Shutdown Funding Lapse Shreds Civilian Contract Spending by 74%

A month of lapsed funding for federal agencies has led to a 74% decline in nondefense contract spending compared to the same time last year, according to Bloomberg Government data and analysis.

Procurement spending by civilian agencies in October totaled $5.6 billion. There was $21.4 billion in contracts in October 2024, when the government operated under the constraints of stopgap funding but didn’t shut down.

In the absence of enacted fiscal year appropriations, agencies are able to spend money on contracts supporting critical functions such as national defense, border security, veterans health, public safety, and critical infrastructure.

The civilian agencies ...