Photonic Systems, Inc.

Photonic Systems, Inc., a small business manufacturer based in Billerica, Massachusetts, designs and delivers RF and photonic solutions for defense applications as a prime contractor (98% of recent awards), competing predominantly under Total Small Business set-asides. The company operates across integrated photonic circuits, high-frequency RF photonic links, electro-optic modulators, and photonic transmitter-receiver assemblies for naval, Air Force, and Army research and development programs.

Photonic Systems' customer concentration is heavily weighted toward the Department of the Navy and the Department of the Air Force. The top five funding agencies account for 66% of awards by count and 78% by potential value. The Air Force Research Laboratory leads by both metrics (13 awards, $8.8 million combined potential value), followed by the Office of Naval Research (12 awards, $4.5 million), Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (9 awards, $2.4 million), and Naval Sea Systems Command (12 awards, $738 thousand). The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency rounds out the top tier with 7 awards at $2.4 million combined potential value. The Navy's portfolio splits between multiple subordinate commands, with potential-value concentration at ONR and NIWC and award-count concentration at NAVSEA and NAWC.

Photonic Systems' work centers on research and development contracts and SBIR/STTR Phase I awards. Representative prime work includes a $1.73 million cost-plus-fixed-fee R&D definitive contract from Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (awarded January 27, 2025, completion February 10, 2027) for RF and photonic solutions development at Bedford, Massachusetts; a $239,915 STTR Phase I award from Naval Air Warfare Center (October 14, 2025, completion October 26, 2026) targeting collaborative innovation in RF photonic solutions and analog-to-digital conversion systems; a $139,133 SBIR Phase I award from Air Force Research Laboratory (May 30, 2025, completion November 30, 2025) investigating electro-optic modulator chip fabrication feasibility; and a $41,100 firm-fixed-price purchase order from Naval Sea Systems Command (July 15, 2026, completion August 28, 2026) for a photonics transmitter-receiver. The vendor also holds an Office of Naval Research project grant focused on low-loss modulator electrodes for achieving high-frequency RF photonic link performance. Top NAICS categories span Research and Development in Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (23 awards), Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing (11 awards), and Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing (8 awards).

Photonic Systems operates with minimal subcontractor activity (2% of recent awards). In its subcontractor role, the company performs photonic device assembly and system-level performance measurement under a Leidos prime task order and laser and photonic subsystem development under a Harvard College research subaward for the Lasers for Universal Microscale Optical Systems (LUMOS) program.

Recent activity spans 80 total awards dating to 1999, with three awards in 2025 and one in 2026. Two awards (combined potential value $2 million) reach ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months, representing modest recompete exposure. The vendor places work under an Air Force indefinite delivery contract (FA865013D1555) with three task orders at $987 thousand combined potential value, with Seaport Next Generation and One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services representing secondary vehicle positions.