The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) awarded 16 contracts on July 18 to several organizations, on behalf of the U.S. Space Force, for Proliferated Low Earth Orbit (PLEO) Satellite-Based Services – marking a first for government satellite communication (SATCOM) procurement.
The contracts will ensure that the Department of Defense (DoD), in addition to other Federal agencies and U.S. international partners, produces “fully managed satellite-based services and capabilities for all domains – space, air, land, maritime and cyber – with a consistent, quality-backed, low-latency offering,” according to DISA.
DISA said in a press release that the contract awards were facilitated by Space Systems Command’s Commercial Satellite Communications Office, which is a field command of the U.S. Space Force.
“This multiple award contract model is a first for government SATCOM procurement and can deliver capabilities to the warfighter faster and at lower cost,” the agency stated.
The contracts are valued at $32,000 with a $2,000 minimum guarantee to each contractor. The total cumulative face value is $900 million across a period of performance from July 18, 2023, through July 2028, with one five-year option.
The contract awardees include:
- ARINC, Inc.;
- Artel, LLC;
- Capella Federal, Inc.;
- BlackSky Geospatial Solutions, Inc.;
- DRS Global Enterprise Solutions, Inc.;
- Hughes Network Systems, LLC;
- Inmarsat Government, Inc.;
- KGS LLC; Intelsat General Communications LLC;
- OneWeb Technologies, Inc.;
- PAR Government;
- RiteNet Corporation;
- Satcom Direct Government, Inc. (SDG);
- SpaceX; Trace Systems Inc.; and
- UltiSat, Inc.
