30 Companies Getting the Most From the Government

The federal government awarded Centene Corporation $2.6 billion in contracts in 2017 to provide health insurance for public sector employees. This contract represents a relatively small part of the company’s $60 billion in annual revenue. Like other health care companies on this list, Centene is a large, publicly-traded health care management company. In 2016, Health Net Federal Services, one of the primary health contractors for the Department of Defense, became a subsidiary of Centene.

General Atomic Technologies Corporation, founded in 1955 as a subsidiary of General Dynamics, is one of the companies receiving the most money from the government. The company, which has contracts with the Department of Defense and the Air Force is one of the leading producers of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). It also develops aircraft launch and recovery systems, missile defense, and space systems.

CSRA Inc. was awarded nearly $3 billion in federal government contracts in fiscal 2017. In 2018, the company was purchased by defense contractor juggernaut General Dynamics for $9.7 billion. As an independent company, CSRA provided IT solutions for a variety of government bodies, including the Department of Homeland Security. It appears the former parts of CSRA will continue to do so as part of General Dynamics’ operations.

UnitedHealth Group is a private health care company that offers health benefit plans for government workers, individuals, and small- and mid-size businesses. The government awarded UnitedHealth $3.0 billion worth of contracts in fiscal year 2017. All told, the health care giant serves 126 million people, including those in government agencies across 36 states and Washington, D.C.

The majority of defense contractor Harris Corporation’s annual revenue comes from government contracts. The company’s segments include an electronic warfare systems division and a communication systems division, which manufactures night vision and other networked and integrated communication products. Standing contracts with the government include lucrative deals with the U.S. Army, Air Force, and Special Operations Forces. In addition to the U.S. government, the company has clients in over 100 countries.