PrimeRFP SCOUT · NAICS Intelligence
NAICS 5417 — Scientific Research & Development Services
NAICS 541715 — R&D in Physical, Engineering & Life Sciences
NAICS 541715 is the primary code for applied research and development in defense systems, space, energy, biomedical sciences, and national security. It encompasses FFRDCs, national labs, university research, and applied R&D firms. The largest-spend NAICS code in the federal market by total obligated value.
$647.2B
Total Obligated
19,134
Total Awards
$33.8M
Avg Award Value
Apr 2025 – Mar 2026
Data Period
Year-Over-Year Award Trend
| Year | Awards | Total Obligated |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17,467 | $360.3B |
| 2026 | 1,667 | $286.9B |
2026 data through March 2026 only. Source: PrimeRFP SCOUT · ≥$25K floor
Top Agencies by Obligation — NAICS 541715
| Agency | Awards | Total Obligated |
|---|---|---|
DoDDepartment of Defense | 12,313 | $273.4B |
DOEDepartment of Energy | 34 | $236.3B |
NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration | 2,337 | $85.3B |
HHSDepartment of Health and Human Services | 1,305 | $26.6B |
GSAGeneral Services Administration | 252 | $18.6B |
Top Awardees — NAICS 541715
Trailing 12 months · ≥$25K floor · Source: PrimeRFP SCOUT
| Rank | Awardee | Awards | Total Obligated |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC | 1 | $60.2B |
| #2 | Lockheed Martin Corporation | 130 | $57.7B |
| #3 | Battelle Memorial Institute | 116 | $37.6B |
| #4 | Los Alamos National Laboratory (UC Regents) | 1 | $35.3B |
| #5 | Fluor Marine Propulsion | 2 | $33.3B |
| #6 | California Institute of Technology (JPL) | 441 | $26.0B |
| #7 | UC Regents (Lawrence Berkeley) | 1 | $21.3B |
| #8 | UChicago Argonne (ANL) | 1 | $17.5B |
| #9 | Stanford University | 1 | $15.0B |
| #10 | Raytheon Company | 81 | $14.8B |
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→$647B obligated across 19,134 awards — the highest total spend of any NAICS code in the federal market, driven by DOE national lab operating contracts and DoD weapons R&D.
→DOE's $236B across just 34 awards reflects the M&O (Management & Operations) contract structure for national labs — single awards worth $10B–$60B with 5–10 year periods of performance.
→Non-FFRDC, non-national-lab applied R&D (Lockheed, Raytheon, Battelle) represents the open-competition opportunity — these awards are actively recompeted and accessible to qualified challengers.
→NASA's 2,337 awards at $85.3B include JPL (Caltech), mission support, and a high volume of smaller research task orders — more distributed than DOE and more accessible to mid-tier firms.
Frequently Asked Questions — NAICS 541715
What does NAICS 541715 cover?
NAICS 541715 (Research and Development in Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences) covers federal contracts for applied R&D in defense systems, aerospace, nuclear energy, biomedical research, oceanography, and national security technologies. It includes both FFRDC/national lab operating contracts and commercial applied R&D firms.
How much does the federal government spend on NAICS 541715?
Federal agencies obligated approximately $647.2B under NAICS 541715 in the trailing 12 months (Apr 2025–Mar 2026) across 19,134 awards. DOE ($236B, national labs) and DoD ($273B, weapons and defense R&D) are the dominant buyers. Source: PrimeRFP SCOUT, ≥$25K floor.
Can small businesses compete for NAICS 541715 contracts?
Yes. While the top awards are dominated by national labs and large primes, DoD and NASA actively award smaller R&D contracts to mid-tier firms, universities, and SBIRs. HHS (NIH) awards 1,305 contracts at an average value accessible to research firms. GSA's OASIS+ and DoD's SBIR/STTR programs are the primary entry points for smaller R&D performers.
What is the average contract value under NAICS 541715?
The average award value is $33.8M — the highest of any common IT or professional services NAICS code — but this is heavily skewed by DOE national lab operating contracts worth $10B–$60B each. For DoD and NASA applied R&D, task order values typically range from $1M to $500M.
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