FedFlash: Presidents' Day Pause? Not This Year
Federal solicitation activity defies the holiday lull, surging 58% above baseline as the DoD and Justice Department accelerate.
Welcome to the February 23rd edition of FedFlash. If you expected the federal government to slow down during the week of
Department & Agency Highlights
The DoD was the primary driver of this week's surge, posting a staggering 4,165 opportunities—nearly 1,600 more than their typical weekly output. This 60% increase over baseline suggests a major push to finalize requirements before the end of the month. However, several civilian agencies also saw significant growth.
Movers and shakers in the agency landscape included:
- The SSA was our top mover by ratio, posting 11 opportunities—over 8x their recent weekly average.
- The Justice Department more than doubled its baseline with 107 new starts.
- The USDA remained highly active with 118 postings, 2.2x its usual rate.
- The Interior Department continued its strong February performance with 142 solicitations.
- The VA reached 431 opportunities, a 50% increase over its standard volume.
SBA Set-Aside Trends
For the SBA-certified community, the news is exceptional. Set-aside volume reached its highest point of the year so far, with over 2,500 opportunities restricted for small business entities. This is a prime environment for firms with specific socioeconomic status to capitalize on high-volume, low-competition requirements.
- Total Small Business Set-Asides reached a massive 2,157 postings, up 87% from the baseline.
- SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business) opportunities hit 291, maintaining a strong upward trend.
- HUBZone solicitations tripled their baseline with 96 postings.
- WOSB (Women-Owned Small Business) programs saw 51 opportunities, a healthy recovery toward baseline levels.
- 8(a) Set-Asides were active with 27 new postings.
- ISBEE (Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise) opportunities hit 22, primarily supporting the Interior Department.
At SAMClerk.com, we are noticing that civilian agencies are increasingly utilizing HUBZone and ISBEE set-asides this month to meet their early 2026 small business goals.
NAICS Code Movers and Shakers
The manufacturing and technical services sectors dominated the week, but we saw some massive spikes in hardware and industrial components.
- 336413 (Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing) remains the volume leader with 316 postings.
- 332722 (Bolt, Nut, Screw, Rivet, and Washer Manufacturing) exploded with 272 opportunities—nearly 3.5x its weekly average.
- 236220 (Commercial and Institutional Building Construction) saw 166 postings, more than doubling the baseline.
- 334418 (Printed Circuit Assembly Manufacturing) was a top mover with 52 opportunities, nearly 5x its usual volume.
- 326220 (Rubber and Plastics Hoses and Belting Manufacturing) saw 44 postings, a 3.3x jump.
It is also worth noting that 311991 (Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing) saw a 3x spike with 25 opportunities, signaling a busy week for federal food service and supply requirements.
The Weekly Wrap-Up
In summary, the
Whether your business focuses on hardware 332722, electronics 334418, or construction 236220, the volume of work is currently significantly higher than normal. To make sure you’re tracking the right contracts for your certifications, head over to SAMClerk.com and set up your automated alerts today.
We’ll see you next Monday for another FedFlash!
Stop searching. Start Bidding.
Best,
D.J.
Founder, SAMClerk.com
Feb 23, 2026