Office of Science

The Department of Energy Office of Science is a civilian sub-agency within DOE that funds scientific research and procures equipment, services, and construction to support the national laboratory system and university-based research programs. The Office of Science operates through multiple national laboratories including Fermilab, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, which generate the majority of its procurement and grant activity.

The Office of Science awarded 3,874 federal contracts cumulatively since 1976, with combined potential value of $370.22 billion and $228.79 billion obligated. Recent contract activity has declined modestly: 139 awards in 2022, 125 in 2023, 132 in 2024, 90 in 2025, and 84 so far in 2026. The most recent recorded award closed on 30 September 2026. Among the 1,227 distinct prime contractors awarded over the portfolio history, competitive concentration is highly fragmented. Over the last five years, Accord Federal Services, LLC leads by award count with 34 awards totaling $20 million combined potential value; Four LLC follows with 28 awards ($3.3 million); and East Tennessee Mechanical Contractors, Inc. holds 19 awards ($8.8 million). By-value concentration is also highly fragmented at 0 percent coverage among the top five primes, reflecting heavy transacting through Schedule task orders, BPA calls, and below-threshold purchase orders where potential value is not reported in source data. The set-aside mix is dominated by unrestricted procurements at 84 percent of awards, with small-business set-asides comprising 9 percent, 8(a) sole-source at 5 percent, and veteran-owned and women-owned small-business designations collectively under 1 percent.

The Office of Science obligated $18.02 billion in federal grant funding across 9,990 awards cumulatively since 1984, with combined total obligated dollars (federal plus non-federal share) of $18.21 billion. Grant activity has declined: 1,066 awards in 2022, 1,095 in 2023, 886 in 2024, 658 in 2025, and 197 so far in 2026. The most recent grant award closed on 15 September 2026. Among 1,807 distinct recipients, concentration is highly fragmented by both count and dollars. Over the last five years, Gordon Research Conferences leads by award count with 93 awards ($1.2 million federal dollars); University of Wisconsin System holds 51 awards ($46.3 million); and Michigan State University has 50 awards ($493.4 million federal dollars obligated). By federal dollars, Michigan State University dominates with $493.4 million across 50 awards, followed by MIT with $60.2 million across 49 awards, and University of Wisconsin System with $46.3 million across 51 awards. Project Grants comprise 96 percent of assistance, with Cooperative Agreements at 4 percent and Block and Formula Grants together under 1 percent.

Current contract solicitations reflect the national laboratory mission: Fermilab is procuring Leica absolute tracker equipment (due 4 November), bar grating and saddle clips (due 6 November), and niobium sheets, rings, and disks for the PIP-II proton accelerator project (due 10 November). Brookhaven National Laboratory is seeking Galaxy VS UPS equipment and services (due 26 October) and a spectrum analyzer (due 23 October). SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has posted a sources-sought notice for the Critical Utilities Infrastructure Revitalization Master Substation Annex Building construction (due 27 October, pre-solicitation) and fabrication work for detector components (due 23 October). Argonne National Laboratory is soliciting maintenance, repair, and construction services on a BPA basis for facility-wide work (due 11 November). The National Laboratory of the Rockies (managing NREL) is seeking design-build services for perimeter security fencing (due 11 November, total small-business set-aside) and Building America program subject-matter expert support (due 16 November). The Office of Science has no recent grant opportunities recorded in the source material.

The Energy Department's Science Office supports a wide variety of scientific research, operating 10 of the Department's National Laboratories. The Science Office also operates several open-access scientific facilities that anyone may use (given their plan of study has sufficient scientific merit).