MDA Selects 1,000+ Winners for $151B Golden Dome Contracting Vehicle

WASHINGTON—The Missile Defense Agency has announced the selection of 1,014 qualifying offerors from 2,463 proposals for the Golden Dome contracting vehicle, marking a significant milestone in the Pentagon’s effort to establish a next-generation homeland air defense system.

The SHIELD (Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense) contracting vehicle represents a $151 billion opportunity, though selected companies will only receive funding through subsequent task orders rather than immediate awards. The framework encompasses 19+ work areas spanning prototyping, weapon design, cybersecurity, systems engineering, and data mining capabilities.

“This contract encompasses a broad range of work areas that allows for the rapid delivery of innovative capabilities to the warfighter with increased speed and agility,” the MDA stated in its announcement. The agency emphasized the integration of artificial intelligence, machine learning, digital engineering, open systems architectures, and agile acquisition processes—reflecting modern defense procurement philosophy.

Golden Dome itself originated from a presidential executive order issued days after President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, calling for a multilayered homeland air defense system including space-based interceptors. Air Force General Michael Guetlein, tapped to lead the initiative, delivered his architectural vision to Pentagon leadership in September. The contracting vehicle now operationalizes that strategy by creating a flexible 10-year enterprise arrangement allowing rapid task order issuance across Department of Defense entities.

The MDA issued a public presolicitation notice for SHIELD in late July, followed by an industry day in Huntsville, Alabama in early August that drew significant interest. That event unveiled the ambitious scope of Golden Dome and outlined how SHIELD would serve as a versatile vehicle for implementation.

Parallel efforts are advancing concurrently. Last week, the Space Force announced initial prototype awards for space-based interceptor development—designed to intercept incoming missiles during their boost phase, minutes after launch—though the winning contractors remain undisclosed.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reviewed the Golden Dome implementation plan, though officials have not confirmed formal approval. This coordinated interagency approach demonstrates the Pentagon’s commitment to modernizing air defense across multiple domains.

The selection of over 1,000 qualifying offerors signals broad industry readiness to contribute to this transformational defense initiative, setting the stage for competitive task order awards in coming months.

Source ID: SRCE-2025-1764720286517-1078