DOD

The Department of Defense accounts for roughly two-thirds of all federal contract spending. It operates through multiple contracting organizations, each with different missions, buying patterns, and entry points for contractors.

DOD's contracting structure:

• Military Departments — Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), and Air Force (including Space Force) each run their own acquisition programs through commands like Army Contracting Command (ACC), Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), and Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC)
• Defense Agencies — DLA (Defense Logistics Agency), DISA (Defense Information Systems Agency), DARPA, MDA (Missile Defense Agency), and others procure specialized goods and services
• Combatant Commands — CENTCOM, INDOPACOM, SOCOM, and others contract for operational support in theater

How to find DOD contracts:

• SAM.gov — All DOD solicitations above $25K are posted here
• FPDS.gov — Historical contract award data; use it to identify which DOD agencies buy what you sell
• USASpending.gov — Spending trends by agency, NAICS, and vendor
• Beta.SAM.gov Contract Opportunities — Filter by "Department of Defense" under agency hierarchy

Key DOD-specific regulations:

• DFARS (Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement) — adds defense-specific rules on top of the FAR
• CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification) — mandatory for contractors handling CUI (Controlled Unclassified Information)
• ITAR — International Traffic in Arms Regulations restrict export of defense articles
• DD Form 254 — Security classification specification for classified contracts

Getting started with DOD: register in SAM.gov, identify your NAICS codes and relevant DOD buying commands, pursue small dollar opportunities first (under $250K simplified acquisitions), and build past performance that positions you for larger competitive awards.