NAICS 513210: Software Publishers
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in software publishing. Establishments in this industry carry out operations necessary for producing and distributing computer software, such as designing, providing documentation, assisting in installation, and providing support services to software purchasers. These establishments may design, develop, and publish, or publish only. These establishments may publish and distribute software through subscriptions and/or downloads. Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in--Show more
NAICS 513210 – Software Publishers encompasses firms that develop, publish, and distribute proprietary software products, including enterprise applications, mission-critical systems, cybersecurity tools, data analytics platforms, and custom-built software solutions for government use. These publishers typically own the intellectual property and license their software to federal agencies, often integrating it with existing IT infrastructures such as cloud environments, secure networks, and interoperable data systems.
Industry Spending Overview
Federal obligations, top contractors and agencies, and related industry codes for NAICS 513210.
AI Industry Description
NAICS 513210 – Software Publishers encompasses firms that develop, publish, and distribute proprietary software products, including enterprise applications, mission-critical systems, cybersecurity tools, data analytics platforms, and custom-built software solutions for government use. These publishe...
NAICS 513210 – Software Publishers encompasses firms that develop, publish, and distribute proprietary software products, including enterprise applications, mission-critical systems, cybersecurity tools, data analytics platforms, and custom-built software solutions for government use. These publishers typically own the intellectual property and license their software to federal agencies, often integrating it with existing IT infrastructures such as cloud environments, secure networks, and interoperable data systems. Unlike IT service providers, software publishers focus on scalable, reusable products rather than bespoke development, making their offerings ideal for agencies seeking standardized, maintainable, and audit-compliant software. This NAICS plays a vital role in the federal digital transformation ecosystem, supporting automation, mission readiness, and data-driven decision-making across defense, civil, and intelligence operations. Top contractors in this sector include EPS CORPORATION, OPEN TEXT INC., AITHERAS LLC, LAKOTA SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC., and NEXT TIER CONCEPTS INC., representing a mix of established primes and agile small businesses specializing in niche government software solutions. The competitive landscape is characterized by firms that combine deep domain expertise in federal compliance, such as FISMA and NIST standards, with agile development practices to deliver secure, scalable software products. Primary buyers include the Department of Defense, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, and General Services Administration, with demand driven by modernization initiatives, cybersecurity hardening, and mission-critical system upgrades. The Smithsonian Institution and Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency also reflect the breadth of applications beyond defense, spanning research, public safety, and administrative modernization. The market offers strong opportunity density for software publishers with certified products, FedRAMP authorization, and interoperability with federal IT architectures. Demand is increasingly oriented toward modular, cloud-native, and AI-enabled software solutions that support zero-trust frameworks and automated compliance workflows.
Small Business Size Standard
The SBA threshold that decides who can bid NAICS 513210 work as a small business.
The SBA cap for this NAICS (13 CFR 121.201). A business at or under it can self-certify as small for work in this code, which is what makes it eligible for a small-business set-aside. The cap is set per NAICS, so the same company can be small in one code and not in another.
13 CFR 121.201, effective January 1, 2026. The SBA revises the table roughly once a year.
Top Contractors
Companies with the highest total award value under NAICS 513210, ranked by dollars won.
| Company | Total Awards | Contracts |
|---|---|---|
| PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES INC. | $369.8M | 30 |
| CARAHSOFT TECHNOLOGY CORP | $126.5M | 158 |
| DELL FEDERAL SYSTEMS L.P | $114.5M | 106 |
| COMPUTABLE INSIGHTS LLC | $107.4M | 19 |
| PALANTIR USG INC | $67.0M | 8 |
| VOYAGER SEARCH | $52.6M | 1 |
| VOYAGER SEARCH Fontana CA 92336 USA | $52.6M | 1 |
| POPLICUS INCORPORATED | $50.3M | 25 |
| COPPER RIVER DATA SOLUTIONS, LLC | $27.1M | 5 |
| REDHAWK IT SOLUTIONS, LLC | $25.8M | 20 |
Top Agencies
Federal agencies directing the most contract spending toward NAICS 513210.
Competition
How many companies historically bid on federal awards in NAICS 513210, from bidder counts reported on USAspending.
Half or more of reported awards drew exactly one bidder, usually a sign of incumbent-held work rather than an open field. · 11,801 reported awards
Median Bidders
1
Per reported award, all-time
Single-Bid Awards
83%
Share of reported awards with one bidder
10+ Bidder Awards
1%
Share of reported awards with 10+ bidders
Reported Awards
11,801
92% of 12,852 total awards
Share of reported awards in each bidder-count bracket per federal fiscal year.
How this code compares up the NAICS hierarchy. Parent cohorts pool every code under their prefix, so they are the steadier baseline when a 6-digit sample is thin.
| Industry Family | Competition | Median Bidders | Single-Bid | Bidder Mix | Reported Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
513210This Code Software Publishers | Usually Single-Bid | 1 | 83% | 11,80192% of 12,852 | |
51321NAICS Industry | Usually Single-Bid | 1 | 83% | 11,80192% of 12,852 | |
5132Industry Group Software Publishers | Usually Single-Bid | 1 | 83% | 12,04092% of 13,123 | |
513Subsector | Usually Single-Bid | 1 | 58% | 39,20892% of 42,848 | |
51Sector Information | Usually Single-Bid | 1 | 62% | 750,71688% of 854,307 |
Bidder counts reported on past federal awards in this NAICS (USAspending). An open opportunity has no bidders yet, so this is the historical norm for similar work, not a fact about this solicitation. Not all awards report bidder counts, and fewer bidders often means incumbent-held work rather than an easier win. Federal reporting of bidder counts fell from ~96% of awards (FY2016) to ~30% (FY2018 onward); the chart shows shares of reported awards, and washed-out stretches mark years with fewer than 30 of them.
Related NAICS Codes
Industries similar to Software Publishers, by shared sector, subsector, and industry group.
Newspaper Publishers
This industry comprises establishments known as newspaper publishers. Establishments in this indust...Periodical Publishers
This industry comprises establishments known either as magazine publishers or periodical publishers....Book Publishers
This industry comprises establishments known as book publishers. Establishments in this industry ca...Directory and Mailing List Publishers
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in publishing directories, mailing lists, a...Greeting Card Publishers
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in publishing greeting cards. These e...All Other Publishers
This U.S. industry comprises establishments generally known as publishers (except newspaper, magazin...Motion Picture and Video Production
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in producing, or producing and distributing...Motion Picture and Video Distribution
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in acquiring distribution rights and distri...Explore contracts across multiple NAICS codes Browse all NAICS Codes
Frequently Asked Questions
Recently Posted in Software Publishers
Win Contracts in Software Publishers
Get AI-powered intelligence on NAICS 513210 procurement
Real-time contract opportunities for NAICS 513210 (Software Publishers)
AI-powered matching based on your business capabilities and past performance
Competitive analysis of contractors winning awards in this industry
Automated alerts when new opportunities are posted
Join 750+ contractors already using CLEATUS