What Arcata LLC does

Arcata Associates, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned federal government contractor founded in 1979 by Buck W. Wong and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. The company provides mission-critical technical services to U.S. federal agencies — principally NASA, the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and the Department of Defense — across military test and training ranges, space operations, and aeronautics research. Its service portfolio spans six core technical lines (Engineering, Operations & Maintenance, Information Technology, Multimedia, Transportation, and Logistics) plus three specialized domain practices (Military Test & Training Support, Space Operations Support, and Aeronautics Research Support). The company operates in seven or more states with on-site presence at facilities including Nellis AFB, Hill AFB, China Lake, AUTEC, Alaska, and multiple NASA centers (Marshall, Johnson, Kennedy, Armstrong/Dryden, and Colorado Springs).

Underlying technical capabilities include hardware and software engineering, range instrumentation and telemetry systems (communications, radar, RF, video, display, debriefing), CMMI-compliant IT and information assurance services, vehicle fleet and fuels management, and award-winning multimedia production supporting mission control displays and inflight imagery. Arcata functions as both a prime contractor and a subcontractor on team-led pursuits, with named partners including Teledyne Brown Engineering (NASA MOSSI II), Amentum (AUTEC), Tanadgusix Corporation (ARCTICS), Lockheed Martin (Orion, CSOC), and SAIC.

Arcata generates revenue exclusively through federal contract vehicles obtained via competitive bidding, structured around cost-plus-award-fee and other federal contract types. The company's go-to-market is enterprise field sales oriented toward federal program offices, with customer acquisition and retention driven by long-term incumbency, security-cleared workforce (25%+ veterans), and an award track record spanning multiple decades. The company is led by Tim Wong (President and CEO, son of the founder), with an executive team including Anthony Ng (EVP), Ralph Decker (VP, J-Tech Program), and functional leads across finance, HR, and contracts. Arcata remains owner-operated by the Wong family with no disclosed institutional, private equity, or public market ownership.

Name

Arcata LLC

Legal name

Arcata Associates, Inc.

Website

https://arcataassociates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Arcata Associates is a privately held, family-owned federal contractor providing engineering, IT, operations and maintenance, multimedia, transportation, and logistics services to NASA, the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, and DoD across military test ranges and space programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Federal Government Technical Services

akta.pro primary industry

ERP Implementation & Systems Integration Services (BPAEAGAA)

Keywords

• Government technical services
• Military test training support
• Engineering services
• Aerospace defense contracting
• Range operations maintenance

Headquarters

HQ city

Las Vegas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts: Arcata generates revenue through federal government contracts, primarily serving NASA, Department of Defense, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and other government agencies. Revenue comes from cost-plus-award fee contracts (e.g., MOSSI II at $596.5 million over 8 years) and other contract structures for technical services including engineering, IT, multimedia, operations & maintenance, transportation, and logistics.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Arcata Associates, Inc. is a technical services company that delivers engineering, operations & maintenance, information technology, multimedia, transportation, and logistics services to U.S. federal government agencies and aerospace/defense customers. Its core work focuses on mission-critical support for military test and training ranges, NASA space operations (including International Space Station mission operations), and aeronautics research programs under multi-year contracts and subcontractor arrangements.

