**El Segundo**: The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command hosted its first Sub-contracting Forum to connect small businesses with prime contractors and protect supply chains, with aims to increase opportunities for smaller firms within the $15.6 billion aerospace acquisition budget.
In an effort to enhance the acquisition process within the space sector, the U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC) recently convened its inaugural Sub-contracting Forum in El Segundo, California. This event, executed in collaboration with SpaceWERX, aimed to bridge connections between small businesses and prime contractors in the space and defence industries, as well as experts from the Department of Defense (DoD).
The SSC, underpinned by a substantial acquisition budget of $15.6 billion, is dedicated to collaborating with the industry to deliver a range of systems, including new satellites, launch vehicles, ground-based sensors, and communications equipment. Typically, the DoD partners with large prime contractors—often leading aerospace or defence companies—who manage numerous subcontractors, predominantly smaller firms that supply essential components or services.
Aaron Parra, the SSC’s Small Business Director, emphasised the command’s historical focus on acquiring complete systems, asserting, “Today, we are introducing agile, innovative small businesses to our supply chain via subcontracting opportunities both to broaden our access to cutting edge technologies and to work faster on behalf of our warfighters.” The initiative represents a strategic move to not only expand the pool of potential subcontractors but also to facilitate the transition of some small businesses into prime contractor roles.
The event highlighted that, despite SSC having awarded contracts valued at nearly $945 million to small businesses in 2024, this figure constitutes less than one-tenth of the total procurement budget accessible to such enterprises, totalling around $11.5 billion. The remaining majority has predominantly benefitted larger corporations. The forum served as a crucial platform for small businesses to engage with prime contractors concerning the USSF’s mission areas, which focus on enhancing warfighting efficiency and lethality.
Deidra Eberhardt, a senior official at SSC, expressed her support for the forum, stating, “This is a relationship that we need to nurture to improve the opportunities for small business and for fortifying the prime contractor supply chain.”
The forum’s agenda featured discussions led by panelists about the roles of prime contractors, the process of bidding as subcontractors, and existing mentor-protégé programmes facilitated by the Defence Department and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Patricia Pierson, who manages Small Business Programs at Lockheed Martin Space, emphasised the need for small businesses within the supply chain, stating, “We’re going to accomplish this by inserting more competition in our supply chain to reduce single source dependencies, utilising new, innovative, small business partners.”
Following the successful conclusion of the forum, SSC’s Small Business Office is planning to make this event an annual fixture in Los Angeles, with aspirations to conduct similar forums in other regions where SSC has operations, such as California’s Central Coast—home to Vandenberg Space Force Base—and Central Florida, where both Patrick Space Force Base and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station are located. Parra noted plans for localised outreach in these areas, asserting the importance of connecting with subcontractors capable of meeting the SSC’s diverse needs.
Additional resources have been made available for small businesses seeking contracting opportunities with SSC and other DoD institutions, including the Commercial Space Office, the Small Business Office, and the Front Door initiative, which supports early-stage startups looking to collaborate with USSF. Soliciting participation through events such as Space Industry Days and Reverse Industry Day is also intended to provide insights into current and emerging opportunities within the industry.
The SSC’s efforts underscore an ongoing commitment to fostering relationships with small businesses, aimed at not only enhancing the operational efficiency of the Space Force but also strengthening the overall resilience of the supply chain.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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