The stretch of coast from Laguna Beach to Costa Mesa has quietly become one of the most concentrated defense-technology markets in the country. Anduril is headquartered in Costa Mesa, Parker Aerospace and Terran Orbital build in Irvine, and new space companies are raising large rounds a few miles from the beach. GERC gets the firms around them registered, certified, CMMC-ready and bidding.
Orange County’s 32 largest aerospace and defense employers had 25,915 people working locally in 2026, up about 3% on the year before, according to the Orange County Business Journal. Every one of those companies buys engineering, machining, software, testing, facilities and professional services from smaller firms.
Who is buying on this coast
Anduril is the name most people know. It employed 4,986 people in Orange County in 2026, up 56% in a year, and in March 2026 it won an Army contract worth up to $20 billion over ten years. It leases around 1.5 million square feet across the county, including a logistics hub in Tustin.
It is not the only buyer. Parker Aerospace in Irvine makes flight control, hydraulic and fuel systems. Terran Orbital, now part of Lockheed Martin, is building satellite buses in Irvine for the Space Development Agency’s missile-tracking layer. Turion Space in Irvine has raised more than $75 million, and in April 2026 it and Anduril were among 14 companies picked for the Space Force’s Andromeda program, which has a ceiling of up to $1.8 billion. Safran Cabin moved its U.S. headquarters to Costa Mesa, and Marvin Test Solutions and Ducommun both operate locally.
Who we work with here
We are best placed to help established businesses with revenue rather than start-ups looking for a first customer. On this coast, that usually means one of four groups:
- Commercial firms entering defense. Engineering, software, manufacturing and professional services companies that already sell to the private sector and want DoD revenue without a false start.
- Suppliers to the primes. Machine shops, electronics and test firms, and service providers who have been asked for a SAM.gov registration, a CAGE code or an SPRS score by a buyer.
- Funded defense-tech companies. Venture-backed teams pursuing SBIR and STTR awards or follow-on production, who need proposals written by people who know how evaluators score.
- Owner-led firms planning growth. Businesses headquartered in Newport Beach or Laguna Beach whose plant or team is inland, and who want government work to be a planned line of revenue.
Why cyber compliance comes first
If you touch Federal Contract Information or Controlled Unclassified Information, the requirement reaches you through your prime’s flow-down clauses, whatever your size.
- 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 from consideration before price is discussed.
- It takes months, not weeks. Firms that start when a solicitation appears usually miss it. See our NIST 800-171 and CMMC readiness page.
What we do for Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and Irvine 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 where you need controlled drawings.
- 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 buyers, then proposals and SBIR or STTR applications.
We serve Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Tustin, Lake Forest, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel and Mission Viejo. For county, city and state contracting across Orange County, see our Orange County page.
Common questions
Can a small firm in Newport Beach or Irvine sell to Anduril or Parker?
Yes, usually as a supplier or subcontractor. Large primes buy parts, engineering, software, testing and services from smaller firms, but they expect you to be registered in SAM.gov with a CAGE code, and increasingly to have an SPRS score on file before they award.
We are a professional services firm, not a manufacturer. Is defense work realistic?
Yes. Engineering, program management, data, training and consulting are all bought by DoD and by primes. The entry route is the same: registration, the right NAICS codes, a capability statement and, where you handle controlled information, NIST SP 800-171.
Does Orange County give preference to local small businesses?
For county contracts, yes. The County of Orange applies a 5% bid preference for certified local small businesses and for disabled veteran businesses, or 8% for firms that hold both. Federal defense contracts have their own set-asides, such as small business, woman-owned and HUBZone.
How long before we can bid?
SAM.gov registration and a CAGE code usually take weeks. Certifications take longer, and NIST SP 800-171 readiness can take months depending on where you start. A readiness review first stops you doing them in the wrong order.
Do you meet clients in person?
When it helps. We are about an hour away 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 Newport Beach and Irvine — 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.