Product overview

Arcata Associates is a technical services company offering a broad portfolio of interconnected professional services primarily to U.S. federal government agencies and aerospace/defense contractors. The company operates as a unified service delivery organization rather than a software product platform. Its core offerings span six technical service lines—Engineering, Operations & Maintenance, Information Technology, Multimedia, Transportation, and Logistics—supplemented by three specialized domain practices: Military Test & Training Support, Space Operations Support, and Aeronautics Research Support. These services are delivered through contracts with major government customers including NASA, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and the Department of Defense. The company functions primarily as a government contractor providing mission-critical technical support rather than selling standalone software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Engineering Services Hardware, software, and system engineering services including system design, integration, technical documentation, and project management delivered to federal military and space customers to support mission success.
• Operations & Maintenance Day-to-day sustainment of systems for mission-critical test and training missions, including operational readiness assistance and equipment/facility life extension for federal customers.
• Information Technology Services IT solutions spanning network services, data center operations, integrated communications, application/database/web services, governance/enterprise architecture, and information assurance/IT security with CMMI-compliant processes for federal agencies.
• Multimedia Services Award-winning multimedia design and production including imaging services, inflight photography and video, audio and video technical support, and large-screen display systems for NASA Mission Control Centers.
• Transportation Services Vehicle operations and maintenance, fleet management, and fuels management services for military and commercial customers, improving vehicle availability and driver safety.
• Logistics Services Comprehensive acquisition, receiving, storage, and distribution services including warehouse and property management for military equipment sustainment.
• Military Test & Training Support Mission-critical military test and training support including engineering, operating, and maintaining communications, radar, telemetry, video, RF, and display/debriefing systems, and planning, scheduling, executing, and analyzing large force exercises and tests.
• Space Operations Support NASA space operations support including building instruments for deep space observation, human spaceflight support, climate study investigations, and data transmission from International Space Station payloads.
• Aeronautics Research Support NASA aeronautics research support including work on supersonic aircraft noise reduction, active aeroelastic control technologies, electric propulsion aircraft, and unmanned aerial systems testing.

Quantifiable outcome

• 45 years of continuous operation supporting federal government and aerospace/defense
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered important and core.

• Tanadgusix Corporation (TDX)importantChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 April 2025Arcata expanded to Alaska as a subcontractor to Tanadgusix Corporation (TDX) supporting the U.S. Air Force's Alaskan Range Combat Training Integrated Communications and Support (ARCTICS) program.
• Teledyne Brown EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 September 2022Arcata is a member of the Teledyne Brown Engineering team awarded the NASA MOSSI II contract ($596.5 million over 8 years). Arcata provides Data Management Coordinator, Payload Express Rack Officer, Ground Systems Integration, Database, Systems Engineering, and Ground Controller services supporting the International Space Station.
• Amentum ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Arcata expanded its Navy test, evaluation, and underwater research capabilities by launching a ten-year program supporting the Atlantic Undersea Test & Evaluation Center (AUTEC) contract as a subcontractor to Amentum Services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Sumaria Systems: Sumaria Systems provides IT, engineering, multimedia, and program management services to DoD and federal civilian agencies, overlapping with Arcata on cleared IT and multimedia mission support.
• Vectrus: Vectrus delivers facility and base operations, IT, logistics, and training-support services across DoD installations. Arcata's transportation, logistics, and range O&M service lines map directly onto Vectrus's core offerings and customer set.
• Amentum: Amentum is a major federal services prime that holds the AUTEC contract for which Arcata is a subcontractor; both firms deliver mission-critical technical, engineering, and range-support services to DoD and NASA. Business model, customer base, and core test-and-training scope overlap closely.
• COLSA Corporation: COLSA is a mid-sized federal contractor providing engineering, IT, cyber, and test-and-evaluation services to DoD and NASA, with similar size, small-business legacy, and customer concentration to Arcata.
• Teledyne Brown Engineering: Teledyne Brown Engineering is the prime contractor on the NASA MOSSI II contract that Arcata supports, providing engineering, mission operations, and systems integration to NASA Marshall and the ISS program. Highly comparable in customer, contract type, and technical service mix.

Broad incumbents

• Leidos: Leidos is a top-tier federal IT and engineering prime serving DoD, NASA, and intelligence customers with capabilities that subsume Arcata's IT, systems engineering, and range support lines at significantly larger scale.
• SAIC: SAIC is a large federal services integrator delivering IT modernization, engineering, and test-and-training support across DoD and NASA; competes with Arcata for upper-tier scopes and is a frequent prime on which smaller contractors team.
• CACI International: CACI provides enterprise IT, engineering, and mission support to DoD and federal civilian agencies, with capabilities and customer set that overlap materially with Arcata's IT and engineering service lines.
• Parsons: Parsons delivers defense and space engineering, range support, and mission solutions to DoD and NASA, including test-and-training scope where Arcata competes; broader portfolio but directly comparable mission areas.
• KBR: KBR's Government Solutions segment provides large-scale engineering, logistics, range operations, and scientific support across DoD and NASA, competing for and teaming on the same contracts Arcata supports.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/arcataassociates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arcata-associates
• Xx.com/arcataapts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Arcata LLC