The government may have spent the entirety of October, at least so far, enduring a shutdown, but several notable contracts were awarded in the tenth month of 2025, which was also the first of fiscal year 2026 (FY26). A significant portion of United States government contract news was dominated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Defense (DoD).
$4.5 Billion in Smart Wall Tech
DHS and the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that 10 new contracts, including those issued last month, totaling approximately $4.5 billion, were issued to expand the “Smart Wall” system now in place along the U.S.-Mexico border.
“The Smart Wall is a border security system that combines steel barriers, waterborne barriers, patrol roads, lights, cameras, and advanced detection technology to give Border Patrol agents the best tools in the world to stop illegal traffic,” CBP explained.
The contracts, funded by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, include expanding the Smart Wall in San Diego and El Centro, as well as in Yuma, Tucson, and El Paso. It will also cover the Rio Grande Valley Waterborne Barrier Project, which will provide 17 miles of barrier south of Brownsville, Texas.
“The Smart Wall means more miles of barriers, more technology, and more capability for our agents on the ground. This is how you take control of the border,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott.
Pair of Gulfstream Jets
DHS also signed off on the purchase of two Gulfstream G700 jets for the United States Coast Guard, including one that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem will use.
Since the announcement, DHS has faced criticism from Democratic lawmakers for entering into a contract while the government was shut down. However, the funding was included as a line item in congressional appropriations in May, and the secretary defended the purchase, stating it was intended to address the condition of decades-old aircraft.
“These aircraft are Coast Guard aircraft to replace 25-year-old airplanes that are necessary for the mission of the Coast Guard. Congress appropriated the dollars and paid for them in the ‘big, beautiful bill,’ and we’re grateful that we’re able to move forward,” said during a press conference earlier this month.
GDIT Up to Task
General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), a business unit of General Dynamics, announced at the start of the month that it received a $1.25 billion task order to continue supporting U.S. Army Europe and Africa. The Enterprise Mission Information Technology Services 2 (EMITS 2) contract includes a five-month base period for transition and seven option years.
GDIT will provide enterprise IT, communications, and mission command support services to U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s headquarters, subordinate organizations, as well as to NATO and other partners throughout its area of responsibility.
“A modern, secure and resilient IT network is critical to U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s deterrence and readiness posture,” said Brian Sheridan, GDIT’s senior vice president for Defense. “We look forward to continuing to deliver a modern digital backbone that will enable our soldiers and commanders to stay connected, coordinate seamlessly with mission partners, and act decisively on the battlefield.”
SAIC Awarded Contract to Maintain Navy Propulsion Test Facility
Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) received a $241.7 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from the United States Navy’s Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport, R.I.
SAIC will provide maintenance and upgrades at the Propulsion Test Facility (PTF) in Rhode Island, including the Deep Depth Test Facility, the Navy’s primary land-based testing system capable of evaluating an Mk 48 torpedo afterbody throughout its entire operational envelope. The contractor will further provide its engineering and technical services, including prototyping, systems integration, and digital engineering, to ensure that the PTF remains capable of supporting emerging United States Navy and allied research and development (R&D) efforts.
Empower AI Powers Up to Modernize Army Energy Infrastructure
The United States Army Information Systems Engineering Command (ISEC) Mission Engineering Directorate (MED) awarded a $200 million contract to Empower AI to support the Army Metering Program (AMP), which is managed under U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC) through the TEIS IV contract vehicle.
The multi-year effort will see Empower AI modernize critical infrastructure across more than 80 Army installations, aiming to enhance energy resilience, enable real-time analytics, and strengthen operational readiness objectives across the enterprise. The company will lead nationwide Engineering, Furnishing, Installation, and Testing (EFI&T) efforts to modernize further and secure the U.S. Army’s operational technology environments, including energy and water metering, Industrial Control Systems, Facility-Related Control Systems (FRCS), and SCADA systems. It will include the delivery of secure, standards-compliant solutions with full lifecycle support from procurement and configuration to cybersecurity compliance (including RMF and CMMC), integration, fielding, and sustainment of thousands of meters and monitoring devices.
“Readiness depends on resilient infrastructure that provides the Army with the real-time visibility needed to anticipate and respond to operational demands,” said Jeff Bohling, CEO of Empower AI. “Through this program, we will strengthen the Army’s energy resilience, accelerate modernization, and deliver secure, scalable solutions that drive mission success.”
Kratos Issued Contract for Jet and Fiber Laser Facility
Technology developer Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc., was awarded a DoD contract under the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program to design and build a state-of-the-art mid-tier arc-jet and coupled fiber-laser facility for hypersonic materials evaluation.
Known internally to Kratos as Project Helios, the contract to Kratos for the leading technology facility has a total projected value of $68.3 million, the company announced.
It will combine a 20-25 MW arc-jet capability with a 200 kW fiber laser system, which is expected to “dramatically increase opportunities for material evaluation” and support the development of hypersonic weapons and other strategic national defense efforts.
“This new facility will provide a vital capability for advancing hypersonic technology development while alleviating the current testing bottleneck at existing facilities,” explained Eric DeMarco, president and CEO of Kratos. “Once the facility is complete, Kratos will offer more cost-effective and readily available testing options, with Kratos also helping accelerate the development of critical defense technologies. Project Helios is a recent example of Kratos’ strategy to make the internal investment and rapidly bring a mission-critical capability to the warfighter, while generating multi-year, long-term value for all of our stakeholders.”
CGI to Modernize Treasury Comptroller Office
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) awarded CGI’s subsidiary, CGI Federal, a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) to modernize the OCC’s content management system (CMS) and digital services, enabling faster updates and an improved user experience.
CGI’s cloud-based platform will be used to enhance site performance, strengthen security, and provide greater transparency within OCC.
“CGI employs a phased approach built on scalability and sustainability, addressing immediate needs while simultaneously laying a foundation to meet future demands,” said David Kwon, vice president for the consulting services for treasury at CGI. “In this phase, CGI will deliver a secure, digital infrastructure ready to support the OCC’s long-term mission.”
