Herndon’s Akima wins $480M Space Force contract

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Five Rivers Analytics, a subsidiary of Herndon-based government contractor Akima, an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract worth up to $480 million over 10 years, Akima announced last week.

Based in Colorado, Five Rivers Analytics provides classified IT and mission support services and bills itself as “a small business backed by a global enterprise.” The Satellite Control Network Tracking Station Operations Remote Site and Mission Partner Support (STORMS) contract focuses on operation and maintenance of the U.S. Space Force’s Satellite Control Network, a global network of radio frequency antennas, signal processing and routing communications equipment and computer systems supporting space vehicles. Support services provided by Five Rivers Analytics will include maintenance, cybersecurity measures and system administration.

The Satellite Control Network (SCN) of antennas communicates with and control U.S. government satellites. A 2023 report by the U.S. Government Accountability office described the network as “aging” and “difficult to maintain,” while noting that “demand on the network is increasing as more satellites are launched.”

Following GAO’s recommendation to improve capacity of the SCN, Akima plans to integrate emerging technologies to improve the SCN’s efficiency and resilience. By enhancing SCN capacity, the STORMS contract will “set the stage for significant advancements in satellite control and space defense operations,” according to Akima. 

“Our partnership with the U.S. Space Force underscores our commitment to enhancing the Satellite Control Network’s operational efficiency and resilience,” Duncan Greene, president of Akima’s Mission Systems, Engineering and Technology group, stated in a news release. “By integrating emerging technology and expanding system capabilities, we’re not only bolstering national defense and intelligence but also paving the way for revolutionary advancements in space operations.”

Only two bids were received for this contract.

STORMS is a successor to the Consolidated Air Force Satellite Control Network Modifications and Maintenance Operations contract, or CAMMO. CACI International, a Reston Fortune 1000 contractor, previously won that contract in 2016. Bidding for STORMS was limited to small businesses.

Akima operates as a subsidiary of NANA Regional, a for-profit Alaska Native corporation owned by more than 15,000 Indigenous Iñupiat shareholders who live in or have roots in Northwest Alaska. It has 10,000 employees.