Long Beach has turned the old Douglas aircraft land around its airport into what the city now calls Space Beach. Rocket Lab lists Long Beach as its headquarters, Vast and Relativity Space build here, and Anduril is putting a $1 billion campus into Long Beach and Lakewood. GERC gets the local firms that supply them registered, certified, CMMC-ready and bidding.
For port, city and state contracts rather than defense work, see our Long Beach government contracting page.
What is being built here
Anduril’s campus at Douglas Park, north of the airport, covers about 1.18 million square feet and is expected to bring around 5,500 direct jobs, with the first building due to open in 2027, according to the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.
Rocket Lab won an $816 million prime contract from the Space Development Agency in December 2025 to build 18 missile-tracking satellites, on top of an earlier $515 million award, and develops engines for its Neutron rocket at a 144,000 square foot Long Beach facility. Vast employs more than 1,000 people at its Long Beach headquarters. Voyager Technologies opened a 140,000 square foot plant in March 2026 making parts for missiles and spacecraft, and True Anomaly builds spacecraft nearby.
Where smaller firms get in
Companies growing this fast buy almost everything from someone else: precision parts, harnesses, test services, tooling, facilities work, staffing, logistics and engineering support. Getting on their supplier lists is usually the route in, and it starts with the same paperwork a federal buyer would ask for.
- Supplier onboarding. SAM.gov registration, a CAGE code and the right NAICS codes, so a buyer can check you in minutes.
- Flow-down requirements. Defense and space primes pass cyber and quality requirements down to suppliers. If you will see drawings or program data, NIST SP 800-171 applies.
- Research funding. Firms with technology of their own can pursue SBIR and STTR awards from the Space Force, Air Force, Navy and Army.
Why cyber compliance comes first
- NIST SP 800-171 is the foundation. A System Security Plan and a POA&M documenting your gaps, with a score submitted to SPRS.
- Primes check before they award. A missing or weak SPRS score can remove you before price is discussed.
- It takes months, not weeks. See our NIST 800-171 and CMMC readiness page.
What we do for Long Beach firms
- Readiness review. Where you stand on registrations, certifications and cyber, and the order to fix them in.
- Registration. SAM.gov, UEI and entity validation, CAGE code, and DLA DIBBS with JCP.
- Certification. SB, SB-PW, DVBE, 8(a) and HUBZone where you qualify, plus California SB for state work.
- Bidding. A capability statement written for defense and space buyers, then proposals.
We serve Long Beach, Lakewood, Signal Hill, Carson, Paramount and Bellflower, and the wider Gateway Cities and Santa Fe Springs corridor.
Common questions
How can a small Long Beach company supply Anduril, Rocket Lab or Vast?
Through each company’s supplier onboarding. Most expect SAM.gov registration, a CAGE code and the right NAICS codes, and they pass down cyber and quality requirements. Having those in place before you make contact shortens the conversation.
Is SAM.gov registration needed if we only sell to primes, not the government?
Often, yes. Many primes require it to onboard suppliers on government programs, and it is required for any direct federal contract or SBIR award. Registration itself is free.
Does CMMC apply to subcontractors?
Yes, where the work involves Federal Contract Information or Controlled Unclassified Information. The requirement flows down from the prime, and most subcontractors handling drawings, specifications or program data are in scope.
We already work with the Port of Long Beach. Does that help?
It shows you can deliver to a public buyer, which helps your capability statement. But port and city registrations do not carry over to federal or defense work. SAM.gov and a CAGE code are separate.
Do you meet in person?
When it helps. We are based in San Bernardino and travel for kickoffs, proposal reviews and board presentations. Most of the work runs remotely.
Schedule a Consultation
- Call (909) 454-7076 — the fastest route. Monday to Friday.
- Book a consultation — pick a time that suits you.
- Email us about Long Beach — opens a message already titled, so it reaches the right person.
If you only want to know whether you need this at all, ask. There is no charge for that conversation.
GERC is a woman-led advisory firm led by Dr. Shirley Ayangbah, a PhD legal economist with more than 14 years of experience. Registered in SAM.gov under CAGE code 11SD2, certified as a California Small Business (Micro) and for Public Works. NAICS 541611, 541618 and 541690.