Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the national aviation authority within the Department of Transportation responsible for regulating civil aviation, operating the national airspace system (NAS), certifying aircraft and pilots, and conducting aviation safety research, operating under the FAA Acquisition Management System (FAMS) rather than the standard FAR.

What is the Federal Aviation Administration?

Established in 1958, the FAA employs approximately 45,000 people and operates the world's busiest and most complex air traffic control system. The FAA's mission encompasses regulating civil aviation safety, managing the airspace, certifying aircraft and aviation personnel, developing aviation infrastructure, and advancing aviation safety through research and technology development.

FAA contracting is substantial and diverse. The FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), the agency's long-running modernization of the national airspace infrastructure, has generated billions in IT, engineering, and systems integration contracts over more than a decade. The FAA also contracts for air traffic control facility support, aviation weather systems, runway and airport infrastructure grants and oversight, aviation security technology, and IT enterprise services.

Critically, the FAA was exempted from the Federal Acquisition Regulation by the Federal Aviation Reauthorization Act of 1996. FAA acquisitions above the simplified acquisition threshold use the FAA Acquisition Management System (FAMS), which has its own procurement principles, contract types, and contractor qualification requirements. Contractors new to FAA work must study FAMS policy before pursuing FAA solicitations, as commercial acquisition principles are prominently used.

Why the FAA matters for government contractors

The FAA spends approximately $2-3 billion annually in contracts. IT systems integration (NextGen and its successor programs), air traffic control support services, and aviation safety research are the highest-spend categories. The FAA's ACES-BD and eFAST contract vehicles are primary access points for services contractors.

Example

A systems engineering and integration firm wins a task order under the FAA's ACES-BD IDIQ vehicle to support the design and implementation of Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) systems at Air Traffic Control centers. The firm provides systems engineers who work embedded with FAA program teams to develop requirements, conduct system testing, and support fielding of the new data link communications capability across the national airspace.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is FAMS and how is it different from FAR?

The FAA Acquisition Management System (FAMS) is the FAA's acquisition framework, authorized by statute to allow the FAA flexibility to compete effectively for talent and technology in commercial markets. FAMS uses a principles-based approach with FAR-like procurement concepts but greater flexibility in contract types, evaluation criteria, and acquisition planning. Contractors must review FAMS policy at faa.gov/acquisition before preparing proposals.

What are the major FAA contract vehicles for services?

Key FAA services contract vehicles include ACES-BD (Acquisition and Contracting for Enterprise Solutions, Broadband Domain) for IT and systems engineering, eFAST (Electronic FAA Accelerated and Simplified Tasks) for small business services, and STARS II (Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System) maintenance and support contracts. Individual program offices also issue program-specific IDIQs.

Does the FAA have small business set-aside programs?

Yes. The FAA participates in the Small Business Administration's small business programs and includes small business set-asides in its eFAST and other small-business-focused contract vehicles. The FAA's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization supports small business access to FAA contracting opportunities.

What security clearance levels does FAA work require?

Most FAA program work requires Public Trust suitability investigations (Medium or High Risk) rather than national security clearances. However, some FAA security and intelligence-related programs require Top Secret/SCI clearances due to classified threat information. Contractors should review security requirements early in the pursuit process, as clearance processing timelines affect staffing planning.