# Alaska AI Contracts and the Comma That Hides One

> Search federal contracts for artificial intelligence among Alaska vendors and you get 24 records or 25 but never both.

Published 2026-09-07 by Alaska AI. 9 slides.
Canonical: https://alaskaaihq.com/archive/2026-09-07/

## What we verified

- An FPDS phrase search for Alaska vendors and the phrase artificial intelligence returns 24 contract actions. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=VENDOR_ADDRESS_STATE_NAME%3A%22ALASKA%22+DESCRIPTION_OF_REQUIREMENT%3A%22ARTIFICIAL+INTELLIGENCE%22&start=0), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- An FPDS phrase search for Alaska vendors and the longer phrase artificial intelligence, and machine learning returns 25 contract actions. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=VENDOR_ADDRESS_STATE_NAME%3A%22ALASKA%22+DESCRIPTION_OF_REQUIREMENT%3A%22ARTIFICIAL+INTELLIGENCE%2C+AND+MACHINE+LEARNING%22&start=0), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- The longer phrase is a strict superset of the shorter one, yet none of the 25 records it returns appear among the 24 returned by the shorter phrase. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=VENDOR_ADDRESS_STATE_NAME%3A%22ALASKA%22+DESCRIPTION_OF_REQUIREMENT%3A%22ARTIFICIAL+INTELLIGENCE%2C+AND+MACHINE+LEARNING%22&start=15), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- A search for Alaska artificial intelligence contracts misses three contracts worth $54,250,832.04 that a longer phrase containing the same words does return. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=VENDOR_ADDRESS_STATE_NAME%3A%22ALASKA%22+DESCRIPTION_OF_REQUIREMENT%3A%22ARTIFICIAL+INTELLIGENCE%2C+AND+MACHINE+LEARNING%22&start=10), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- The Leisnoi contract description that the shorter search misses reads information technology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning program support services. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=VENDOR_ADDRESS_STATE_NAME%3A%22ALASKA%22+DESCRIPTION_OF_REQUIREMENT%3A%22ARTIFICIAL+INTELLIGENCE%2C+AND+MACHINE+LEARNING%22&start=15), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- In every record the two searches returned, a description is missed by the shorter phrase when a comma immediately follows the words artificial intelligence and found when a parenthesis or another word follows. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=VENDOR_ADDRESS_STATE_NAME%3A%22ALASKA%22+DESCRIPTION_OF_REQUIREMENT%3A%22ARTIFICIAL+INTELLIGENCE%22&start=0), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Leisnoi Professional Services LLC holds a Washington Headquarters Services contract obligated at $20,632,119.41. [USAspending.gov award record](https://api.usaspending.gov/api/v2/awards/CONT_AWD_HQ003425CE092_9700_-NONE-_-NONE-/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- The Leisnoi contract has obligated its entire ceiling with nothing left unspent. [USAspending.gov award record](https://api.usaspending.gov/api/v2/awards/CONT_AWD_HQ003425CE092_9700_-NONE-_-NONE-/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- The Leisnoi contract reached its total across 8 separate contract actions. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=VENDOR_ADDRESS_STATE_NAME%3A%22ALASKA%22+DESCRIPTION_OF_REQUIREMENT%3A%22ARTIFICIAL+INTELLIGENCE%2C+AND+MACHINE+LEARNING%22&start=20), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- The Leisnoi contract was awarded as an 8(a) sole source under NAICS code 541512 for computer systems design services. [USAspending.gov award record](https://api.usaspending.gov/api/v2/awards/CONT_AWD_HQ003425CE092_9700_-NONE-_-NONE-/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- The Leisnoi contract runs from September 11th, 2025 to September 10th, 2026. [USAspending.gov award record](https://api.usaspending.gov/api/v2/awards/CONT_AWD_HQ003425CE092_9700_-NONE-_-NONE-/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- The Leisnoi artificial intelligence contract is performed in Washington DC and not in Alaska. [USAspending.gov award record](https://api.usaspending.gov/api/v2/awards/CONT_AWD_HQ003425CE092_9700_-NONE-_-NONE-/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Koniag Emerging Technologies LLC holds an Army contract worth $5,267,244.80 for artificial intelligence rapid support. [USAspending.gov award record](https://api.usaspending.gov/api/v2/awards/CONT_AWD_W519TC26CA019_9700_-NONE-_-NONE-/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- The Koniag Emerging Technologies artificial intelligence contract is performed in Anchorage. [USAspending.gov award record](https://api.usaspending.gov/api/v2/awards/CONT_AWD_W519TC26CA019_9700_-NONE-_-NONE-/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- The Koniag Emerging Technologies contract was signed on May 29th, 2026 and can run to May 25th, 2031 if every option is exercised. [USAspending.gov award record](https://api.usaspending.gov/api/v2/awards/CONT_AWD_W519TC26CA019_9700_-NONE-_-NONE-/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Exactly one federal contract record has both a place of performance in Alaska and the phrase artificial intelligence in its description. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=POP_STATE_NAME%3A%22ALASKA%22+DESCRIPTION_OF_REQUIREMENT%3A%22ARTIFICIAL+INTELLIGENCE%22&start=0), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Nine federal records have a place of performance in Alaska and the phrase machine learning, and every one of them is a NASA grant to the University of Alaska Fairbanks. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=POP_STATE_NAME%3A%22ALASKA%22+DESCRIPTION_OF_REQUIREMENT%3A%22MACHINE+LEARNING%22&start=0), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Those nine Alaska performed machine learning records total $1,187,674.80. