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Contracts · Space

Department of the Air Force plans up to five cislunar design study contracts

A request for information describes spacecraft that may inform the acquisition strategy for a potential future proliferated cislunar constellation. Industry responses are due Nov. 24.

The Department of the Air Force is seeking industry input on a Cislunar Space System that would include up to five spacecraft carrying government-provided payloads.1 The request for information was posted Nov. 2, 2026.2

Department of the Air Force (DAF) is seeking market research information

for a Cislunar Space System (CSS)

preliminary design study contractsup to fiveplanned

The Government intends to award up to five Firm Fixed Price preliminary design study contracts after considering RFI information and other sources.

space vehiclesup to fivecontingent

The Government is notionally interested in procuring up to five space vehicles to meet DAF mission needs in late CY29.

The RFI is not a request for proposal and does not guarantee an RFP or contract.

SAM.gov, Request for Information for a Cislunar Space System

Sources
TGOs tgos.io

The government intends to award up to five firm-fixed-price preliminary design study contracts after considering responses and other relevant information. The request for information does not guarantee a request for proposals or contract. The spacecraft may serve as seed vehicles to inform the acquisition strategy for a potential future proliferated cislunar constellation.1

The government is notionally interested in procuring up to five vehicles to meet mission needs in late calendar 2029. It seeks information on a rapid, low-risk solution with minimal non-recurring engineering.1

Each vehicle would require a spacecraft bus and accommodation of a government-provided payload. The scope also includes a ground segment for mission management, telemetry, tracking, control and communications, plus a space launch solution.1

Responding could affect a supplier's access to a subsequent acquisition: the notice warns that failure to respond may result in losing the ability to participate. Responses are due at noon Eastern on Nov. 24, 2026.1

Sources (2)
  1. SAM.gov opportunity record sam.gov
  2. SAM.gov opportunity history sam.gov
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Contracts · Cyber infrastructure

DISA seeks cloud identity and access prototype for Department of War

Responses are due Nov. 30 for a commercial identity-management prototype. It would operate across IL5 and IL6 environments.

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is seeking a commercial, cloud-hosted identity and access management prototype to modernize the Department of War’s legacy identity infrastructure.1

DISA seeks solutions to prototype a Next Generation E-ICAM capability

Enterprise Identity, Credential, and Access Management (E-ICAM)

modernize legacy identity infrastructuremodular, cloud-hostedplanned

This effort will modernize legacy identity infrastructure with a modular, cloud-hosted commercial off-the-shelf/software-as-a-service solution operating across IL5 and IL6 environments.

The prototype must address the Federated Identity Provider, Automated Account Provisioning, Master Entitlement Record, and Federation Hub core capabilities.

Response deadline is Nov. 30, 2026, 5:00 p.m. America/Chicago (Monday)

Source: SAM.gov. As of Nov. 7, 2026.

Sources
TGOs tgos.io

DISA is seeking the capability through a prototype Other Transaction opportunity linked to its competitive Commercial Solutions Opening.1–3

The Next Generation Enterprise Identity, Credential, and Access Management (E-ICAM) effort calls for a modular commercial off-the-shelf or software-as-a-service solution. The solution would operate across Impact Level 5 (IL5) and Impact Level 6 (IL6) environments. The prototype must address four core capabilities: Federated Identity Provider, Automated Account Provisioning, Master Entitlement Record and Federation Hub.1

Responses to the Area of Interest are due Nov. 30 at 5 p.m. Central.1

DISA’s Commercial Solutions Opening and any Other Transactions awarded through it are not subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation or its supplements.3

Sources (3)
  1. SAM.gov notice record sam.gov
  2. SAM.gov notice history sam.gov
  3. SAM.gov: DISA Commercial Solutions Opening (HC108425S0001) sam.gov
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Contracts · Space

Viasat wins contract for Space Data Network’s mission operations hub

The award includes a $115 million initial task order to design, field and scale the center, under a contract with a $450 million ceiling.

Space Systems Command (SSC) awarded Viasat a competitive indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Space Data Network Backbone’s Mission Operations Center, the command announced Nov. 5, 2026. The contract carries a $450 million maximum ceiling and a $115 million initial task order to design, field and scale the center.1

Viasat, Inc. will serve as the network and mission system integration partner

Mission Operations Center (MOC) for the Space Data Network Backbone

maximum ceiling$450 millionactual

contract to Viasat, Inc., with a maximum ceiling of $450 million

initial task order$115 millionactual

to design, field, and scale the MOC

Source: Space Systems Command, Nov. 5, 2026

Sources
TGOs tgos.io

Viasat will serve as the network and mission system integration partner as SSC expands its open-architecture ecosystem across multiple space-segment providers. SSC plans to bring mission integration, network operations and data transport management together through the center.1

The effort builds on the multi-vendor acquisition strategy demonstrated in the Space-Based Sensing and Targeting portfolio’s earlier Delivery Order 2 and Delivery Order 3 work. That work involved Amazon LEO for Government, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Rocket Lab and York Space Systems.1

Breaking Defense reported that the center will serve as the network orchestration hub for the backbone, a low Earth orbit constellation being built by SpaceX. The network’s near-term focus will be supporting the Golden Dome missile defense initiative, the outlet reported.2

DefenseScoop reported that earlier this year the Department of War awarded SpaceX a $2.3 billion contract to deliver a fully operational backbone prototype by the end of 2027.3

The center is intended to integrate mission systems across multiple constellations and providers.1 Breaking Defense described network orchestration as autonomously shifting data among satellite constellations and ground stations when congestion or jamming slows transmission.2

Sources (3)
  1. SSC release, Nov. 5, 2026 www.ssc.spaceforce.mil
  2. Breaking Defense breakingdefense.com
  3. DefenseScoop defensescoop.com
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