Missile Defense Agency
The Missile Defense Agency develops and fields the systems that detect and intercept ballistic and hypersonic missiles, and it buys almost all of that hardware through large prime contractors.
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What they buy
The agency is headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with a large presence at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. It buys interceptors, radars and other sensors, command and control systems, and the test campaigns and engineering that tie them together. It also funds technology development and a small business innovation research program.
Inside those systems are precision machined and composite structures, propulsion components, radio frequency assemblies, circuit cards, harnesses, and test equipment. Nearly all of that is bought by the primes and their tiered suppliers, not by the agency directly.
How they buy
Notices post on SAM.gov under the agency's contracting offices. Major systems sit with primes on long development and production contracts, and the agency uses sources sought and industry days to shape them. Its direct awards to small business are mostly engineering, technical, and test support services, often on multiple-award indefinite delivery contracts with task orders.
The agency runs its own small business innovation research and technology transfer programs, which fund early work directly with small firms. Other transaction agreements are also used for prototypes.
How a small shop gets in
Register in SAM.gov, but plan on subcontracting as the main door. Use award history to see which primes hold which programs, then approach their supplier portals with a capability statement and your quality certifications.
The agency's Office of Small Business Programs runs outreach and a mentor-protege program, and it publishes the subcontracting opportunities primes report. Respond to sources sought notices for services if you provide engineering or test support. If you have a novel process or material, the innovation research program is the one place the agency will fund a small shop directly.
Expect export controls
Missile defense hardware is almost always ITAR controlled. Before you pursue a subcontract, make sure your shop is registered and can handle controlled technical data.
Related guides
- Subcontracting to primesHow to get on a prime's approved supplier list.
- Sources sought and RFIsRespond early to shape the set-aside decision.
- Set-asides and small business programsWhich set-asides you qualify for.
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