Palantir Faces $243.9 Million Sole-Source Push as Pentagon Formalizes Maven

Two Pentagon moves would deepen Palantir's hold on military software after Maven accelerated AI-assisted targeting during the Iran campaign.

Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg has drafted a memo directing Pentagon offices to buy up to $243.9 million in Palantir services without competitive bidding through March 31, 2027, The Register revealed. The Aug. 4 document also orders officials to identify funding for April 2027 through December 2028.

The proposed work targets defense-industrial-base efficiency rather than battlefield operations. The memo states that Palantir helps the Pentagon analyze delays in munitions and vehicle production and maintenance. It remains unclear whether the deal has been finalized.

A Pentagon official told The Register that such planning directives are standard and not exclusive to one vendor. Greg Williams of the Project On Government Oversight countered that federal law generally requires competition or a written justification for an exception. Feinberg's draft does not mention that requirement.