- Actuarial Research Corporation, VA: 6 subcontracts, $3.1M
- Itc Federal, LLC, VA: 5 subcontracts, $8.1M
- Activate Research Inc., DC: 5 subcontracts, $794K
- Mcchrystal Group LLC, VA: 4 subcontracts, $2.4M
- Analytica, Inc., NC: 4 subcontracts, $359K
- Acumentrics Rups, LLC, MA: 4 subcontracts, $336K
- NPC, Inc., PA: 3 subcontracts, $525K
- Spherical Cow Consulting, LLC, WA: 3 subcontracts, $201K
- Akayla Inc, VA: 3 subcontracts, $186K
- BNP Education Partners LLC, CO: 2 subcontracts, $4.3M
- Objective Interface Systems, Inc., VA: 2 subcontracts, $479K
- Sanametrix Inc, VA: 2 subcontracts, $361K
- Nexight Group LLC, MD: 2 subcontracts, $301K
- Drasgow Consulting Group, LLC, IL: 2 subcontracts, $181K
- Techwerks LLC, IL: 2 subcontracts, $160K
Which agencies
| Agency | Plan contracts | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services | 54 | $1.2B |
| Department of Education | 46 | $315M |
| Department of the Air Force | 41 | $182M |
| Federal Acquisition Service | 23 | $52M |
| Defense Human Resources Activity | 20 | $30M |
| Department of the Army | 12 | $14.6M |
| Social Security Administration | 9 | $34M |
| Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | 8 | $33.6M |
| Food and Drug Administration | 4 | $90.7M |
| Securities and Exchange Commission | 4 | $13.8M |
Where the work is
District of Columbia (79), Virginia (61), Maryland (51), New Jersey (9), California (8), North Carolina (7), Illinois (5), Massachusetts (2), Georgia (2), Oregon (1), and 4 more.
How to win subcontracts with these primes
- Register in the prime's supplier portal. Most large primes have one, usually under “supplier diversity” or “small business programs” on their website. Buyers search it when they need a subcontractor, so list your NAICS codes, certifications and past work.
- Contact the small business liaison officer. Every prime with a plan names someone to run it. Find them through the supplier portal, or for defense primes in DoD's prime contractor directory. Send a one-page capability statement that names the contracts and agencies you can support.
- Watch SBA's SubNet. Primes post subcontracting solicitations and sources sought notices on SubNet.
- Be easy to vet. Keep your SAM.gov registration active and check that you count as small under 541720's size standard. Certifications such as 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB and SDVOSB count toward the prime's goals, which makes you more valuable to them.
- Get free help. APEX Accelerators introduce small businesses to primes and run matchmaking events. Our guide to becoming a government subcontractor covers the rest.
More on 541720: open contracts and top small-business winners. Primes also post subcontracting opportunities on SBA's SubNet.
Frequently asked questions
What is a small business subcontracting plan?
Under FAR 19.702, a large business that wins a federal contract over $900,000 ($2 million for construction) with subcontracting possibilities must agree to a plan with goals for subcontracting to small businesses, including small disadvantaged, women-owned, HUBZone and service-disabled veteran-owned firms. The prime reports its progress twice a year in eSRS. Contracts awarded before October 2025 used the older $750,000 and $1.5 million thresholds.
How do I become a subcontractor to these 541720 primes?
Register in the prime's supplier portal (most large primes have one, often called supplier diversity or small business programs), keep your SAM.gov registration active, and send the prime's small business liaison officer a capability statement that names the contracts and agencies you can support. Primes need small subcontractors to meet their plan goals, so being easy to find and easy to vet matters.
Where does this data come from?
Primes and their plan contracts come from SBA's Directory of Federal Government Prime Contractors with Subcontracting Plans for FY2022–FY2024, which is drawn from FPDS. Recent subcontracts come from the subaward reports primes file on USAspending.gov (most subcontracts over $30,000 on prime contracts over $750,000 must be reported). A subcontractor is shown as a small business when it has an active SAM.gov registration as small under at least one NAICS code, or an SBA certification.
Source: SBA's directory of prime contractors with subcontracting plans (FY2022–FY2024, from FPDS) and USAspending.gov subaward reports. Contact names are never shown. Values are base plus all options, not what has been paid.