Commerce & Contract Management Institute Releases US Government Benchmark Report 2026

US Government respondents report higher levels of perceived uncertainty than their global peers yet simultaneously rate themselves as more adaptable and more resilient than almost any other sector in the Global Benchmark.

RESTON, Va., Sept. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Commerce & Contract Management Institute (CCM Institute) today released the 2026 US Government Benchmark Report, a comprehensive assessment of contract and commercial management practices across the US federal government, including comparisons with public and private sector organizations worldwide.

Developed by the CCM Institute with support from Icertis, the report examines the challenges and opportunities facing government contracting organizations. Based on responses from more than 500 federal acquisition professionals and industry suppliers, the study examines organizational resilience, adaptability, governance, commercial capability, technology adoption, artificial intelligence (AI), and barriers to modernization.

Among the report's most significant findings:

• Federal acquisition respondents exhibit exceptional workforce resilience (5.0) and adaptability (4.6), outperforming global benchmarks (4.8 and 4.2 respectively); yet 66 percent cite ongoing uncertainty and 64 percent cite operational workload as major barriers, indicating that structural and governance constraints continue to limit organizational agility.

• Complex approval chains and fragmented accountability are significant drivers of acquisition delays. Internal review and approval processes (62 percent) and excessive workload (62 percent) rank as the leading causes of delay, contributing to contract cycle times that are nearly twice the global benchmark for lower-complexity acquisitions.

"The report shows that many barriers to improved performance are systemic rather than individual," said Tim Cummins, Executive Director, Commerce & Contract Management Institute. "While respondents expressed strong support for reform, they identified late stakeholder involvement, excessive workloads, approval bottlenecks, limited diversity in commercial models, and underdeveloped analytics capabilities as major obstacles to achieving meaningful change."

The report also examined AI adoption across the contract lifecycle. Respondents reported the greatest use of AI for market research, contract review, summarization, and creation, while adoption remains limited for negotiation, reporting, and performance monitoring.

"While many government agencies are beginning to realize efficiencies through AI, this benchmark report points to significant opportunities for broader adoption across the contract lifecycle," said Patrick Hughes, Senior Director, Public Sector Industry Advisor, Icertis. "The next phase of adoption will be expanding AI into post-award activities to transform contract data into actionable intelligence that helps agencies better manage performance, strengthen decision-making, and maximize the value of their agreements."

The findings highlight both strengths of the federal acquisition community and the opportunities for improvement. By providing comparative data and practical insights, the report offers acquisition leaders a benchmark and a clearer understanding of where organizations are performing well, and how workforce development initiatives, technology investments, and contract management strategies can further enhance outcomes.

"This benchmark report confirms that the federal acquisition workforce possesses the experience, professionalism, and commitment necessary to meet today's challenges," said Kraig Conrad, Chief Executive Officer of the National Contract Management Association. "The findings show that while federal contracting organizations are highly resilient and committed to continuous improvement, further evolution of governance, technology, and operating models will help deliver stronger mission outcomes."

Download the report:
ccm.institute/research/publications/details/us-government-benchmark-report-2026

The CMM Institute empowers, elevates, and advances the practice of commerce and contract management. The CCM Institute was founded, and is supported, by the National Contract Management Association and World Commerce & Contracting.

Icertis is the AI-native platform that turns contracts into measurable business impact. At the platform's core is Vera—the complete contract AI layer that understands business and industry context—connecting agreements, data, and systems to power the autonomous enterprise with contract intelligence.

Contact: Adam Roy: 571-382-1114, [email protected] 

SOURCE Commerce & Contract Management Institute