Small Business Relationships

We are united with our suppliers and small businesses to make a difference in the world

Small Business Programs

Leidos has a proud history of providing maximum opportunities for small businesses to engage with us as we support our customers in the vital areas of National Security, Health, and Engineering. The commitments we have made to our customers in supporting the Nation's small business program are key to distinguishing us as a small business advocacy leader.

We work closely with all categories of small businesses, including small disadvantaged, women-owned, veteran-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, and historically underutilized business zone (HUBZone) companies, as well as historically black colleges and universities and minority institutions (HBCU/MIs). We continue to exceed the statutory goals for small disadvantaged, women-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, as we believe that our success is strengthened by our legacy of commitment to small business engagement. Leidos awarded $2.8 billion in contracts to small and diverse businesses in government fiscal year 2024.

Leidos dedicated $2.8 billion to supporting small and diverse suppliers, encompassing both US-based small and diverse enterprises. This represents a 45% allocation of Leidos' total US expenditures to small business suppliers. These statistics illustrate the importance of small businesses to Leidos success, customer success and the dedication of the Leidos Small Business Development Program to promoting strategic teaming with a variety of small businesses.

To support continued company success and growth opportunities to small businesses, Leidos focuses on the following:

• A proactive corporate-led “Small Business Development Program” responsible for marketing and outreach/ awareness activities
• Fostering strategic relationships with small businesses that lead to subcontracting as well as prime contracting opportunities

Leidos has been recognized for well over a decade for its efforts and work with small businesses of all categories. We have received notable recognition from the Small Business Administration as well as awards from the National Veterans Small Business Coalition’s Veterans Champion Award, The DoD NUNN Perry award recognition for Excellence in the DoD Mentor Protégé Program, and The Reston Chamber of Commerce Member of the Year Award. 

Outreach Activities

Leidos participates in a variety of outreach programs that provide small business opportunities for every socio-economic category including partnerships with Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Institutions (MIs). During COVID we transitioned to hosting virtual events for small business interested in teaming opportunities as well as specific subcontracting opportunities. These “matchmaking” forums have proven extremely successful in providing potential small business partners with exposure to Leidos business developers, program managers, and procurement personnel to increase opportunities for capability briefings and relevant discussions on active opportunities.

Similarly, Leidos holds similar events for specific major programs and proposals. We frequently participate in industry and client small business events enabling small businesses to learn about current and future opportunities with Leidos. Over the years, we have participated in numerous supplier symposiums and industry forums sponsored by various federal agencies, including the Department of Defense (DoD), the Small Business Administration (SBA), and industry associations such as the National Defense Industrial Associate (NDIA) and Armed Forces Electronics Association (AFCEA). Leidos is proud of our corporate commitment and ongoing relationships with organizations supporting small businesses in a variety of socio-economic categories.

Mentor-Protégé Program

Leidos was one of the first contractors to be selected for DoD's pilot Mentor-Protégé Program in 1991. Since that time, Leidos formally mentored nearly 100 small businesses and is one of the most active participants in the federal agency program, and we currently maintain 3 active agreements with government agencies and third-party organizations to provide mentor services to small businesses. Some examples of our activities include:

• Business development guidance and training
• Financial, technical, and overall management support
• Pricing and contract bidding guidance and win-strategies
• Offering certification programs for individuals, including Project Management Professional Certifications
• Certification for whole programs in Network+, Ethical Hacker, and Security+
• Assistance and support for our small business partners in preparing for the DCAA audit process

In addition to formal agreements, Leidos informally mentors many small businesses by providing assistance in disciplines such as marketing, task order response, human resources, technology transfer, and administration. This approach helps develop our small business teammates while ensuring the highest levels of technical and programmatic performance.

Veteran-Owned Small Businesses

Leidos is an active supporter and sponsor of numerous veteran targeted events, which is not surprising considering 20% of Leidos' employees are veterans themselves. Leidos maintains a program aimed at enhancing the growth of Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) of all types in the government contracting arena through cooperative efforts with veteran advocacy bodies, and we directly supported VOSBs with approximately $655 million in spending in government fiscal year 2024.