WASHINGTON, — The U.S. Department of the Air Force has posted a notice for a new multi-year purchasing arrangement called the DAF Battle Network “Megatron” Multiple Award Contract (MAC) IDIQ). The notice was published on the government’s public contracting portal on September 4, 2026.
The contract will allow the U.S. Air Force and Space Force to purchase command-and-control technologies from multiple companies over time, reducing the need to negotiate separate contracts for individual requirements.
Part of the DAF Battle Network
The Megatron contract is managed by the Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Command, Control, Communications and Battle Management (PAE C3BM).
It supports the broader DAF Battle Network, which evolved from the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS). The effort focuses on connecting sensors, data systems and decision-making tools across the Air Force and Space Force so commanders can receive and act on information more quickly.
Six Technology Areas
Companies selected under the contract could provide technologies in six main areas:
- Digital architecture: Architecture, modeling, simulation and data-management tools.
- Sensor integration: Hardware and software for integrating sensors and sharing their data.
- Secure processing: Technologies for secure data processing and cloud-based data repositories.
- Connectivity: Network technologies designed to maintain communications in contested environments.
- Applications: Software interfaces for distributed decision-makers.
- Synthetic environments: Computer-simulated environments for training and testing.
Two Contract Pools
The Air Force plans to divide contract awards into two pools. One will be reserved for small businesses, while the other will be unrestricted and open to companies of any size.
After the vendors are selected, Department of the Air Force program offices will be able to place orders directly through the decentralized contracting vehicle.
Industry Review and Timeline
The Air Force approved the Megatron acquisition strategy in August 2026. A draft version of the contract requirements was released on September 4 for industry review and comments.
The draft document is restricted. Companies interested in reviewing it must formally request access and pass a review of their business registration. Written feedback must be submitted to contracting officer Julianne Payne by September 30, 2026.
The planned procurement schedule is:
- Draft RFP: Late Fiscal Year 2026
- Final RFP: First quarter of Fiscal Year 2027
- Contract awards: Third quarter of Fiscal Year 2027
Virtual Industry Day
The Air Force will hold a virtual Industry Day on October 7, 2026, from 8 a.m. to noon Eastern time.
Program manager Jeffery “Ryan” Compton and contracting officer Julianne Payne will brief companies on the planned bidding process. Because of the expected number of participants, officials will not conduct individual one-on-one meetings. Questions submitted during the event will be compiled and made public afterward.
Earlier industry briefings indicated that Megatron is intended to support the rapid exploration and maturation of technologies associated with ABMS and to supplement or potentially succeed existing ordering vehicles covering architecture, integration and related work.
The final contract ceiling and number of awards have not yet been finalized in the current government notice. A potential ceiling of $4.5 billion or more has been discussed in industry reporting, but that figure is not confirmed in the latest notice.
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