National Mediation Board

The National Mediation Board, an independent civilian agency that administers labor-relations mediation and arbitration services for the railroad and airline industries, has awarded 2,874 federal contracts worth a combined $39.1 million in potential value since 1987. The Board transacts primarily through small, dispersed procurements: it issued 11 awards in 2022, 14 in 2023, 15 in 2024, 11 in 2025, and 3 year-to-date in 2026, with a most recent award dated September 22, 2026. Combined dollars obligated ($45.9 million) exceed combined potential value, indicating material modifications or recompete activity against existing awards.

Contract competition is moderately concentrated. Over the last five years, Shaw, Bransford, & Roth P.C. leads by award count with 10 recent awards ($1.7 million combined potential value), followed by Softthink Solutions, Inc. with 8 awards ($3.9 million), and Ho-Chunk Shared Services Company and Park America Inc. each holding 4 awards. These top five account for 52 percent of recent awards by count. When ranked by potential value, Ekasys Inc. ranks first ($5.6 million across 3 awards), Softthink Solutions second ($3.9 million), and 22nd Century Networks, Inc. third ($1.9 million) — the top five by value cover 37 percent of combined potential value. The long tail includes 412 distinct prime contractors across the portfolio history, indicating a highly fragmented vendor base. The Board awards overwhelmingly outside set-aside designations: 97 percent of awards carry no set-aside, with small-business and 8(a) set-asides representing 1 percent combined, and veteran-owned, HUBZone, and women-owned small-business awards each under one percent.

The Board executes no recent contract opportunities or grant opportunities are listed in available source data. Contract activity appears limited to internal support, administrative services, and specialized labor-relations consulting — typical of an independent agency with a focused regulatory mission. Absent solicitation activity, pursuit depends on monitoring the Board's contracting calendar or tracking vendor activity through existing vehicles. The moderate fragmentation by value and concentration by award count suggests the Board works with a mix of boutique labor-relations firms and small professional-services providers, with no vendor holding dominant share. Due to the small transaction size and limited recent award volume, margin-sensitive firms and niche players may find the greatest opportunity.