Providing satellite communication services for government and military applications. Find active federal and state satellite telecommunications contracts — AI-scored against your profile across SAM.gov and 200+ portals.
Annual federal spend for satellite telecommunications (NAICS 517410) is estimated at $2-3 billion, driven by DoD (e.g., Wideband Global SATCOM, MILSATCOM), NASA (space communications), NOAA (weather satellite data), and DHS (border surveillance). Contracts are predominantly IDIQs and BPAs with 5-10 year durations, competed via GSA Schedule 70 or agency-specific vehicles like DISA's SATCOM Gateway Services. Demand is fueled by secure, resilient communications for remote operations, disaster response, and intelligence collection. Competition is moderate, with a mix of large primes (e.g., L3Harris, Northrop Grumman) and small businesses specializing in niche services like LEO constellations or hosted payloads. Small businesses hold about 20% of the market, often as subcontractors.
These agencies are the largest buyers of satellite telecommunications services and products in the federal government. Each awards contracts under NAICS 517410 regularly — build relationships with their small business offices first.
To win satellite telecom contracts, focus on teaming with primes on large IDIQs (e.g., DISA's SATCOM Services) where small businesses are required to meet 23% subcontracting goals. Leverage 8(a) or SDVOSB set-asides for agency-specific buys like NASA's Near Space Network. The highest-leverage move is to obtain a GSA Schedule 70 with a SIN for satellite services (e.g., 541990SAT) and pursue orders under DHS Eagle II or NOAA's Polar-orbiting Environmental Satellite contracts. Emphasize technical capability in encryption, anti-jam, and low-latency links.
Satellite telecom is bought via LPTA for commoditized bandwidth and best-value for complex solutions. Common vehicles: GSA Schedule 70 (SIN 541990SAT), SEWP V, 8(a) STARS III, NASA's Near Space Network IDIQ, and DISA's SATCOM Gateway Services. Evaluation emphasizes technical approach, past performance, and security compliance.
Common certifications include ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 27001 for information security, and facility clearances (Secret or Top Secret) for handling classified data. Some contracts require specific SATCOM interoperability certifications (e.g., MIL-STD-188-165).
Yes, you need an FCC license for earth station operations (Part 25) or a market access grant for non-U.S. satellites. For military contracts, you may also need a DoD SATCOM gateway certification.
Awards range from $1 million to $20 million annually, with many IDIQ task orders between $500,000 and $5 million. Large vehicles like DISA's SATCOM Services have $100M+ ceilings, but small businesses often win smaller specialty orders.
Moderately competitive; about 200 small businesses hold GSA Schedule 70 SATCOM SINs. However, many contracts are set aside for 8(a), SDVOSB, or HUBZone firms, reducing competition. For example, NOAA's Satellite Data Services BPA is 8(a) set-aside.
Yes, primes often seek small business subcontractors for niche capabilities like LEO satellite operations or teleport services. Register in SAM and market to primes on vehicles like SEWP V or 8(a) STARS III.