Makel Engineering, Inc.

Makel Engineering, Inc., a Subchapter S corporation headquartered in Chico, California, develops advanced chemical sensing and microsensor instrumentation for aerospace, defense, and environmental applications, operating almost exclusively as a prime contractor (99% of awards) under Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The company holds no SBA certifications but competes under total small-business set-asides across all major programs.

Makel's capability portfolio is narrowly specialized in trace-gas detection, harsh-environment microsensors, and multi-parameter life support instrumentation. Recent representative work includes a $1.27 million SBIR Phase II award from NASA's Shared Services Center (September 2026) for a high-pressure, in-situ hydrogen sensor for space-based regenerative fuel cell systems; a $1.999 million SBIR Phase II definitive contract from the Department of Homeland Security's Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction office (September 2026) for a wearable multimodal aerosolized chemical threat detector; a $375,000 Phase III SBIR award from NASA for development of the Multi-Parameter Astronaut Life Support Sensor (M-PALSS) module for extravehicular activity portable life support systems (September 2025); and a $2.69 million SBIR Phase II contract from NASA (September 2022) for a chemical and particulate microsensor instrument designed for unmanned aerial vehicle airborne measurements near wildfires. The company also received a $200,000 project grant from the Department of Energy's Office of Science (CFDA 81.049) in July 2024 to develop a low-cost biodiesel fuel fraction sensor.

NASA dominates customer concentration, accounting for 54 awards across its Shared Services Center, Glenn Research Center, Johnson Space Center, and other field centers. The NASA Shared Services Center alone carries 30 awards valued at $14.1 million in combined potential value. The Department of Homeland Security Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction office (3 awards, $3.1 million), the Department of the Navy Naval Air Systems Command Naval Air Warfare Center (3 awards, $3.5 million), and the Department of the Air Force (5 awards) round out the top customer set. Combined, the top five customer organizations represent 74% of Makel's combined potential value across 109 total awards.

Award activity has remained steady at two to three awards per year over the past five years, though recent momentum accelerated with three awards in 2026. Four awards carrying combined potential value of $4.9 million face ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months, presenting recompete opportunity. Makel's top NAICS categories are research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (54 awards combined), reflecting its SBIR/STTR focus. The company self-performs nearly all contracted work, with negligible subcontractor engagement across SCI-reportable prime contracts (1% of hours to subs).

SCI-reported invoiced revenue on federal service contracts above the $150,000 threshold totaled $4.5 million across FY2023–FY2025, with peak activity in FY2024 ($2.3 million across 6.9 FTEs). On SCI-reportable prime contracts, government-paid hourly rates ranged from a 10th percentile of $46.59 per hour to a median of $161.03 per hour and a 90th percentile of $291.62 per hour, reflecting a mix of senior technical and project management labor. Makel operates as a build-to-spec prime with minimal teaming — the vendor reported only one named subcontractor across all SCI-tracked work and holds a single sub-award relationship: hardware build work under Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory on the Dragonfly Extended Phase B mission under NASA's Aerospace Research, Development and Engineering Support (ARDES) II contract.