Department Of Education California

The Department of Education California, Fiscal and Administrative Services (Suite 2213) Division is a U.S. state government entity operating as a primary recipient of federal education and nutrition grants, distributing over $170.29 billion obligated across 634 awards since 1995. The division does not compete for federal contracts or serve as a federal contractor; it receives formula grants and project grants from the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, then sub-awards substantially all funds to California's local educational agencies, school districts, county offices of education, and community organizations.

The division's federal footprint centers on education and child nutrition administration. The most recent prime award was a $3.03 million definitive contract from the Institute of Education Sciences (April 1, 2025, through March 31, 2035) to serve as California's National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) State Coordinator, managing state-level coordination of NAEP assessment activities. In the federal grant space, the division received a $672,183 project grant from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (October 1, 2026) to establish Apprenticed CA, a registered educator apprenticeship aligned with state personnel development grant priorities to strengthen the special education workforce pipeline. The division also received a $503.87 million formula grant from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (July 1, 2026) under the Special Education Grants to States program (CFDA 84.027) to distribute subgrants to eligible local educational agencies; a $125.92 million formula grant from the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (July 1, 2026) under the Migrant Education State Grant Program (CFDA 84.011); and a $160.43 million formula grant from the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (July 1, 2026) under the Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers program (CFDA 84.287).

Customer concentration is extreme and expected for a state educational agency. The Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education issued 253 awards (84% of recent award count). The Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service issued 190 combined awards across two program lines (CNP administrations and food distribution). The Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services issued 50 awards. These three funding entities account for well over 90% of the division's award activity. The Institute of Education Sciences carries the highest potential value share at $7.7 million combined across seven awards, but because the division receives formula grants and operates as a pass-through entity, potential-value figures mask the actual obligations: combined dollars obligated total $170.29 billion, a figure roughly 2,100 times the combined potential value, reflecting the division's role in administering and sub-awarding the largest federal education entitlements.

The division holds no seats on federal contract vehicles, GWACs, BPAs, or agency-wide IDIQs. All awards are direct federal grants routed to California as the state educational agency or state nutrition program administrator. The division acts as prime recipient on 629 of 634 awards (99%); sub-award activity is minimal and recent, including a sub-award from the Department of Social Services California (TANF program) and a research sub-award from the American Institutes for Research on pandemic recovery evaluation.

Activity has remained flat at 24–30 awards per year over the past five years, with 15 awards year-to-date through October 2026. Recompete exposure in the next twenty-four months affects 21 awards — predominantly recurring annual formula grants in July and October cycles for education and nutrition programs. The division's award portfolio is characterized by federal formula grants, project grants, and cooperative agreements in education, special education, child nutrition, English language acquisition, migrant education, rural education, and homeless student support. The division distributes funds to over 100 local sub-recipients per major grant program. Because the division is a state government entity rather than a federal contractor, it does not compete in the traditional federal procurement market; it administers federally mandated education and nutrition programs on behalf of California and its schools.