DC Green Book FY26 — What It Is and How Small Businesses Use It

Every year, the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) publishes a document that most DC small businesses have never heard of — but every serious government contractor should read. It is called the DC Green Book, and it is the closest thing DC has to a published contracting roadmap for small businesses.

This guide explains what the Green Book is, what is in the FY26 edition, how to read the agency-specific goals, and — most importantly — how to use it to target the right agencies for your business.

What is the DC Green Book?

The DC Green Book is an annual report published by DSLBD that does two things:

1. Sets spending goals. Each DC agency is assigned a target percentage of its procurement budget to spend with CBE-certified, local, or small businesses. These are not suggestions — agencies are held accountable to DSLBD for meeting them.
2. Highlights major opportunities. The Green Book identifies specific large contracts and projects planned for the coming fiscal year across DC agencies — giving small businesses advance notice of what is coming before it hits the solicitation portals.

DSLBD publishes the Green Book annually (typically spring) and hosts outreach events where small businesses can learn directly about highlighted opportunities and meet agency procurement officers.

What is in the FY26 DC Green Book?

The FY26 DC Green Book, released in March 2026 by Mayor Bowser and DSLBD Director Kristi Whitfield, is the most ambitious edition in the program's history:

• $1.5 billion total spending goal with local businesses — the highest goal ever set in the Green Book program
• Spending targets for over 75 DC agencies, from DGS and DDOT to smaller independent agencies
• $33.6 million in identified RFK Stadium redevelopment opportunities available in FY26
• Major infrastructure opportunities across transportation, facilities, and technology
• Prior-year compliance data showing which agencies met — and which missed — their FY25 goals

How to read the Green Book

The Green Book is organized by agency. For each agency, it shows:

• FY26 spending goal — the dollar target and percentage of procurement budget
• FY25 actual spending — how much they spent with local businesses last year
• FY25 goal vs. actual — whether they met their prior-year commitment
• Key FY26 opportunities — specific contracts or categories planned for the year
• Agency contact — the procurement officer or DSLBD liaison to reach

When reading the Green Book, pay attention to two things:

1. Agencies that missed their FY25 goal. These agencies are under pressure to perform better in FY26 and will be highly motivated to include certified businesses in upcoming procurements.
2. Agencies with specific opportunities in your NAICS codes. The opportunity listings are the most actionable section — they often name specific projects, dollar amounts, and anticipated timelines before anything is posted on eSourcing.

How to use the Green Book to find contracts

The Green Book is a targeting tool. Here is how to use it:

1. Download the FY26 Green Book from dslbd.dc.gov. Read through the opportunity listings for agencies whose procurement covers your NAICS codes and service areas.
2. Build a target agency list. For each agency with relevant opportunities, note: (1) the procurement contact listed, (2) whether they met their FY25 goal, and (3) the specific contract types planned.
3. Attend DSLBD outreach events. DSLBD runs Green Book briefings where agency procurement officers present their plans. These are opportunities to meet contracting officers before solicitations are posted — one of the highest-leverage moves in government contracting.
4. Register in eSourcing for your NIGP codes. Once you have identified target agencies and contract types, make sure you are registered in DC eSourcing with the NIGP commodity codes that match those opportunities.
5. Reach out directly. Government contracting rewards preparation. If the Green Book shows Agency X is planning a $2M IT services contract in Q3, contact the agency's procurement office now — not when the solicitation drops.

The Green Book and CBE certification

The Green Book spending goals are specifically tied to CBE certification and other DC local business certifications. To count toward an agency's Green Book goal, the vendor must hold a qualifying DC certification — CBE being the primary one.

This is why CBE certification is a prerequisite for serious DC government contracting. An uncertified vendor can still win DC contracts, but agencies do not count that spend toward their Green Book targets — removing the institutional motivation to seek out and award to your business.

If you are not CBE certified, read our complete CBE certification guide. Apply at dslbd.dc.gov. The process takes 45–90 days and is the single highest-ROI action a DC-based small business can take to access government contracting.