The fiscal calendar
The federal fiscal year runs October 1 to September 30, and where you sit in it changes how buying behaves.
The federal government does not use the calendar year for its budget. Its fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30, so October is the first month of a new fiscal year, not the last stretch of an old one. Almost everything about the rhythm of federal buying, when forecasts refresh, when things go quiet, when they turn frantic, traces back to that one boundary, and the shape repeats every year.
The four quarters
| Quarter | Calendar months | What tends to happen |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | October to December | Often the slowest stretch, since a continuing resolution can delay new spending |
| Q2 | January to March | Budgets settle in and agencies refresh their procurement forecasts |
| Q3 | April to June | A steady middle stretch, plans firm up for what is coming |
| Q4 | July to September | The spending surge, heaviest in September |
Why October can start slow
Congress is supposed to pass appropriations bills before October 1 so agencies know their budgets for the new year. That does not always happen on time. When it does not, agencies commonly operate under a continuing resolution, a stopgap that funds them at roughly the prior year's levels and puts new spending, especially new programs, on hold until Congress finishes the real bill. Do not assume October is dead, but do not expect it to be the busiest month either.
When forecasts refresh
Agency procurement forecasts tend to get their most meaningful updates early in the fiscal year and again as budgets firm up through winter and spring, though update habits vary enormously by office. Check back on a forecast more than once rather than treating one look as final.
Why Q4 pressure builds
By summer, agencies can see exactly how much of their annual budget remains unobligated, and money not put under contract by September 30 mostly does not carry forward. That produces the wave covered in the Q4 spending surge: award notices moving faster, more simplified buys, and a real premium on being ready to respond quickly.
Using the calendar
None of this changes what you actually have to do: registration current, a capability statement ready, certifications in order. It changes when the payoff shows up. Treat the first half of the fiscal year as preparation time, and the second half, especially the final quarter, as the stretch when the volume of activity peaks. A business that only pays attention in August is always playing catch-up against one that planned from October.
The short version
The federal fiscal year runs October 1 to September 30, split into four quarters that behave differently, starting slow, settling into a steady middle, and ending in a rush. None of that changes when or how Quarry looks for matches, since the nightly run happens every night regardless of the quarter. Knowing the rhythm is still useful on your side, mainly for planning capacity and reading forecast dates with the right amount of skepticism.