Every fiscal year, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) puts billions of dollars into the federal contracting marketplace. Many of these opportunities are evergreen contracts, they come up for rebid on a predictable cycle.
If your business is serious about growing in government contracting (GovCon), knowing which high-value defense contracts will be open in 2026 can give you a head start on capture planning.
Unlike one-off projects, these contracts follow consistent timelines. Agencies typically give at least 30 days to respond, and most solicitations show up on SAM.gov as a ‘sources sought’ or ‘pre-solicitation’ 6–12 months before award. That’s valuable time for contractors to prepare, team up, and position themselves to win.
In this guide, we’ll highlight 10 defense contracts up for bid in 2026. These are some of the most competitive opportunities in GovCon but they also come with massive potential for companies that know how to navigate the process. If you want early access to these opportunities, you can sign up free on OppyHound to track upcoming bids.
Base Operations Support (BOS) contracts are among the most comprehensive facility management opportunities in federal contracting. These contracts fund routine installation services (utilities, custodial, grounds maintenance, etc.) that keep military installations running smoothly across the globe.
Because BOS directly supports mission readiness, these contracts ensure sailors, Marines, and their families have safe, reliable facilities. Solicitations typically drop 6–9 months before kickoff, structured as a 1-year base with multiple option years, so work is ready to launch with the new fiscal year.
Agency: Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC)
What It Covers: Utilities, custodial, grounds maintenance, fire protection, and facility support across Navy and Marine Corps bases.
Typical Competitors: Facilities management firms, large construction contractors, small business joint ventures.
Expected Bidding Timeline: Q2-Q3 FY 2026 (January-June 2026)
Why It Matters in 2026: BOS contracts are rebid every 3–5 years. Several NAVFAC BOS IDIQs awarded in 2021–22 are due for recompete in FY 2026.
Tracking these opportunities manually on SAM.gov takes time. Platforms like OppyHound make it easier by automating search and alerts through notifications in OppyHound.
Harbor dredging contracts are a core piece of the Army Corps’ marine construction portfolio, keeping America’s waterways open and mission-ready. Each year, the Corps awards firm-fixed-price contracts to clear sediment, debris, and other materials from federal navigation channels, ensuring safe passage for both military and commercial vessels.
With one of the largest dredging programs in the world, USACE maintains more than 400 ports and harbors nationwide. These projects demand specialized equipment, environmental expertise, and strict compliance with regulatory standards. They’re critical not just for national security, but also for commercial trade and environmental stewardship.
The Corps typically solicits dredging bids in late summer for fall/winter work, essentially on an annual cycle that renews with each fiscal year.
Agency: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
What It Covers: Dredging and maintenance of federal waterways, harbors, and ports.
Typical Competitors: Marine construction and dredging companies.
Expected Bidding Timeline: Q1 FY 2026 (October-December 2025)
Why It Matters in 2026: Annual dredging contracts (often $10M–$20M) are posted every year in multiple Corps districts, with significant rebids expected in 2026.
Learn how to read and respond to a government solicitation
NAVFAC environmental compliance and cleanup contracts cover some of the most complex challenges in federal engineering. The work ranges from site assessments and remediation of legacy contamination to deploying green technologies that shrink the Navy’s environmental footprint.
Winning these contracts takes more than just technical know-how — contractors need a strong handle on environmental law, engineering solutions, and project management to meet immediate compliance requirements while supporting long-term sustainability goals.
Most opportunities are competed as multiple-award IDIQs, where large players like Jacobs and CH2M often lead. But there’s also room for niche firms with specialized expertise to carve out a role.
Agency: NAVFAC Atlantic
What It Covers: Environmental compliance, remediation, pollution control, and regulatory engineering services.
Typical Competitors: Large A/E firms (Jacobs, AECOM, Tetra Tech) and small-business environmental specialists.
Expected Bidding Timeline: Q4 FY 2026 (July-September 2026)
Why It Matters in 2026: NAVFAC’s $80M environmental compliance IDIQ awarded in 2024 runs through FY 2026, making it ripe for re-competition.
