Manufacturing semiconductors and microelectronics for defense and government systems. Find active federal and state semiconductor and related device manufacturing contracts — AI-scored against your profile across SAM.gov and 200+ portals.
Annual federal spend under NAICS 334413 exceeds $2 billion, driven largely by DoD (microelectronics for weapons systems), NSA (custom ASICs for signals intelligence), and NASA (radiation-hardened chips for space). Competition is moderate but concentrated among a few large primes (e.g., BAE Systems, Intel, GlobalFoundries). Contracts are typically sole-source or small-set-aside IDIQs for specialized fabrication; larger programs use best-value tradeoffs. Demand is fueled by the CHIPS Act, supply chain security mandates, and classified microelectronics needs. Most awards are firm-fixed-price with milestones, though R&D efforts use cost-reimbursement.
These agencies are the largest buyers of semiconductor and related device manufacturing services and products in the federal government. Each awards contracts under NAICS 334413 regularly — build relationships with their small business offices first.
Focus on securing a prime position on DoD's Trusted Foundry or NSA's Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) programs. The highest-leverage move is to obtain a security clearance facility (SCIF) and accreditation under DoD's Trusted Accredited Foundry program. Set-asides for this code are rare; 8(a) and HUBZone firms may win subcontracts. Bid on SEWP V and GSA 70 for commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) chips. Emphasize yield rates, security compliance, and prior classified work in your past performance.
Work is bought via GSA Schedule 70 (special item number 132-54 for semiconductors), SEWP V (for IT-related chips), and agency-specific IDIQs like the DoD's Trusted Foundry program. Best-value tradeoffs dominate, emphasizing security compliance, past performance, and technical capability. LPTA is rare. For classified work, sole-source awards to accredited foundries are common.
Yes, for most DoD, NSA, and IC contracts. You'll need at least a facility clearance (FCL) at the Secret or Top Secret level, plus personnel clearances for key staff. Without a SCIF, you cannot handle classified designs or fabrication data.
Small business contracts typically range from $500K to $5M for specialized fab runs or design services. Larger IDIQs can be $50M+ but are usually awarded to large businesses. Subcontracts under prime contracts are more common for small firms.
Bonding is rare for R&D or low-volume fabrication. For production contracts over $150K, the Miller Act may require performance and payment bonds, but many DoD contracts waive this for small businesses under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold.
For Trusted Foundry work, you need accreditation from the Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA). For radiation-hardened chips, MIL-PRF-38535 certification is often required. ISO 9001 or AS9100D is common for quality management.
Very competitive for unclassified COTS chips; less so for classified custom ASICs where only a handful of foundries are accredited. New entrants should target niche areas like GaN RF devices or silicon photonics, where incumbents have less lock-in.