Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS): PESTLE Analysis [Nov-2025 Updated]

You need to know if Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) can defintely hit its 2025 revenue guidance of $16.1 billion to $16.5 billion, and the answer isn't just in their balance sheet-it's in the macro forces of the PESTLE analysis. The reality is that US defense budgets, inflationary pressures on fixed-price contracts, and the aggressive push into Generative AI are the true determinants of their near-term success, so let's cut through the noise and see the specific political, economic, and technological shifts that demand your immediate attention.

Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) - PESTLE Analysis: Political factors

US defense and homeland security budgets remain the primary revenue driver.

Leidos' financial health is defintely tied directly to the U.S. federal budget cycle, as roughly 87% of the company's revenue comes from U.S. government contracts. This reliance means budget approval delays or changes in appropriations are a direct business risk. For the full fiscal year 2025, Leidos is guiding for total revenue between $17 billion and $17.25 billion, a massive figure largely underpinned by sustained government spending.

The Department of Defense (DoD) Information Technology/Cyberspace Activities (IT/CA) budget request for FY 2025 is a critical indicator, totaling $64.1 billion. This is a slight decrease of 1.2% from the FY 2024 estimate, but it still represents a huge, consistent market. The company's largest segment, National Security & Digital, reflects this focus, generating $2.02 billion in Q3 2025 revenue alone, an 8% increase year-over-year. The US government is Leidos' single, most important customer.

Continued bipartisan support for national security tech spending, especially cybersecurity.

Despite overall budget volatility, there is strong, consistent political support for modernizing national security technology, which is a major tailwind for Leidos. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2025 earmarks approximately $30 billion for military cybersecurity efforts within the broader $895.2 billion military budget. This is a clear mandate for continued investment in the company's core competencies.

The total federal cybersecurity budget across both Civilian and Defense segments for FY 2025 is at least $20.4 billion. The DoD's own cybersecurity budget for FY 2025 is $7.4 billion, focused on development, deployment, and modernization of cyber tools. This is where Leidos is making strategic moves, like the May 2025 acquisition of Kudu Dynamics to accelerate its AI-enabled cyber capabilities. The focus is shifting to classified, advanced technology; Classified Cyber now accounts for 23% of the total DoD IT budget for FY 2025, up from 22% in FY 2024.

Shifting priorities in US foreign policy can rapidly change contract focus areas.

U.S. foreign policy is driving a strategic shift in defense spending, moving resources away from counter-terrorism and toward great power competition. This means new opportunities in specific geographic and technological domains. The focus is now on deterring advanced adversaries, especially in the Pacific.

The shift is quantifiable in the budget: The Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI) is slated to receive $9.8 billion in FY 2025, an increase from $9 billion in the prior year. Conversely, the European Defense Initiative (EDI) funding is dropping to $2.9 billion in FY 2025, down from $3.6 billion in FY 2024. Leidos is aligned with this pivot, as its Defense Systems segment saw an 11% revenue increase to $582 million in Q3 2025, driven by growth in integrated air defense and radar surveillance programs.

Here is the quick math on the major defense spending shifts:

Initiative	FY 2024 Funding (Billions)	FY 2025 Funding (Billions)	Change
Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI)	$9.0	$9.8	+8.9%
European Defense Initiative (EDI)	$3.6	$2.9	-19.4%

Government shutdown risks still pose near-term cash flow and contract renewal delays.

The recurring risk of a U.S. government shutdown remains a major political headwind for all government contractors. The shutdown that began on October 1, 2025, created immediate uncertainty regarding expected payments and slowed down customer decisions on new contract talks.

However, Leidos' exposure is mitigated because most of its programs are deemed mission-critical, meaning work continues even during a shutdown. The company's management confidence is high; despite the Q3 2025 shutdown, Leidos held firm on its full-year revenue and cash guidance, reaffirming operating cash flow guidance of approximately $1.65 billion. The strong Q3 2025 cash flow from operating activities of $711 million shows resilience. What this estimate hides is the potential for significant administrative burden and delayed contract awards if a shutdown is protracted past the near-term.

• Shutdowns delay new contract awards.
• Payments for ongoing projects can be uncertain.
• Mission-critical status protects most existing revenue.

Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) - PESTLE Analysis: Economic factors

Inflationary pressures are raising labor and materials costs on fixed-price contracts.

You're seeing the same thing I am: inflation isn't just a consumer issue; it's a major headwind for government contractors like Leidos Holdings, Inc. The core problem is the company's reliance on firm-fixed-price (FFP) contracts, which lock in a price for the customer but leave the contractor vulnerable to rising costs over the life of the contract.

Honestly, even with modest annual price escalations built into bids, the current pace of inflation can quickly eat into profit margins, potentially leading to reduced profits or even losses.

We saw this pressure manifest in the third quarter of fiscal year 2025 (Q3 FY25). The Defense Systems segment's non-GAAP margin dropped to 8.9%, down from 10.2% in Q3 FY24. This was directly attributed to a higher mix of materials in early production phases-a concrete example of material cost inflation hitting the bottom line.

• Risk: Fixed-price contracts become less profitable as costs rise.
• Impact: Higher labor and material costs compress margins.
• Example: Defense Systems non-GAAP margin dropped due to materials mix.

Federal interest rate policy impacts the cost of capital for large-scale infrastructure projects.

The Federal Reserve's interest rate policy directly influences Leidos's cost of capital (how expensive it is to borrow money). Higher rates make debt financing pricier, which is a factor when bidding on or executing large, multi-year government and infrastructure projects that require significant upfront investment or system integration.

As of October 3, 2025, Leidos had a total of $4.7 billion in debt, so fluctuations in interest rates are defintely a risk to be managed.

To be fair, the company is actively managing this debt. In Q3 FY25 alone, Leidos made term loan principal payments of $450 million, demonstrating a commitment to reducing interest expense exposure. Still, the overall economic environment-including interest rate policy-remains a key factor in the financial viability of new, large-scale programs. The cost of money matters for long-term projects.

Leidos's 2025 revenue guidance is projected to be in the range of $17.0 billion to $17.25 billion.

Despite the economic headwinds, Leidos maintained a strong outlook for the full fiscal year 2025, which speaks to the resilience of its core government and national security business. Following the Q3 2025 results, the company reaffirmed its full-year revenue guidance to a range of $17.0 billion to $17.25 billion.

The company's performance is underpinned by a massive backlog, which stood at $47.7 billion as of October 3, 2025, with $9.1 billion of that being funded backlog. This provides significant revenue visibility, even if a government shutdown creates near-term uncertainty on the timing of cash flow.

Here's the quick math on their recent performance and expectations:

Metric	Q3 FY25 Result	Full-Year FY25 Guidance (Reaffirmed Nov 2025)
Revenue	$4.47 billion (up 7% YoY)	$17.0 billion to $17.25 billion
Adjusted EBITDA Margin	13.8%	High 13% range (Raised)
Non-GAAP Diluted EPS	$3.05 (up 4% YoY)	$11.45 to $11.75 (Raised)

Strong US dollar can affect international sales and competitiveness in global markets.

While Leidos is primarily a US government contractor, a strong US dollar still presents a risk to the approximately 8% of its revenues generated by entities outside the United States. When the dollar is strong, Leidos's services become more expensive for international customers paying in foreign currencies, which can affect competitiveness and sales volume.

This currency fluctuation risk is a standing concern. For example, the Commercial & International segment saw a slight decline in revenue during Q3 2025, which highlights the segment's vulnerability to macro-economic factors, including currency strength and international market dynamics.

What this estimate hides is that the majority of Leidos's international work is still tied to US government or allied defense/intelligence agencies, which somewhat mitigates the currency risk compared to a purely commercial exporter. Still, a strong dollar makes it a tougher sell in non-US defense and civil markets. The non-US revenue base is small, but it's an important growth vector.

Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) - PESTLE Analysis: Social factors

High demand for specialized talent, particularly in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

The race for specialized talent in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) is the single biggest social-labor pressure point for Leidos Holdings, Inc. right now. You cannot execute on high-stakes government contracts without the right brains, and the competition is fierce. Leidos, with a global workforce of approximately 47,000 employees as of July 4, 2025, is deeply focused on this talent pipeline.

To be fair, Leidos has a strong technical foundation: approximately 37% of its employees hold degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) fields, and about 24% have advanced degrees. Still, the demand for AI skills is accelerating faster than the supply. The company's core capabilities now explicitly include trusted mission artificial intelligence, which is a clear signal of where the talent focus must lie.

