Last Updated: 10 March 2025
BigBear.ai, a provider of AI-powered decision intelligence solutions for defense and national security, announced today that it has secured a sole-source, 3.5-year, $13.2 million contract with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
The agreement supports the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s (CJCS) Directorate for Force Management (J-35), specifically to deliver and maintain the ORION Decision Support Platform (DSP).
ORION DSP automates force management tasks and provides advanced data analytics for the DoD’s Joint Planning and Execution Community (JPEC).
This contract award comes via the Tradewinds Marketplace, the DoD’s primary procurement platform dedicated to AI and machine learning technologies. This marks the second successful award for BigBear.ai through Tradewinds, following the company's prior achievement with VANE.
The Directorate for Force Management oversees the structure, policies, and resources needed by the U.S. Armed Forces to maintain readiness and effectively coordinate global operations. Given the increasingly complex and changing nature of threats, the DoD requires scalable, adaptable solutions. BigBear.ai's modernization efforts aim to improve ORION DSP's analytical capabilities and overall efficiency, addressing these evolving needs.
“We are honored to support the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Office. Winning this contract demonstrates BigBear.ai’s ability to deliver modern, AI-powered solutions that enable data-driven decision-making at the highest levels of defense leadership. ORION DSP plays a pivotal role in optimizing force structure, and we look forward to bringing our expertise in AI, data analytics, and software development to ensure mission success.”
Kevin McAleenan, CEO of BigBear.ai
The ORION platform integrates comprehensive data from all branches of the Armed Services, providing decision-makers with global visualizations of forces in action. Additionally, it supports developing, refining, and analyzing various courses of action (COA), delivering critical insights and validated advice to senior defense officials.
Before ORION DSP, strategic analyses related to contingency, crisis management, and major operational planning typically took weeks or even months.
Now, with BigBear.ai's solution, these analyses can be performed in mere minutes or hours, dramatically improving operational response and readiness.
