Where Are the Most RFPs in the United States?

California leads the nation in total RFP volume with 672 listings out of 6,215 US-based RFPs in our dataset, followed by Texas (471), New York (420), Florida (289), and Maryland (247). However, raw volume is a misleading metric for assessing RFP market density. A state's total count reflects its population and economic size as much as its procurement activity. When you normalize for population, the picture changes dramatically, and the true procurement hotspots emerge.

Washington DC has 263 RFPs per million residents, making it the most procurement-dense market in the country by an enormous margin. Maryland ranks second at 39.8 per million, followed by Colorado (30.2), South Carolina (28.3), and Virginia (24.6). California, despite its volume leadership, ranks 10th in density at 17.2 per million. Florida, the fourth-largest state by total volume, drops to last among top-15 states at just 12.6 per million. The per-capita view reveals that procurement activity is far more concentrated than total volume suggests.

Why Does Washington DC Dominate?

DC's extraordinary RFP density (37x higher than Florida's) is driven entirely by the federal government. Nearly every major federal agency is headquartered in or around the District, and the contracting offices that issue solicitations are concentrated in the National Capital Region. The DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) triangle functions as a single procurement ecosystem. Combined, these three jurisdictions produce 645 RFPs in our dataset, with an average density of 30+ per million across all three.

For companies that serve the federal market, this geographic concentration has practical implications. Contracting officers, program managers, and evaluation committee members are disproportionately located in the DMV corridor. In-person pre-proposal conferences, site visits, and oral presentations are easier to attend from a DMV base. Networking events, industry days, and procurement-focused conferences cluster in the region. While remote contracting is increasingly common, proximity to the buyer still matters in federal procurement, particularly for contract types that require ongoing collaboration.

Which States Are Surprising RFP Hotspots?

Several states punch well above their population weight. Colorado (30.2 per million) benefits from a concentration of military installations, defense contractors, and federal research facilities along the Front Range. South Carolina (28.3 per million) is driven by a combination of military base activity and a growing technology corridor. New Jersey (20.3 per million) reflects the state's pharmaceutical, financial services, and logistics industries, all of which are heavy RFP issuers.

Massachusetts (21.0 per million) is bolstered by its healthcare, biotech, and higher education sectors, all of which use formal procurement processes extensively. Ohio (17.5 per million) benefits from military installations, healthcare systems, and manufacturing infrastructure that generate steady procurement demand. Georgia (13.5 per million) is notable for its construction activity, with 36 construction RFPs making it the fourth-most-active construction state despite ranking 13th in total volume.

How Does Canada Compare?

Canada accounts for 11.8% of all RFPs in the dataset (894 listings). Ontario dominates with 357 RFPs (39.9% of Canadian volume), followed by British Columbia (156, 17.4%) and Alberta (151, 16.9%). These three provinces represent 74.3% of all Canadian procurement activity. Saskatchewan (57), Manitoba (52), Quebec (36), and the Atlantic provinces collectively account for the remainder.

The Canadian RFP market differs from the US in category composition. Software leads in both countries (40.6% of Canadian listings vs. 33.7% in the US), but Canada has proportionally more Consulting (9.7% vs. 5.3%) and IT Services (5.6% vs. 3.0%). Construction is notably absent from Canada's top categories, reflecting different data source coverage rather than a lack of Canadian construction procurement. Canadian deadlines are slightly more generous, with a median turnaround of 25 days compared to 23 days in the US.

What Does This Mean for Business Development Strategy?

Geographic density data should inform three strategic decisions. First, where to establish a physical presence. Companies pursuing federal contracts should consider the DMV corridor, where density is highest and proximity to buyers provides tangible advantages. Companies focused on state and local government should prioritize high-density states that match their vertical expertise. Second, where to focus outbound sales efforts. High-density states have more procurement activity per potential customer, which means more opportunities to identify and more decision-makers who are actively buying.

Third, which geographic markets to monitor for new opportunities. Automated discovery tools like Settle's RFP Hunter can be configured to prioritize specific states, and this data suggests that monitoring the top-10 density states covers a disproportionate share of all US procurement activity. For teams with limited capacity, focusing on high-density markets maximizes the number of relevant opportunities per hour of monitoring effort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which US state has the most RFPs?

California leads in total RFP volume with 672 listings, followed by Texas (471) and New York (420). However, when adjusted for population, Washington DC dominates at 263 RFPs per million residents, compared to California's 17.2 per million.

What is the DMV procurement corridor?

The DMV corridor refers to the Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia metro area, which functions as a single federal procurement ecosystem. Combined, these three jurisdictions have the highest RFP density in the country (30+ per million across all three), driven by the concentration of federal agencies, contracting offices, and government contractors in the National Capital Region.

How does Canadian RFP volume compare to the US?

Canada accounts for 11.8% of all RFPs in our dataset (894 out of 7,569 total). Ontario leads with 40% of Canadian volume. The Canadian market skews more toward Consulting and IT Services compared to the US, where Construction is a larger category. Canadian response deadlines average 25 days, slightly more generous than the US median of 23 days.