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=POP_STATE_NAME%3A%22ALASKA%22+DESCRIPTION_OF_REQUIREMENT%3A%22MACHINE+LEARNING%22&start=5), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Tuknik Government Services holds a contract for the Defense Department Joint Artificial Intelligence Center totalling $24,210,536.43. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=VENDOR_ADDRESS_STATE_NAME%3A%22ALASKA%22+DESCRIPTION_OF_REQUIREMENT%3A%22ARTIFICIAL+INTELLIGENCE%22&start=0), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- An earlier Tuknik contract for the same programmatic support work totals $21,596,322.25 across 14 actions. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=VENDOR_ADDRESS_STATE_NAME%3A%22ALASKA%22+DESCRIPTION_OF_REQUIREMENT%3A%22ARTIFICIAL+INTELLIGENCE%2C+AND+MACHINE+LEARNING%22&start=0), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Koniag IT Systems LLC held the same Washington Headquarters Services work before Leisnoi, totalling $12,022,390.38. [USAspending.gov award record](https://api.usaspending.gov/api/v2/awards/CONT_AWD_HQ003425CE012_9700_-NONE-_-NONE-/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- The Koniag IT Systems contract ended on September 10th, 2025 and the Leisnoi contract began the next day. [USAspending.gov award record](https://api.usaspending.gov/api/v2/awards/CONT_AWD_HQ003425CE012_9700_-NONE-_-NONE-/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Tuknik Government Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Koniag Government Services. [Koniag Government Services](https://www.koniag-gs.com/tuknik-government-services/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Koniag Government Services lists 28 wholly owned subsidiaries, among them one named Koniag AI Solutions LLC. [Koniag Government Services](https://www.koniag-gs.com/companies/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Koniag AI Solutions LLC describes itself as a process, distribution and logistics consulting company rather than an artificial intelligence developer. [Koniag Government Services](https://www.koniag-gs.com/koniag-ai-solutions/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Koniag subsidiaries signed 30 federal contract actions in the two weeks ending September 7th, 2026. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=VENDOR_NAME%3A%22KONIAG%22+SIGNED_DATE%3A%5B2026%2F08%2F25%2C2026%2F09%2F07%5D&start=0), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Those 30 Koniag actions were spread across more than a dozen federal departments and agencies. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=VENDOR_NAME%3A%22KONIAG%22+SIGNED_DATE%3A%5B2026%2F08%2F25%2C2026%2F09%2F07%5D&start=25), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- A Department of Energy contract modification to Koniag Emerging Technologies states its purpose as adding an AI tool. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=PIID%3A%2289303026CIM000014%22&start=0), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- That Department of Energy contract carries a ceiling of $34,301,950.89 against $7,855,836.13 obligated so far. [USAspending.gov award record](https://api.usaspending.gov/api/v2/awards/CONT_AWD_89303026CIM000014_8900_-NONE-_-NONE-/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- The Department of Energy added $679,233.27 to that contract on September 3rd, 2026. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=VENDOR_NAME%3A%22KONIAG%22+SIGNED_DATE%3A%5B2026%2F08%2F25%2C2026%2F09%2F07%5D&start=25), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Federal law requires regional Alaska Native corporations to share 70 percent of their timber and subsurface revenue with the other eleven. [Office of the Law Revision Counsel, United States Code](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title43-section1606&num=0&edition=prelim), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- That sharing requirement names only timber and the subsurface estate and does not name services or government contracting revenue. [Office of the Law Revision Counsel, United States Code](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title43-section1606&num=0&edition=prelim), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- The Koniag Education Foundation has awarded more than 10 million dollars and over 4,000 scholarships and currently supports 158 students. [Koniag Education Foundation](https://www.koniageducation.org/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Koniag Government Services is named as a donor to the Koniag Education Foundation. [Koniag Education Foundation](https://www.koniageducation.org/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement awarded a task order to Koniag Services Inc with $17,456,917.40 obligated. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=PIID%3A%2270CDCR26FR0000034%22&start=0), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- The ICE task order took effect on August 6th, 2026 and can run to August 5th, 2030. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=PIID%3A%2270CDCR26FR0000034%22&start=0), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- The federal record now gives the place of performance for the ICE call center as Nashville and not the small town first named. [Federal Procurement Data System FPDS-NG public ATOM feed](https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/FEEDS/ATOM?s=FPDS&FEEDNAME=PUBLIC&VERSION=1.5.3&q=PIID%3A%2270CDCR26FR0000034%22&start=0), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Commonwealth North's executive director wrote that nobody has quantified how much of Alaska Native corporation revenue runs through 8(a) contracts. [Anchorage Daily News opinion, by Ross Johnston](https://www.adn.com/opinions/2026/06/06/opinion-alaska-has-a-stake-in-a-federal-program-it-has-never-measured/), primary document, 2026-06-06.
