Navy C5ISR Contract Offers Up to $1 Billion Opportunity

Defense manufacturers should prepare for a 10-year production contract requiring high-volume systems integration.

Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Manufacturing

Navy C5ISR Contract Offers Up to $1 Billion Opportunity

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The Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic has issued a presolicitation notice for a major C5ISR production contract. This procurement represents a significant opportunity for manufacturers in the defense supply chain, with an estimated total value between $500 million and $1 billion.

Why it matters

The solicitation supports large-scale acquisition programs by consolidating engineering, production, and delivery requirements into a single, decade-long contract. For local operators and manufacturers, this shift signals a move toward high-volume, integrated system production that favors firms capable of scaling under NAICS code 335999.

The government estimates the contract value between $500 million and $1 billion for the production of 20 to 30 concurrent C5ISR systems. The solicitation defines a 10-year total performance period, split into a five-year base and an optional five-year renewal.

The players

Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic

A research, development, and engineering command based in Charleston that manages complex information warfare systems and procurement.

The details

The contract requires the successful bidder to manage both engineering development and the concurrent production of integrated systems. As a single-award, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) vehicle, the primary contractor must maintain significant capacity to handle large-scale support equipment manufacturing. The procurement will be conducted under full and open competition, requiring vendors to meet established federal standards for integrated production environments.

October 14, 2026: NIWC Atlantic posted the presolicitation notice.
October 16, 2026: Deadline for virtual conference registration.
October 22, 2026: Virtual pre-solicitation conference occurs.
Q1 FY27: Anticipated release of the formal RFP.

Market Landscape

This solicitation follows the established federal practice of using the NAICS 335999 size standard to gatekeep eligibility for integrated manufacturing contracts. It marks a continuation of large-scale, long-term IDIQ contracting models used by the Department of Defense to streamline logistics for complex system life cycles.

Operators in the defense manufacturing sector should review their workforce and production capacity against the 600-employee size standard to determine eligibility. Firms should prepare for the formal RFP release in Q1 FY27 by assessing their ability to meet the concurrent production requirements of 20 to 30 integrated systems.

The takeaway

This solicitation highlights the Navy's strategy to consolidate complex integration and production under long-term IDIQ contracts. Qualified manufacturers should track the upcoming formal RFP release and audit their current technical capabilities to ensure alignment with the scope of these large-scale programs.