Here's the quick math on their commitment: The acquisition of Kudu Dynamics on May 23, 2025, for a preliminary purchase consideration of $291 million (net of cash acquired), was a direct action to accelerate the scaling of AI-enabled cyber capabilities. That's a huge investment, and it shows you cannot just hire this talent; sometimes, you have to buy it. This is a critical trend for all government services firms.

Focus on diversity and inclusion is now a key factor in winning major government contracts

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is no longer a soft HR issue; it's a hard business requirement, especially for a company that generated 87% of its revenue from U.S. government contracts for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. Government agencies are increasingly using DEI metrics as a factor in contract evaluation, so a strong, visible strategy is essential to mitigating risk and securing new business.

Leidos actively focuses its DEI strategy on improving enterprise and senior leader representation. They have an Enterprise Inclusion Council and an Executive Mentoring Program, with most participants being female and/or ethnically diverse, to develop and retain high-potential employees. Honestly, a diverse workforce brings diverse thinking, which is exactly what you need to solve complex national security and health problems.

The company's commitment to reporting its workforce demographic data annually, including its EEO-1 Reports, holds them accountable to customers and investors. This transparency is a competitive advantage now. For context, here is a snapshot of their workforce profile as of January 3, 2025, which forms the baseline for their ongoing inclusion goals:

Workforce Metric	Amount/Percentage (FY 2025 Data)	Significance
Total Global Employees	Approximately 48,000	Large, distributed workforce requiring consistent DEI application.
U.S. Employees	Approximately 42,600	Primary market for government contract compliance.
Employees with STEM Degrees	Approximately 37%	High technical baseline but intense competition for AI/ML skills.
Employees with U.S. Security Clearances	Approximately 52%	A key barrier to entry and a critical asset for government work.

Remote work trends require Leidos to adapt security and infrastructure for a distributed workforce

The shift to remote and hybrid work is permanent, and for a defense contractor, this trend is a massive security and infrastructure challenge. Leidos must maintain stringent security protocols, like the National Industrial Security Program (NISP), across thousands of home offices. The risk of a data breach or classified information leak rises with every new remote endpoint.

Leidos is defintely leaning into this trend, offering remote career opportunities and supporting flexible work arrangements. They even have an Employee Resource Group, CORE (Collaborative Outreach with Remote and Embedded Employees), to connect and support their virtual staff. But the real action is in the infrastructure.

The 2025 benefits enrollment process itself highlights the security adaptation: remote access to the Workday system requires an activated token. This simple step shows the necessary layer of multi-factor authentication and secure access management they must implement across their entire distributed network to meet government security standards.

Public scrutiny on government data privacy and ethical use of technology is increasing

Public trust is a non-negotiable asset for Leidos, especially as they deploy advanced technologies like AI in sensitive areas like defense, intelligence, and health. The scrutiny on how government contractors handle massive datasets and deploy AI is intensifying in 2025.

For example, Leidos was one of 10 prominent consulting companies under review by the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in March 2025, which is examining billions spent on consulting services to analyze the value delivered. This scrutiny is not just about cost; it's about ethical governance and accountability.

The ongoing debate over a federal comprehensive data privacy and security law in 2025, and the FBI's November 2025 Request for Information (RFI) on next-generation biometric matching algorithms, show the regulatory environment is tightening around the very technologies Leidos sells. The company must proactively address the ethical implications of its technology, especially for systems like:

• AI-enabled cyber capabilities for defense customers.
• Biometric and identification tools for law enforcement.
• Healthcare solutions for federal customers like the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

If Leidos fails to demonstrate ethical AI governance and robust data privacy, it risks not only reputational damage but also suspension or debarment from future U.S. government contracts.

Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) - PESTLE Analysis: Technological factors

You're looking at Leidos's technology landscape, and the story is simple: they are actively transforming from an IT services contractor to a mission software and AI-driven powerhouse. This shift is defintely not cheap, but it's critical for securing high-margin defense and civil agency contracts, which drives their strong financial outlook for 2025.

Aggressive push into Generative AI and advanced data analytics for defense applications.

