In August, the entire government reported only eight such lobbying contacts. The Pentagon, which controls about $7.4 billion in stimulus spending, reported just one lobbying contact so far this year. The Homeland Security Department, with at least $3 billion to spend, reported none.

Yet the paucity of reporting masks activities by lobbyists and clients eager to obtain stimulus money for their projects. Lobbyists have separately reported work related to stimulus projects, and in many cases have operated in new ways to skirt restrictions on their efforts to influence stimulus spending.

A spokesman for the White House Office of Management and Budget, Tom Gavin, said agencies are told regularly to disclose on their Web sites contacts with lobbyists.

“It’s an ongoing process,” Gavin said. “This is the first time ever that these kinds of disclosures are being made.”