Federal Highway Administration

The Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, a sub-agency of the civilian U.S. Department of Transportation, procures and funds highway, bridge, and surface transportation infrastructure work on federal lands and through state and local transportation agencies nationwide. FHWA operates through multiple divisions, including the Central Federal Lands Highway Division (CFLHD), which handles projects on federally managed lands across the West, and regional field offices that administer project grants to state departments of transportation and local governments.

FHWA has awarded 26,651 federal contracts cumulatively since 1979, generating $18.04 billion in combined potential value. The most recent recorded contract award dates to January 2027. Annual contract volume has declined from 765 awards in 2023 to 466 in 2026 and 1 year-to-date in 2027, reflecting a sustained downward trend in activity over the last five years. Despite this decay, the agency obligated $20.69 billion against contracts, exceeding combined potential value by 15 percent—a signal of substantial modification activity and task orders placed against existing vehicles. Competitive concentration among prime contractors is highly fragmented; over the last five years, the top five primes by award count (HDR Engineering, ICF Incorporated, Rocksol Consulting Group, Dj&A, and Jacobs Engineering Group) hold only 13 percent of recent awards. By potential value, the top five (Noblis, Eclipse Companies, Leidos, ICF Incorporated, and Rocksol Consulting Group) hold only 2 percent of combined potential value across the portfolio, indicating that FHWA transacts heavily through Schedule task orders, BPA calls, and modifications with unreported dollar fields.

Set-asides are minimal; 84 percent of awards carry no set-aside designation. Small business awards (all types combined) account for 10 percent of the portfolio, with 8(a) sole source comprising 3 percent. HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, and other socioeconomic designations each represent less than 1 percent of awards.

FHWA has obligated $1259.01 billion in federal grant dollars across 1,555,431 grant awards since 1984, with combined federal and non-federal share totaling $1757.01 billion. The most recent recorded grant award dates to September 2027. Annual grant activity declined from 47,838 awards in 2023 to 11,667 in 2026 and 1 year-to-date in 2027. Grant recipient concentration is moderately concentrated; over the last five years, the top five recipients by award count (Indiana DOT, Ohio DOT, Florida DOT, Texas DOT, and Michigan DOT) hold 24 percent of recent awards. By federal dollars obligated, the top five recipients (Texas DOT, California DOT, Florida DOT, Pennsylvania DOT, and New York DOT) hold 11 percent of combined federal dollars, reflecting the formula-driven nature of highway funding. Formula Grants dominate the assistance-type mix, accounting for 93 percent of awards; Project Grants represent 7 percent, with Cooperative Agreements and Block Grants each below 1 percent.

Recent contract opportunities span design services, construction, and emerging technology. The Central Federal Lands Highway Division is soliciting multiple Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contracts for architect-engineer design services with a shared capacity of $60 million and a five-year performance period across 13 western states, with due date November 20, 2026. Construction projects include roadway rehabilitation, bridge repairs, and pavement preservation work across national parks, wildlife refuges, and forest lands—representative recent solicitations include bridge repairs on Wyoming's US 20 (due November 4, 2026, pre-solicitation phase), roadway resurfacing in Arizona (due November 17, 2026, total small business set-aside), and a $45 million to $55 million reconstruction project on Grand Loop Road at Yellowstone (anticipated Winter 2026/2027). The ITS Joint Program Office is soliciting up to five operational pilots for the ITS4US Deployment Accelerator program to test and deploy integrated intelligent transportation technology solutions, with due date January 11, 2027. Two single-award IDIQ solicitations target standards-development organizations: the Open Mobility Foundation for multimodal standards maintenance (Mobility Data Specification and Curb Data Specification) and the Institute of Transportation Engineers for ITS infrastructure standards development.

Recent grant opportunities target infrastructure resilience, wildlife safety, and state-level innovation. FHWA is offering $80 million in FY 2026 funding for the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve habitat connectivity, open to states, local governments, tribes, and federal land managers with a 20 percent non-federal cost share requirement and due date November 16, 2026. The Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Competitive Grant Program is allocating up to $787 million across FYs 2024–2026 to improve resilience of highways, transit, ports, and rail infrastructure; eligibility spans states, MPOs, local governments, tribes, transit agencies, and port authorities, with due date October 9, 2026. The Prioritization Process Pilot Program offers up to $26 million in FYs 2025–2026 funding for metropolitan planning organizations serving urban areas over 200,000 population to implement new prioritization methodologies, with a $2 million award cap and 100 percent federal share, due October 30, 2026. The Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems program provides competitive grant funding to state DOTs to demonstrate new construction technology at a program level, with a 20 percent cost-share requirement and prior deadline of September 16, 2026.

The Federal Highway Administration supports state and local government in the design, construction, and maintenance of the highway system.