Leidos is making concrete, multi-million dollar moves to embed Artificial Intelligence (AI), including Generative AI, directly into its core government services. This isn't just marketing fluff; it's a strategic pillar of their NorthStar 2030 plan. For example, in May 2025, they secured a $205 million contract with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) for IT modernization, explicitly stating they will use AI to automate operations and create a data-driven enterprise.

This aggressive push is also evident in their acquisitions and specialized programs. The May 2025 acquisition of Kudu Dynamics, a cyber toolmaker, for a preliminary purchase consideration of $291 million was specifically aimed at accelerating Leidos's scaling of AI-enabled cyber capabilities. They are also developing AI tools for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) under the $8.8 million INGOTS contract to automate vulnerability detection in military mobile systems, which is a direct response to the Pentagon's $14.5 billion cybersecurity budget.

Here's a quick look at their 2025 AI-related contract wins:

Contract/Acquisition	Value/Cost	Customer/Target	Primary Technological Focus
DTRA IT Modernization	$205 million (5-year contract)	Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)	AI-driven operations, Zero Trust, Hybrid Cloud
Kudu Dynamics Acquisition	$291 million (Purchase Consideration)	Internal Capability	AI-enabled offensive/defensive cyber
DISA Cross-Domain Services	$35 million (5-year contract)	Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)	Data-sharing modernization for AI-driven missions

Significant investment in cybersecurity solutions for critical infrastructure protection.

Cybersecurity is a high-growth, high-margin area for Leidos, and they've positioned themselves as a leader in the government's shift to a Zero Trust architecture. This model, which assumes no user or device is trustworthy by default, underpins roughly 80% of the Department of Defense's (DoD) modernization priorities.

Their largest program, the Defense Enclave Services (DES) contract with DISA, is a massive 10-year, $11.5 billion effort to consolidate the IT infrastructure for 370,000 users. The work involves implementing Zero Trust mandates and cloud-based automation, ensuring recurring revenue streams for years. Plus, the DTRA contract specifically includes guiding the agency toward a Zero Trust cybersecurity posture, showing this is a core deliverable, not an afterthought.

Quantum computing research is a long-term disruption risk and opportunity for encryption services.

The rise of quantum computing is a dual-edged sword: it promises exponentially faster processing, but it also threatens to break all current public-key encryption. Leidos is managing this risk by actively engaging in the field. They have a dedicated Quantum Technology Lead and a Quantum Computing Council focused on security modifications to prepare for post-quantum cryptography.

The opportunity is in quantum sensing and communication. In June 2025, Leidos was developing an alternative navigation technology for the Defense Innovation Unit that uses the quantum properties of diamonds to thwart GPS jamming. This kind of specialized, deep-tech research is what keeps them relevant in the defense sector, especially as the quantum industry is projected to grow to $65 billion by 2030.

Need to constantly modernize legacy IT systems for federal and civil agencies.

The federal government's reliance on Leidos for IT modernization is a huge, stable revenue driver. The DoD's IT modernization budget is projected to grow at 6-8% annually through 2027, largely because legacy systems still account for about 60% of their IT spending.

Leidos is winning big contracts to replace these older systems. In Q2 2025 alone, they secured a $128 million task order for the FBI's biometric modernization and an $87 million contract for NATO IT modernization. This constant need to replace aging infrastructure provides a reliable, multi-year pipeline of work, which is why Leidos's management is so confident in their full-year 2025 revenue guidance of $17.0 billion to $17.25 billion.

The sheer scale of this modernization work is staggering:

• Migrate 100,000 users onto the modernized DoDNet network by late 2025 under the DISA DES program.
• Overhaul the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's IT systems under the $205 million contract.
• Modernize tools that transfer data between classified and unclassified networks for DISA via a $35 million award.

The company's own investment in innovation, their company-funded R&D, was $150 million for fiscal year 2024, which is about 0.9% of revenues, showing a steady commitment to feeding this modernization engine. You need to keep feeding the beast.

Next Step: Review the specific budget allocation within the Defense Systems segment to confirm the year-over-year increase in AI-related CapEx for 2026 planning.

Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) - PESTLE Analysis: Legal factors

Strict compliance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS).

For a company like Leidos, compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) is not just a legal requirement; it is the core business license. Given that Leidos generated approximately 87% of its revenues for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025, from U.S. government contracts, any compliance failure is an existential threat.

