# Where do I get federal subcontract (subaward) data? From FFATA subaward reports, which primes file for first-tier subcontracts of $30,000 or more: USAspending serves them linked to prime awards without a key, and SAM.gov's Acquisition Subaward Reporting API serves them with a SAM.gov key. This API holds only 461 subaward rows today, so use USAspending for real research. Treat totals as a floor. Only 461 subaward rows are loaded here.Checked on 2026-11-15.Official source: [SAM.gov Acquisition Subaward Reporting API](https://open.gsa.gov/api/acquisition-subaward-reporting-api/) | Reporting threshold | $30,000, first tier | | --- | --- | | Law | FFATA | | Subawards loaded here | 461 | | GovCon API subawards | 276,028 from FY2025 | ## The answer in detail Subaward data has well-known gaps: only first-tier subcontracts are reported, reporting compliance varies by prime, and amounts are as the prime reported them. Treat totals as a floor.USAspending links each subaward to its prime award, which is the useful view for finding primes to subcontract under: the primes that already report subawards in your NAICS code.GovCon API serves 276,028 subawards from FY2025 and adds a subaward rollup on its Pro plan; that is a stronger choice than this site if subawards are your main need. ## How the options compare | Option | Price | Access and limits | Coverage and history | Best for | Checked | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [USAspending API (official)](https://api.usaspending.gov/docs/endpoints) | Free, no key | No key and no published daily cap | Prime awards and subawards back to FY2001; no SAM.gov registration status or expiry | Award and spending history | 2026-11-12 | | [SAM.gov APIs (official)](https://open.gsa.gov/api/entity-api/) | Free | 10 requests a day with no SAM.gov role, 1,000 with a role or a non-federal system account; keys expire every 90 days | The live, authoritative record: entities, opportunities, exclusions, contract awards, hierarchy, subawards | Anyone who needs the official record itself, at low volume | 2026-11-12 | | [GovCon API (govconapi.com)](https://govconapi.com/pricing) | Developer $19/mo, Pro $39/mo; 14-day trial | 1,000 requests an hour (50 a minute burst); trial 50 a day | 12,265,150 contracts and 758,552 opportunities from FY2025; 904,090 entities, monthly | Developers who want the lowest entry price and FY2025+ history | 2026-11-15 | | [samgovapi.io](https://samgovapi.io/pricing) | Free (100 credits a month, no card); Developer $49/mo, Pro $149/mo, Scale $499/mo | 20 to 180 requests a minute by plan, no daily cap; REST, MCP and keyless MCP search | 881,370 entities (1 Nov 2026 extract), 74,420 notices, 169,191 exclusions, 114,954 awards since 1 Oct 2026 | Developers and AI agents who want entities, bids and exclusions joined in one API | 2026-11-15 | ## Where samgovapi.io is the weaker choice - Only 461 subaward rows are loaded here. - Award history is short: 114,954 prime awards with action dates from 1 Oct 2026 to 10 Nov 2026 (fiscal year 2027 so far). USAspending goes back to FY2001 and GovCon API serves 12.27 million contracts from FY2025. ## Try it USAspending's keyless subaward search; the REST call here returns prime awards for the same recipient. ``` curl -s https://api.usaspending.gov/api/v2/search/spending_by_award/ \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"subawards":true,"filters":{"award_type_codes":["A","B","C","D"],"recipient_search_text":["UAVDK5WWYDZ5"]},"fields":["Sub-Award ID","Sub-Awardee Name","Sub-Award Amount"],"limit":10}' curl "https://samgovapi.io/api/v1/awards?recipient_uei=UAVDK5WWYDZ5" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $SAMGOVAPI_API_KEY" ``` ## Questions Are second-tier subcontracts reported?No. FFATA covers first-tier subawards only.How do I find primes to subcontract under?Look for primes with large awards in your NAICS code that already report subawards; they have a subcontracting plan to fill. ## Related - [SAM.gov Subaward API](https://samgovapi.io/sam-gov-subaward-api) - [Recipe: find primes to subcontract under](https://samgovapi.io/agents/recipes/find-prime-contractors-to-subcontract-under) - [API docs](https://samgovapi.io/docs) - [Pricing](https://samgovapi.io/pricing) - [Answers](https://samgovapi.io/answers)Updated 2026-11-15. Sources checked 2026-11-15.Independent. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by GSA, SAM.gov or any U.S. government agency. Registering in SAM.gov is free at sam.gov.

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