Michigan Wheel Operations, LLC

Michigan Wheel Operations, LLC, doing business as Michigan Wheel Marine, manufactures marine propulsion systems and propeller components for the federal government as a prime contractor (98% of awards), competing predominantly in full-and-open procurements with recurring total small business set-aside designations. The vendor is a for-profit limited liability corporation and manufacturer of goods headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a concentrated federal footprint anchored almost entirely to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The vendor's capability portfolio centers on the design, manufacture, inspection, overhaul, and repair of marine propellers and propulsion components for federal maritime vessels. Recent representative work includes a $220 thousand total small business set-aside purchase order from the Coast Guard (February 2026) for four marine propellers (two left-hand, two right-hand units) to the USCG Surface Forces Logistics Center in Curtis Bay, Baltimore; a $176.4 thousand set-aside order (May 2024) for the inspection, repair, and delivery of three left-hand marine propellers (NSN 2010-01-628-0276) to support WPB Class Cutter maintenance; and a $98.5 thousand award (September 2024) for delivery of 100 units of ODMS corrosion anodes (NSN 5340-01-627-8941) to the Coast Guard. The vendor also supplies propeller parts kits, taper gauges, spacers, and corrosion anodes. Secondary work includes a $26.2 thousand total small business set-aside from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (August 2023) for a single right-hand fixed-pitch propeller with stainless steel construction.

Customer concentration is extreme. The Coast Guard accounts for 20 awards and $1.4 million of the vendor's $1.6 million combined potential value—87% of all federal revenue. The Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime is the second-largest customer with 18 awards valued at $105 thousand combined, followed by the Army Corps of Engineers and the Navy at substantially smaller volumes. The vendor serves nine distinct federal agencies in total, but 92% of awards by count and 98% of combined potential value concentrate in the top five.

Michigan Wheel Operations sits on a single tracked parent vehicle, an Indefinite Delivery Contract (FA252120D0005) with one task order. The vendor competes overwhelmingly through direct purchase orders rather than through government-wide acquisition vehicles or BPAs. Award activity was flat to declining—one award in 2022, three in 2023, six in 2024, four in 2025, and one in 2026 year to date. One award ($220 thousand) faces recompete within the next twenty-four months. In its minimal subcontractor role, Michigan Wheel Operations delivered propeller and fairwater cap support accessories to BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services Inc. on an October 2025 Instrumentation Range Support Program III sub-award. The vendor's primary NAICS footprint spans Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Propulsion Unit and Propulsion Unit Parts Manufacturing (13 awards) and nonferrous metal foundries, with PSC coding dominated by Ship and Boat Propulsion Components (36 awards).