The constant audit environment presents a risk. For instance, the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) audits for indirect costs remain open for fiscal 2022 and subsequent years as of January 3, 2025. This means a significant portion of past revenue is still subject to potential downward adjustment, which could adversely affect future profitability if final adjustments exceed current estimates. You have to treat compliance as a profit center, not a cost center.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, which targeted federal contractor spending, resulted in only a minor impact on Leidos in 2025, demonstrating the mission-critical nature of its portfolio. Leidos saw a contract cancellation reduced to just $560,000 on one Social Security Administration task order, a minimal amount compared to the company's full-year 2025 revenue guidance of $17.00 billion to $17.25 billion. That's a strong signal of contract stability.

Increased regulatory oversight on data security and breach notification laws, like CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification).

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 framework is a critical legal hurdle for any Department of Defense (DoD) contractor, including Leidos and its entire supply chain. The Final Rule took effect in December 2024, with third-party assessments beginning in January 2025. Contracts over $15,000 that involve Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) now require at least CMMC Level 2 certification.

The financial cost of this compliance is considerable, even for a large, mature firm. For a single system or enclave, achieving CMMC Level 2 certification can involve assessment fees ranging from $35,000 to $75,000 for a Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) audit. For the highest-risk programs, Level 3 compliance-which requires government-led Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center (DIBCAC) assessments-can cost a single organization between $300,000 and $1,000,000+.

The biggest risk here is False Claims Act (FCA) litigation, where companies face penalties for falsely claiming CMMC compliance. Three such cases have already been filed against other firms, underscoring that noncompliance is now a legal fraud risk, not just a security lapse.

Intellectual property (IP) disputes are a constant risk in the competitive government IT sector.

In the highly technical and competitive government IT sector, intellectual property (IP) disputes are a constant, high-stakes legal risk. Leidos's Q3 2025 risk disclosures clearly state the threat of litigation from third parties alleging infringement, misappropriation, or other violations of their IP rights.

While a major IP infringement verdict against Leidos in 2025 has not been reported, the company's financial statements show the cost of managing this risk. In Q3 fiscal year 2025, Leidos saw a $24 million increase to legal reserves, which management attributed to prudent cost management. This increase demonstrates a proactive approach to potential litigation and settlement costs, whether from IP, contract disputes, or other legal contingencies. The total patent damages awarded across all US cases in the first half of 2025 exceeded $1.91 billion, showing the scale of the risk in the broader technology sector.

Here's the quick math: that $24 million reserve increase is a small slice of the company's Q3 2025 net income of $369 million, but it's a necessary operational expense.

New labor laws and unionization efforts could impact large federal contracts.

The legal landscape for labor is shifting, and while Leidos's workforce is largely non-unionized, the risk remains. The company has approximately 47,000 global employees, but only about 265 represented employees in the U.S. are covered under a national agreement with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which expired in April 2023. This low union density minimizes the immediate threat of widespread labor disruption.

However, as a major federal contractor, Leidos is subject to strict labor compliance regulations, including Executive Order 11246 on equal employment opportunity. The risk of non-compliance is highlighted by a past 2019 Conciliation Agreement with the Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) regarding alleged discriminatory compensation practices. Any similar future violation could lead to significant financial remedies or debarment from future contract awards, impacting the total backlog of $47.7 billion (as of October 3, 2025).

The table below summarizes the key legal risks and their quantifiable impacts in the 2025 context:

Legal Factor	2025 Impact/Risk Metric	Quantifiable Data
FAR/DFARS Compliance Risk	Exposure to DCAA Audits & Penalties	87% of revenue from U.S. Government contracts (FY2024). DCAA audits open for fiscal 2022 and subsequent years.
CMMC 2.0 Compliance Cost	Mandatory investment for DoD contracts > $15K	Level 2 C3PAO assessment cost: $35,000 to $75,000 per system. Level 3 cost: $300,000 to $1,000,000+ per system.
Intellectual Property Disputes	Increase in Legal Reserves for Contingencies	$24 million increase to legal reserves in Q3 2025.
Labor Law/Unionization Risk	Employee Relations & OFCCP Compliance	Approx. 265 union-represented U.S. employees out of 47,000 global employees.

Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) - PESTLE Analysis: Environmental factors

Growing requirement for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting from government clients.

You might think the pressure for federal contractors like Leidos Holdings, Inc. to report on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is a clear-cut mandate, but honestly, it's a mixed bag right now in 2025. The initial proposed rule that would have required mandatory climate disclosures (Greenhouse Gas or GHG emissions) for federal contractors was withdrawn in January 2025. So, a uniform, government-wide obligation to disclose GHG emissions to win contracts is currently off the table.

Still, the underlying demand for sustainability hasn't vanished. A final rule was implemented in May 2024 to update the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), which now requires federal agencies to procure sustainable products and services to the maximum extent practicable. This shifts the focus from a disclosure mandate to a procurement-based requirement for greener solutions. Leidos is prepared, reporting in line with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) framework.

Here's the quick math on the reporting landscape:

• Mandatory GHG Disclosure Rule (FAR): Withdrawn January 2025.
• Sustainable Products/Services Rule (FAR): Finalized May 2024.
• Leidos's Internal Reporting Standard: GRI and SASB compliant.

Pressure to reduce carbon footprint in data centers and supply chain operations.

The pressure to reduce the carbon footprint is very real, even without a specific federal disclosure mandate. It's driven by investor expectations and Leidos's own commitment to its 'Advancing Environmental Sustainability' pillar. Leidos has a clear, measurable goal: to reduce its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 25% by 2030 relative to a 2021 baseline.

As a major IT and defense services provider, a huge part of this reduction comes from optimizing its physical and digital infrastructure. Their strategy is concrete, focusing on real estate and technology: data center consolidation, upgrading to more energy-efficient equipment, and migrating services to the cloud. In 2023, Leidos reported that its overall Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (indirect from purchased energy) emissions were already 7.1% lower than the 2021 baseline, showing progress.

Supply chain is the next big hurdle, especially since the withdrawn rule would have required Scope 3 (value chain) emissions reporting for major contractors. Leidos is addressing this through 'Circularity efforts,' which means they are actively collaborating with suppliers to implement circular measures.

Climate change initiatives in federal agencies create new opportunities for environmental consulting contracts.

This is where the risk of regulation turns into opportunity for Leidos's Health & Civil segment. Federal agencies are still mandated to address climate change and environmental compliance, and they need expert help to do it. Leidos has a strong legacy, having historically managed $1.25 billion of support to clients across the environmental and energy markets, including nine federal agencies.

A clear near-term opportunity is the September 2025 contract award where Leidos secured a spot on a potential $100 million multiple-award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract with the U.S. Air Force Civil Engineer Center. This contract is specifically for environmental impact statement and assessment services, which directly supports the Air Force's compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Plus, Leidos has made 'energy infrastructure' one of the five core pillars of its NorthStar 2030 growth strategy, defintely signaling a commitment to this market.

Environmental Opportunity Area	Leidos's Core Capability	2025 Market Signal
Federal Environmental Compliance (NEPA)	Environmental Impact Statements, Assessment Services	Secured spot on $100 million USAF IDIQ contract (Sep 2025)
Energy Infrastructure Modernization	Energy Master Planning, Technical Assistance, Systems Integration	Designated as a core NorthStar 2030 growth pillar
Historical Energy Savings Track Record	Energy Efficiency Program Delivery	Provided over $1.5 billion in energy efficiency savings (2001-2021)

Compliance with energy efficiency standards for federal buildings and IT infrastructure.

While federal agencies face increasingly stringent energy efficiency standards, there's a key timing caveat in 2025. The Department of Energy (DOE) Clean Energy Rule (CER), which would have required new federal buildings and major renovations designed after May 1, 2025, to achieve a 90% reduction in on-site fossil fuel-generated energy consumption compared to a 2003 baseline, has been stayed until May 1, 2026.

What this estimate hides is that the underlying statutory requirements for energy efficiency still exist, and the delay only shifts the compliance date for the most aggressive new standard. Agencies still need to meet existing efficiency standards, and Leidos is positioned to help. They offer technical assistance, benchmarking, and energy master planning to government agencies. For IT infrastructure, their move to data center consolidation and cloud migration directly supports the federal push for more energy-efficient IT operations, which is a constant requirement regardless of the building rule's delay.