Space-based adaptive communications node (space-bacn) program

Intel Federal LLC was awarded a $46.5 million Other Transaction Indefinite Delivery Vehicle agreement by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency on December 10, 2021, for the Space-Based Adaptive Communications Node program. This multiple-award, unrestricted competition contract (no set-asides applied) establishes a flexible contracting mechanism enabling the issuance of task orders supporting the development and advancement of satellite-based communications technologies. The primary objective is to enhance military command, control, communications, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities in contested operational environments through innovative space-based communication solutions. As a parent/child IDV structure, the agreement allows DARPA to issue individual task orders against the ceiling value while maintaining cost and schedule flexibility typical of Other Transaction agreements, which are designed to facilitate rapid prototyping and exploration of high-risk, high-payoff defense technologies outside traditional Federal Acquisition Regulation constraints.

Intel Federal LLC, a for-profit limited liability company headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, brings substantial expertise in advanced computing technologies, artificial intelligence, networking, microelectronics, and cybersecurity to support national defense and intelligence missions. The company's established track record includes significant DARPA portfolio experience across multiple technology domains, complemented by prime contract awards exceeding $50 million in recent years from the Department of Defense, intelligence agencies, and civilian federal departments. Intel Federal's performance under this Space-Based Adaptive Communications Node program leverages the company's specialized capabilities in high-performance computing and communications system integration to advance satellite-based architectures capable of operating effectively within contested electromagnetic environments, supporting broader Department of Defense modernization objectives for resilient and adaptive space-based infrastructure.