Applied Research and Methods Team

The Government Accountability Office Applied Research and Methods is a civilian agency within the legislative branch that procures research, analysis, and applied-methods support for GAO's internal operations and congressional oversight functions. The office awards contracts for research services, reporting infrastructure, data analysis, and specialized expertise to support GAO's mission of independent evaluation of federal programs and policy.

The GAO Applied Research and Methods portfolio encompasses 150 contract awards since 2010, with $91.6 million in combined potential value and $42.7 million obligated. Recent activity has fluctuated: the office issued 9 awards in 2022, 12 in 2023, 25 in 2024, 11 in 2025, and 6 year-to-date in 2026. The most recent award was recorded on September 27, 2026.

The National Academy of Sciences dominates the award count with 11 awards over the last five years, though its combined potential value of $569 thousand is modest, indicating contract work rather than large research programs. The competitive landscape is highly fragmented by award count (top five account for 41% of recent awards) but similarly fragmented by value (top five account for only 12% of combined potential value), reflecting a portfolio of numerous small, specialized procurements rather than major program vehicles. Beyond the National Academy of Sciences, four other primes appear frequently: ACE Federal Reporters, Inc., Gartner, Inc., Neal R. Gross and Company, Inc., and Free State Reporting, Inc., each holding between 3 and 4 awards in recent years. The portfolio spans 66 distinct prime contractors, underscoring the diversity of service providers engaged.

The set-aside mix skews heavily toward open competition: 85 percent of awards carry no set-aside designation, while small-business set-asides account for 7 percent and one 8(a) sole-source award comprises 1 percent. This reflects the specialized and episodic nature of GAO's research and methods contracting, where vendor selection often depends on specific subject-matter expertise or past performance rather than small-business development objectives.

No recent contract opportunities are recorded in source data for this office. Firms interested in pursuing GAO research and methods work should monitor GAO's electronic contracting system and general schedule vehicles for occasional, specialized solicitations.