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Contracts · Naval aviation

Navy expects to discuss consortium prototype deals at aviation autonomy and AI event

A December 2026 industry day is open to Naval Air Systems Consortium nonmembers. Industry and academic participants can request presentation slots.

The Navy is considering using the Naval Air Systems Consortium for prototype efforts that may proceed through other transaction agreements under 10 U.S.C. 4022. More information is expected at the aviation autonomy and artificial intelligence industry day, but the notice is not a solicitation and commits the government to neither a solicitation nor an award.1

The forum is not limited to existing NASC members

Naval Air Systems Consortium (NASC)

Industry day event dates

December 8-9, 2026

Registration deadlineNovember 20, 2026 or earlier if event capacity is reachedcontingent

November 20, 2026 or earlier if event capacity is reached

Attendance cap per organization

Maximum of three (3) attendees per organization.

This announcement does not commit the Government to issue a solicitation, make an award

SAM.gov special notice NAWCAD-SN-26-PAE(A)SI_AI

Sources
TGOs tgos.io

The Navy is inviting contractors, developers and academic researchers outside the consortium, known as NASC, to the Dec. 8-9 industry day in California, Md.1

NASC is managed by Consortium Management Group, which administers its agreement with the Navy.3 The invitation comes from the Portfolio Acquisition Executive Aviation autonomy and super intelligence/artificial intelligence leadership team.1 The Navy's portfolio acquisition executives have a mandate to use faster contracting mechanisms, including other transaction authorities.4

The tentative agenda puts super intelligence and artificial intelligence on Dec. 8, including weapons-system architectures supporting those capabilities. Dec. 9 focuses on autonomy, with functions of interest including dynamic mission planning and replanning, automated deck handling, air-to-air refueling and flight autonomy.2

Industry and academic attendees can request 30-minute presentation slots, with 20 available across both days; expressing interest does not guarantee a slot.2 The event takes place at the UMD SMART Conference Center. Registration closes Nov. 20, or earlier if capacity is reached, with a maximum of three attendees per organization.1

Companies outside NASC can participate in a forum intended to inform potential future acquisition approaches. That access does not establish eligibility for any resulting prototype work: the notice leaves nonmember participation in those efforts unspecified.1

Sources (4)
  1. SAM.gov special notice NAWCAD-SN-26-PAE(A)SI_AI sam.gov
  2. NASC event page nascsolutions.org
  3. NASC about page nascsolutions.org
  4. NAVAIR: Navy Establishes Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Aviation www.navair.navy.mil
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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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