Top NSF research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) contractors
In the 12 months ending Oct 5, 2026, the National Science Foundation obligated $14.0M in net prime contract dollars under NAICS 541715, down 20.1% from $17.5M in the preceding 12 months. 9 prime contractors received positive obligations, and 7 of them accounted for 80% of that spend.
Prime contracts funded by the National Science Foundation. Latest 12 months: Oct 6, 2025 to Oct 5, 2026. Source: USAspending.gov.
Obligations by fiscal year
Net prime contract obligations by federal fiscal year (October to September).
Top NSF contractors for NAICS 541715
Ranked by positive obligations in the latest 12 months. Share is of all positive obligations in this market.
| # | Contractor | Latest 12 mo | Prior 12 mo | Share | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iridescent Sensors Inc | $2.0M | $2.0M | 14.3% | ▲ 2 |
| 2 | Teledyne Flir Defense, LLC | $2.0M | $2.0M | 14.3% | ▼ 1 |
| 3 | Delta Bravo Artificial Intelligence Inc | $2.0M | $2.0M | 14.3% | ▲ 3 |
| 4 | Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. | $2.0M | $2.0M | 14.2% | ▲ 1 |
| 5 | Sweetsense Inc | $1.6M | $2.0M | 11.4% | ▼ 1 |
| 6 | REI Systems, Inc. | $1.6M | $1.9M | 11.4% | ▲ 2 |
| 7 | Battelle Memorial Institute | $1.0M | $2.0M | 7.1% | ▼ 5 |
| 8 | International Business Machines Corporation | $985K | $2.0M | 7.0% | ▼ 1 |
| 9 | re3d, Inc. | $830K | $1.7M | 5.9% | — |
What changed in the last 12 months
Contractors with the largest change in reported obligations versus the preceding 12 months.
Largest gains
- The Research Foundation for the State University of New York−$13K → $0 (+$13K) · no latest-period obligations
- University of Washington−$11K → $0 (+$11K) · no latest-period obligations
- Delta Bravo Artificial Intelligence Inc$2.0M → $2.0M (+$10K) · now #3
Largest declines
- International Business Machines Corporation$2.0M → $985K (−$1.0M) · now #8
- Battelle Memorial Institute$2.0M → $1.0M (−$1000K) · now #7
- re3d, Inc.$1.7M → $830K (−$853K) · now #9
Where the money comes from
Funding sub-agencies within the National Science Foundation, latest 12 months. The funding organization can differ from the office that runs the requirement.
| Funding sub-agency | Latest 12 mo | Prior 12 mo | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Science Foundation | $14.0M | $17.5M | Down $3.5M (20.1%) |
Potential recompetes
Large awards in this market whose current period of performance ends in the next 18 months. Treat these as research leads: options, extensions, and follow-on vehicles often change the timing.
| Award | Incumbent | Obligated | Current end |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49100424C0005 | International Business Machines Corporation NSF CONVERGENCE ACCELERATOR TRACK I "PFACTS: FASTER SOLUTIONS FOR FOREVER CHEMICALS" | $5.0M | Feb 20, 2027 |
| 49100425C0024 | REI Systems, Inc. SBIR PHASE III AWARD, NSF PES SYSTEM | $2.4M | Mar 31, 2027 |
| 49100424C0004 | re3d, Inc. NSF CONVERGENCE ACCELERATOR TRACK I | $4.2M | Mar 31, 2027 |
| 49100425C0010 | Delta Bravo Artificial Intelligence Inc CONVERGENCE ACCELERATOR FUTURE WATER SYSTEMS | $4.0M | Jun 4, 2027 |
| 49100425C0012 | Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. NSF CONVERGENCE ACCELERATOR BAA - TRACK M - PHASE 2 AWARD- PROJECT TITLED: BIO-INSPIRED AND BIOCATALYTIC DEGRADATION OF "FOREVER CHEMICALS" | $4.0M | Jul 7, 2027 |
| 49100425C0007 | Iridescent Sensors Inc PHASE II RESEARCH FOR TOPIC, "AN OPTOELECTRONIC NOSE FOR TOXIC GAS DETECTION BY FIRST RESPONDERS" | $4.0M | Jul 8, 2027 |
| 49100425C0019 | Teledyne Flir Defense, LLC NSF CONVERGENCE ACCELERATOR TRACK L | $4.0M | Jul 17, 2027 |
| 49100425C0009 | Sweetsense Inc CONVERGENCE ACCELERATOR FUTURE WATER SYSTEMS | $3.6M | Jul 17, 2027 |
| 49100424C0006 | Battelle Memorial Institute NSF CONVERGENCE ACCELERATOR TRACK I | $5.0M | Aug 26, 2027 |
Common questions
Who are the top NSF contractors for NAICS 541715?
In the latest 12 months, Iridescent Sensors Inc ($2.0M), Teledyne Flir Defense, LLC ($2.0M), Delta Bravo Artificial Intelligence Inc ($2.0M) received the most NSF obligations for research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology).
How concentrated is this market?
The eight largest primes held 94.1% of positive obligations, and Iridescent Sensors Inc alone held 14.3%. 0 contractors won their first obligations in this market during the latest 12 months.
Are any large NSF NAICS 541715 contracts ending soon?
9 of the largest awards in this market reach their current end date in the next 18 months. The first is 49100424C0005 (International Business Machines Corporation, $5.0M obligated), ending Feb 20, 2027. An end date is a research lead, not a confirmed recompete: options and extensions often move it.
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$48.9MFigures are net obligations on prime contracts (award types A–D) from USAspending.gov, grouped by funding agency and the NAICS code on each award. Net obligations include deobligations and corrections, so they can differ from positive-obligation totals. See methodology.
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