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SEWP VI ordering opens Nov 1, 2026. Norseman holds Category A contract 80TECH26D0154. How to order

Norseman Defense Technologies
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CONTRACT VEHICLE

MDA SHIELD

Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense

The Missile Defense Agency's multiple award IDIQ for rapid delivery of new capability to the warfighter, open to Department of War ordering activities.

SHIELD is not a vehicle for general IT purchases. Under Executive Order 14240, IT that agencies can buy through GSA government wide acquisition contracts is excluded; IT that supports a SHIELD work area is allowed. For IT products and services on their own, see SEWP VI and our other contract vehicles.
Contract Type
Multiple award IDIQ
Issued By
Missile Defense Agency
Shared Ceiling
$151 billion across all SHIELD orders
Base Ordering Period
Dec 29, 2025 to Dec 28, 2028
Option Periods
Three, through Dec 28, 2035
Who Can Order
Department of War contracting officers
NAICS Code
541715
Norseman Role
Prime contract holder

Overview

SHIELD is a multiple award indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract awarded by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). MDA built it for the rapid delivery of innovative capabilities to the warfighter, using artificial intelligence and machine learning where they fit, digital engineering, open systems architectures, model based systems engineering, and agile processes across acquisition, development, and sustainment.

SHIELD covers commercial and noncommercial services and commodities, classified and unclassified, on multiple security domains. Ordering is decentralized: the ordering contracting officer manages each order from solicitation and award through administration and closeout.

Norseman Defense Technologies is a prime SHIELD contract holder. Ordering contracting officers can include Norseman in market research and fair opportunity requests through ORBIT.

Scope

The work areas in Section C of the SHIELD IDIQ. MDA left them undefined on purpose, for flexibility.

  • Science and technology (S&T)
  • Research and development (R&D)
  • Prototyping
  • Studies, demonstrations, and testing of prototypes
  • Disruptive technologies
  • Experimentation
  • Architecture development
  • Modeling, simulation, and analysis
  • Systems engineering
  • Weapon design and development
  • Integration and assembly
  • Production and fielding
  • Test and evaluation (T&E)
  • Operation and sustainment
  • Modernization
  • Hardware and software modifications
  • Data mining, collection, and analysis
  • Facilities engineering and sustainment
  • Cybersecurity

Not covered: advisory and assistance services (A&AS), engineering and technical services, systems engineering and technical assistance (SETA), SBIR and STTR, actions not based on the FAR, and general IT that GSA government wide contracts already cover. IT that is ancillary to a work area is allowed, and MDA asks that software bought that way use modern practices such as Agile, DevOps, and Lean.

Benefits

One vehicle across 19 work areas, from science and technology to operation and sustainment
Fixed price, cost reimbursement, time and materials, incentive, and labor hour orders
Classified and unclassified work on multiple security domains
Every contract holder cleared MDA's Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI) review
An information management and control plan for CUI is in place at the IDIQ level, so orders need not require one
One subcontracting plan at the IDIQ level; each order can set its own subcontracting goals
Up to ten years of ordering if all options are exercised, under a $151 billion shared ceiling

How to Order

Duly warranted Department of War contracting officers place SHIELD orders through MDA's ORBIT Acquisition application. Agencies outside the Department of War cannot use SHIELD.

  1. Get access. Request an ORBIT account at orbit.mda.mil through the ORBIT Helpline application. Contracting users outside MDA follow the access appendix in the Resources tab of the Vendor Management application.
  2. Request a scope review. Submit it in ORBIT before you solicit. When the work is in scope, the SHIELD program office issues a letter with a control number. Include that number in market research requests, the solicitation, and the award.
  3. Do market research. Contract holder profiles in ORBIT list capability statements, business size, facility clearance level, and points of contact.
  4. Give fair opportunity. Post the fair opportunity proposal request in ORBIT to all SHIELD contract holders, or first issue a Notice of Intent to Place an Order. For classified work, post an unclassified notice that explains how to reach the classified material and names the facility clearance level required.
  5. Award and report. Report the order to FPDS with NAICS code 541715, and confirm the contractor's SAM.gov registration is active.

MDA keeps the official, current ordering guide in the Resources tab of the Vendor Management application in ORBIT; the copy linked on this page is version 2.0 of June 11, 2026.

Planning a SHIELD order, or want to team with Norseman as a subcontractor? Contact us.

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