Check out our GovCon glossary to learn contracting acronyms and terms
DLA Troop Support’s full-line food distribution contracts are some of the biggest supply chain plays in the federal space. These multi-year IDIQs keep military dining facilities and MWR programs stocked with fresh, nutritious food; no matter where service members, families, or DoD civilians are stationed.
To compete here, contractors need serious cold chain management, advanced inventory systems, and the ability to deliver even in remote or high-stress environments.Success in food distribution contracting demands both logistical expertise and deep understanding of military dining requirements and nutritional standards.
Agency: Defense Logistics Agency (DLA Troop Support)
What It Covers: Full food line distribution to bases, dining facilities, and MWR programs worldwide.
Typical Competitors: Sysco, US Foods, Food Services Inc., regional distributors.
Expected Bidding Timeline: Q3-Q4 FY 2026 (April-September 2026)
Why It Matters in 2026: DLA’s 5-year Pacific food distribution contract awarded in 2022 expires in FY 2026, creating a major rebid opportunity.
Architect-Engineering (A/E) services contracts are some of the most sought-after and technically demanding opportunities in federal construction. They span the full lifecycle of design for military facilities from early planning and schematics all the way through construction support and commissioning.
Winning here takes more than just strong design chops. A/E contractors must bring multi-disciplinary expertise in architecture, structural engineering, mechanical and electrical systems, and environmental design.
These contracts often involve cutting-edge technologies, sustainable design practices, and complex security requirements that push the boundaries of traditional design and engineering services.
Agency: USACE
What It Covers: Multi-disciplinary A/E design and support for military facilities and civil works.
Typical Competitors: Jacobs, HDR, AECOM, and mid-tier design firms.
Expected Bidding Timeline: Q2-Q3 FY 2026 (January-June 2026)
Why It Matters in 2026: A Sources Sought for A-E services in the North Atlantic Division (New England District) states the government’s intent to issue a 5-year MATOC with a solicitation expected in Spring 2026. Additionally, USACE has posted a “Multi-Discipline A/E Multiple Award” opportunity on SAM (for ~ $500M combined ceiling).
If you are bidding for the first time, learn the compliance requirements here
Army dining facility services contracts are essential to maintaining Soldier morale, health, and operational readiness across military installations worldwide. These contracts encompass not just food preparation and service, but also menu planning, nutritional compliance, food safety protocols, and customer service standards.
The Army operates hundreds of dining facilities that serve millions of meals annually, requiring contractors to manage complex operations while meeting strict military dietary standards and accommodating diverse dietary needs. Contractors must demonstrate expertise in large-scale food service operations, military dietary requirements, and the ability to maintain consistent quality across multiple locations and shifts.
Agency: U.S. Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM)
What It Covers: Food preparation and serving at Army dining facilities.
Typical Competitors: Nonprofits (AbilityOne/SourceAmerica affiliates), state agencies, and food service firms.
Expected Bidding Timeline: Q1-Q2 FY 2026 (October 2025-March 2026)
Why It Matters in 2026: Army DFAC service contracts typically rebid on a 5-year cycle, with several set to expire in FY 2026.
The Medical/Surgical Prime Vendor Program represents one of the most critical healthcare supply chain contracts in the federal government, ensuring that DoD medical facilities have access to essential medical supplies and equipment. This contract manages the procurement and distribution of thousands of medical and surgical items to military hospitals, clinics, and field medical units worldwide.
The program requires sophisticated logistics capabilities, including specialized storage for temperature-sensitive items, sterile product handling, and emergency response capabilities for urgent medical needs. Success in this program demands deep understanding of medical supply requirements, regulatory compliance, and the ability to support medical operations in both peacetime and wartime scenarios.
DLA Troop Support annually recompetes or extends its medical/surgical prime vendor (Prime Vendor Gen V) contracts that supply hospitals and clinics.
Agency: DLA Troop Support (Medical)
What It Covers: Bulk distribution of medical/surgical supplies to DoD hospitals and clinics.
Typical Competitors: Cardinal Health, Owens & Minor, Medline.
Expected Bidding Timeline: Q2 FY 2026 (January-March 2026)
Why It Matters in 2026: The Prime Vendor Gen V contracts extended through 2027 will see recompete solicitation in early FY 2026 to ensure continuity.
