Construction Government Contracts in Texas
Government construction contracts cover new builds, renovations, and repairs for federal buildings, military facilities, schools, and infrastructure. Under NAICS 236220 (Commercial and Institutional Building Construction), they carry construction-specific rules: Davis-Bacon prevailing wages, bid/performance/payment bonds, and often a sealed-bid (IFB) process where the lowest responsive, responsible bidder wins. Bonding capacity is the gate that determines what size projects you can pursue.
Selling to government in Texas
Texas posts state solicitations on the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD) and runs a HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) program with subcontracting goals on most contracts over $100K. Major federal buyers include JBSA, Fort Cavazos, and a large VA footprint.
Texas SmartBuy / ESBD — Texas's procurement portalConstruction contract awards in Texas
Since Oct 2024, federal agencies recorded 1,419 federal construction contracts performed in Texas, obligating $22.9B. The largest buyer was the Department of Homeland Security ($20.5B).
Top buying agencies
- 1. Department of Homeland Security$20.5B
- 2. Department of Defense$1.6B
- 3. Department of Veterans Affairs$390.0M
- 4. General Services Administration$335.6M
- 5. Department of Agriculture$31.5M
Recent awards
- Public Buildings Service · 2026-10-23
Border patrol big bend district station, 300 west madrid street, marfa, texas. this project is to provide for design and construction…
- Amstar INC$25KPublic Buildings Service · 2026-10-21
Design build (db) construction with installing a new sink in the eldon b. mahon us bankruptcy court, located at 510 w 10th street, fort…
- Amstar INC$1.3MPublic Buildings Service · 2026-10-21
Security upgrades to the uscia texas service center in irving tx. bldg tx2922zz
- Public Buildings Service · 2026-10-14
United states secret service (usss) mcallen field office, laurel park plaza 1100 e. laurel avenue, mcallen, texas 78501
- Public Buildings Service · 2026-10-13
Hvac replacement del rio land port of entry 3140 spur 239, del rio, texas 78840
- Department of Veterans Affairs · 2026-10-06
Task order to replace pond aerators at houston national cemetery.
Source: USASpending.gov contract award data, refreshed weekly.Search awards
Requirements to expect
- Bid bond (typically 20% of bid) plus performance and payment bonds at 100% of contract value
- Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage compliance with certified payroll
- Licensed trades and state contractor licenses for the place of performance
- Safety program with EMR (experience modification rate) often below 1.0
- Buy American Act / domestic material requirements
- Superintendent and quality control staffing on site
The full documents list and proposal checklist are in the Construction government contracts guide.
Found a Texas solicitation worth bidding?
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Frequently asked questions
How much does the federal government spend on construction in Texas?
Since Oct 2024, agencies obligated $22.9B across 1,419 construction contracts performed in Texas (NAICS 236220), an average of $16.2M per award. The Department of Homeland Security is the largest buyer.
Where are construction bids posted in Texas?
Federal opportunities performed in Texas are posted on SAM.gov (filter by place of performance). State-level work is posted on Texas SmartBuy / ESBD, and counties, cities, and school districts run their own portals — register with the largest ones in your service area.
Do I need to register with the state of Texas to bid?
For Texas state agency contracts, yes — register as a vendor on Texas SmartBuy / ESBD. Federal contracts performed in Texas only require SAM.gov registration, though state small-business certifications can still help with subcontracting.
How much bonding do I need to bid federal construction?
The Miller Act requires performance and payment bonds on federal construction over $150,000. Your surety's single-project limit effectively caps the size you can bid. The SBA Surety Bond Guarantee program helps small contractors get bonded.
What is Davis-Bacon and how does it affect my bid?
Davis-Bacon requires paying locally prevailing wages and fringes (published in the solicitation's wage determination) on federal construction over $2,000, with certified weekly payrolls. Underpricing labor against the determination is a common fatal bid error.