Companies such as BAE Systems, Booz Allen Hamilton, L3Harris and General Atomics are among the more than 1,000 firms the Pentagon has selected to potentially work on its Golden Dome missile defense shield program, or other projects.
The Missile Defense Agency on Tuesday announced the first phase of staggered awards under its Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense, or SHIELD, contract is going to 1,014 qualifying offerors. The indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract could be worth up to $151 billion over a decade, MDA said in its contract announcement.
MDA spokesman Mark Wright said in an email to Defense News that the initial SHIELD awards are meant to establish a portfolio of qualified firms that can work on programs such as Golden Dome. Companies identified under the SHIELD contract may compete for future requirements through task or delivery orders, Wright said.
“These initial awards are not for firm requirements – Golden Dome or otherwise,” Wright said. “Rather, these IDIQ awards are the first of many in establishing a portfolio of qualified SHIELD IDIQ holders.”
“MDA will complete source selection activities on the SHIELD IDIQ (which includes completing discussions with offerors and making any additional awards) before soliciting any firm requirements under task or delivery orders,” Wright said. “It should also be noted that while Golden Dome requirements may be competed and executed under SHIELD, it is not exclusive.”
Elbit America, the U.S.-based sector of Israeli firm Elbit Systems, is also on the list of potential contractors. Elbit Systems is a key contractor for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, which inspired President Donald Trump to order the Pentagon to create its own Golden Dome system.
In the Pentagon’s Tuesday contract announcement, the department said SHIELD will allow MDA and other Defense Department organizations to rapidly compete orders under one flexible enterprise vehicle.
MDA received 2,463 offers competing for the SHIELD contract.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
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