Utah Department Of Workforce Services

Utah Department Of Workforce Services, a U.S. state government entity headquartered in Salt Lake City, administers federal workforce development, social services, and benefit programs as a grant recipient across multiple federal agencies, with a federal footprint dominated by formula grants under the Department of Labor, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Health and Human Services.

The department's recent award activity spans 590 prime awards across 27 distinct federal customer agencies, with combined potential value of $19.4 million against obligated dollars of $8.73 billion—the disparity reflecting the structure of formula grants, which carry large annual payment obligations tied to state workload and population rather than fixed ceiling values. A single definitive fixed-price contract for $19.4 million with the Air Force covers full food service operations at Hill Air Force Base through April 2030, representing the department's only prime contract work in the source data; the remainder of the footprint consists entirely of federal grant awards. The department does not operate as a subcontractor on federal contract work and does not hold federal contract IDVs.

Customer concentration is pronounced and tied to statutory entitlements. The top five funding agencies account for approximately 74 percent of recent awards by count. The Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration leads with 169 awards spanning unemployment insurance administration (CFDA 17.225), employment services and Wagner-Peyser activities (CFDA 17.207), WIOA Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth programs, registered apprenticeship expansion (CFDA 17.285), Trade Adjustment Assistance (CFDA 17.281), Jobs for Veterans State Grants (CFDA 17.801), and specialized training and modernization initiatives. The Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service funds 103 and 63 awards respectively across Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) operations and administration (CFDA 10.561), child nutrition program training and technology (CFDA 10.541), and Summer EBT administration. The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families funds 62 awards covering Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (CFDA 93.558), Child Care and Development Block Grants and mandatory/matching funds (CFDA 93.575, 93.596), Refugee Support Services and cash assistance (CFDA 93.566, 93.567), Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (CFDA 93.568), and Community Services Block Grants (CFDA 93.569). The Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services funds 39 awards for State Vocational Rehabilitation Services (CFDA 84.126), supported employment services (CFDA 84.187), and independent living services for older individuals who are blind (CFDA 84.177). The Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Energy, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Interior, and other smaller federal agencies contribute the remaining award volume.

Representative grant awards include a $188.4 million block grant award under TANF (CFDA 93.558, awarded October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026) supporting needy families with children; a $244.8 million block grant under the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CFDA 93.575, awarded October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028) providing child care subsidies and quality improvement; a $44.1 million formula grant under State Vocational Rehabilitation Services (CFDA 84.126, awarded October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026) operating comprehensive VR programs; a $20.9 million formula grant for Unemployment Insurance administration (CFDA 17.225, awarded October 1, 2025, through December 31, 2028) covering claim processing and system operations; a $23.8 million formula grant for SNAP state administrative costs (CFDA 10.561, awarded October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026) supporting program administration statewide; and a $640,000 cooperative agreement under the Section 811 Project Rental Assistance program (CFDA 14.326, awarded January 7, 2026, through January 6, 2046) providing project-based rental assistance for extremely low-income persons with disabilities across a 20-year term. The department also receives smaller formula grants and cooperative agreements under labor market information programs (CFDA 17.002, 17.207), fair housing assistance (CFDA 14.401), refugee services, child nutrition, weatherization, and other HHS and DOL initiatives.

Activity has remained steady, with 35 awards in 2022, 38 in 2023, 40 in 2024, 32 in 2025, and 4 year-to-date in 2026. Thirty-two awards carry ultimate completion dates within the next 24 months and face recompete or renewal in that window. The vast majority of this activity consists of recurring annual formula grant awards made on a fiscal-year cycle (typically October 1 through September 30 for federal fiscal years), with many awards including multi-year periods of performance but deriving from yearly appropriations and reallocation processes. The department's federal grant portfolio reflects its statutory role as Utah's designated state agency for workforce development (under WIOA), unemployment insurance administration, SNAP operations, child care and development, vocational rehabilitation, refugee services, and fair housing enforcement—functions that generate no competitive procurement opportunity but rather automatic or near-automatic receipt of formula-allocated federal funds based on state workload, population, and approved state plans.