Set-Aside Data
Small Business Set-Aside Report 2026
How often federal buyers reserve work for small business — and which set-aside programs (8(a), SDVOSB, WOSB, HUBZone) appear most across active categories.
By GovCon by WinAContract · Published June 15, 2026 · 6 min read
24,315
opportunities analyzed
476
active NAICS categories
92.4%
use a small-business set-aside
71.9%
under $350K ceiling
Key takeaways
- 1.92.4% of active federal categories use at least one small-business set-aside.
- 2.Among set-aside work, Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5) is the most common, accounting for 27.8% of set-aside activity.
- 3.71.9% of categories sit in the simplified-acquisition zone (under $350K) — ideal entry points for newly-certified small firms.
- 4.Socioeconomic certifications (8(a), SDVOSB, WOSB/EDWOSB, HUBZone) materially expand the share of work a small business can compete for.
The mix
Set-aside types across active categories
When a federal buyer reserves a solicitation for a category of business, this is how that work breaks down — weighted by solicitation volume across active categories:
“Full & open” means no set-aside was used. Everything else reserves the work for a class of small business.
What it means
Small business is the default, not the exception
Across 476 active categories, 92.4% used at least one small-business set-aside. For a certified small business, that means most of the federal market is reachable — and a socioeconomic certification (8(a), SDVOSB, WOSB/EDWOSB or HUBZone) opens a further slice that larger competitors can't touch.
Combine that with award size: 71.9% of categories have ceilings under $350K — the simplified-acquisition threshold — where buyers can move fast and rarely demand the deep past-performance record that locks new entrants out of larger awards. That's the on-ramp.
New to certifications? Start with our set-aside program guides for 8(a), WOSB/EDWOSB, SDVOSB and HUBZone.
How we built this
Methodology
This report aggregates 24,315 tracked U.S. federal solicitations across 476 active NAICS categories (those with at least three real solicitations) and 54 states and territories. The same dataset powers GovCon's NAICS and state guides.
Agency and set-aside shares are weighted by solicitation volume so that high-activity categories count proportionally. Award ceilings are read from the upper bound of each category's typical value range. Figures are point-in-time snapshots of tracked opportunities, not official federal procurement totals, and refresh as the underlying data updates.
Frequently asked questions
What share of federal work is set aside for small business?
92.4% of active federal contracting categories use at least one small-business set-aside program.
Which set-aside program is most common?
Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5) is the most common among set-aside work (27.8% of set-aside activity), followed by SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned) and WOSB / EDWOSB (Women-Owned).
What is the simplified-acquisition threshold?
$250K–$350K depending on the rule; here we use $350K. 71.9% of active categories have ceilings under that line, where small firms can win without extensive past performance.
Can I cite these figures?
Yes. The figures are free to cite with attribution to "GovCon by WinAContract" and a link to this report.
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