A government contractor is a company (privately owned, publicly traded or a state-owned enterprise) – either for profit or non-profit – that produces goods or services under contract for the government.^[1] Some communities are largely sustained by government contracting activity; for instance, much of the economy of Northern Virginia consists of government contractors employed directly or indirectly by the federal government of the United States.^[2]

Section 12(2) and (3) of the Official Secrets Act 1989 define the expression "Government Contractor" for the purposes of that Act.^[3]

• Defense contractor
• Beltway bandit