International charter airlift contracts are among the most strategically important transportation contracts in the Department of Defense, providing critical mobility capabilities for personnel and cargo worldwide. These contracts support the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) program, which provides commercial airlift capacity to supplement military aircraft during peacetime operations and can be activated during national emergencies or wartime.
TRANSCOM awards multi-year contracts for international charter airlift under the Civil Reserve Air Fleet program. These contracts run for ~2 years (Oct 2024–Sept 2026) and are competed openly among U.S. commercial carriers. They are re-competed periodically (typically every 1–2 years as performance periods end).
Agency: U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM)
What It Covers: Strategic long- and short-range charter airlift services.
Typical Competitors: FedEx, UPS, Atlas Air, Delta, and other U.S. carriers.
Expected Bidding Timeline: Q3-Q4 FY 2026 (April-September 2026)
Why It Matters in 2026: Current $4B IDIQ for Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) runs through Sept 2026. Expect a major recompete to be released in early FY 2026.
The Joint Cyber Command and Control (JCC2) program is a major DoD initiative to unify and modernize cyber operations across all service branches. It will integrate AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics to deliver real-time situational awareness, actionable intelligence, and automated responses to cyber threats.
The JCC2 system will serve as the backbone for decision dominance, providing military leaders with actionable intelligence and automated response capabilities to counter sophisticated cyber threats.
Agency: Department of Defense / Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC/HNCK)
What It Covers: JCC2 will deliver advanced battle management and command-and-control support, integrating cyber defense capabilities across DoD components. It focuses on situational awareness, decision dominance, and enhanced mission coordination.
Typical Competitors: Large defense IT integrators, cybersecurity solution providers, AI/ML-focused defense contractors.
Expected Bidding Timeline: The formal procurement process is expected to commence in FY 2026, with preliminary market research and Request for Information (RFI) activity anticipated in 1st Quarter FY 2026.
Why It Matters in 2026: As DoD shifts toward joint force integration and cyber readiness, JCC2 is a cornerstone program. Winning contractors will be positioned at the forefront of multi-domain operations support.
The DoD NIPRNet & SIPRNet eDiscovery SaaS opportunity is focused on modernizing how the Department of Defense manages secure communications and data discovery across its classified and unclassified networks.
This contract will deliver cloud-based eDiscovery tools to improve information governance, litigation readiness, and compliance monitoring within the NIPRNet (unclassified) and SIPRNet (classified) environments. By leveraging SaaS solutions, the program aims to enhance scalability, security, and speed while reducing the administrative burden on DoD agencies.
Agency: Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)
What It Covers: This opportunity focuses on providing secure, cloud-based eDiscovery Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions for both unclassified (NIPRNet) and classified (SIPRNet) networks.
Typical Competitors: SaaS providers specializing in secure document management, cybersecurity contractors with DISA experience, cloud integrators.
Expected Bidding Timeline: FY 2026, with anticipated RFI activity in 1st Quarter FY 2026.
Why It Matters in 2026: With rising cyber and legal compliance requirements, DISA’s need for eDiscovery SaaS will expand vendor opportunities in cloud and cybersecurity compliance.
The federal contracting process follows several key stages that contractors should understand:
Most 2026 opportunities will begin appearing on SAM.gov in late 2025, with formal solicitations expected throughout 2026. If you’re ready to pursue these opportunities, you can create a free OppyHound account today and start building your pipeline
Defense contracts are not just for the largest primes. Many of the opportunities above include small business set-asides, subcontracting roles, and joint venture pathways.
If your business wants to break into the DoD contracting market in 2026:
With the right strategy and early preparation, 2026 could be the year your company secures a foothold in the $800B+ federal contracting marketplace.
Use platforms like OppyHound to identify these contracts early, analyze competition, and streamline your proposal process. If you want to bid on these opportunities, you can sign up free on OppyHound
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Note: Contract values, timelines, and competitive landscapes are based on historical patterns and publicly available procurement forecasts. Actual solicitation dates may vary based on agency priorities and budget considerations. Always verify current information on SAM.gov and agency-specific procurement websites.