- About 9 billion dollars of that revenue was earned outside Alaska. [Commonwealth North](https://www.commonwealthnorth.org/alaskas-8a-economy-whats-at-stake/), primary document, 2026-05-27.
- The regional corporations distribute 300 to 350 million dollars a year through dividends, elder benefits and scholarships. [Commonwealth North](https://www.commonwealthnorth.org/alaskas-8a-economy-whats-at-stake/), primary document, 2026-05-27.
- 8(a) contracting is roughly 4 percent of all federal contracting. [Commonwealth North](https://www.commonwealthnorth.org/alaskas-8a-economy-whats-at-stake/), primary document, 2026-05-27.
- Emil Notti said of 8(a) that it is not DEI and that it distributes earnings broadly. [Commonwealth North](https://www.commonwealthnorth.org/alaskas-8a-economy-whats-at-stake/), primary document, 2026-05-27.
- Leisnoi Inc is an Alaska Native village corporation with roots on Woody Island in the Kodiak archipelago. [Leisnoi, Inc.](https://leisnoi.com/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Leisnoi Inc lists Leisnoi Professional among its companies and the Leisnoi Professional site names Leisnoi Professional Services LLC. [Leisnoi, Inc.](https://leisnoi.com/companies/), primary document, 2026-09-08.
- Koniag raised its annual dividend by three dollars to 33 dollars per share. [KMXT Kodiak Public Broadcasting, reported by Davis Hovey](https://www.kmxt.org/news/2025-10-09/kodiaks-regional-native-corporation-is-growing-its-shareholders-dividends-finances), report, 2025-10-09.
- Koniag pays an elder benefit of 1,200 dollars to original shareholders aged 62 and over. [KMXT Kodiak Public Broadcasting, reported by Davis Hovey](https://www.kmxt.org/news/2025-10-09/kodiaks-regional-native-corporation-is-growing-its-shareholders-dividends-finances), report, 2025-10-09.
- Koniag has grown from 3,400 shareholders at incorporation to more than 4,700 today. [KMXT Kodiak Public Broadcasting, reported by Davis Hovey](https://www.kmxt.org/news/2025-10-09/kodiaks-regional-native-corporation-is-growing-its-shareholders-dividends-finances), report, 2025-10-09.
- The ICE call center contract was reported as being worth up to 63 million dollars. [Alaska Public Media, reported by Anita Wadhwani of the Tennessee Lookout](https://alaskapublic.org/news/2026-08-12/federal-documents-show-alaska-corporation-to-operate-ice-24-hour-call-center-in-tennessee), report, 2026-08-12.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a line by line review of every small business sole source award above 20 million dollars. [Hunton Andrews Kurth government contracts briefing](https://www.hunton.com/government-contracts-intelligence-briefing/department-of-war-takes-sledgehammer-to-8a-program), report, 2026-01-29.
- Alaska's twelve Native regional corporations reported 13.5 billion dollars in combined 2022 revenue. [Anchorage Daily News opinion, by Ross Johnston](https://www.adn.com/opinions/2026/06/06/opinion-alaska-has-a-stake-in-a-federal-program-it-has-never-measured/), report, 2026-06-06.
- About 110,000 Alaska Native shareholders live in Alaska, roughly 15 percent of the state population. [Anchorage Daily News opinion, by Ross Johnston](https://www.adn.com/opinions/2026/06/06/opinion-alaska-has-a-stake-in-a-federal-program-it-has-never-measured/), report, 2026-06-06.
- The Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly put a data centre moratorium request on both its state and its federal 2027 legislative priority lists. [KUAC, reported by Patrick Gilchrist](https://fm.kuac.org/2026-08-31/in-legislative-priorities-fairbanks-north-star-borough-assembly-doubles-up-on-ai-data-center-moratorium-request), report, 2026-08-31.
- The Assembly approved those priorities at its meeting on August 27th, 2026. [Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, reported by Jack Barnwell](https://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/school-testing-data-center-moratorium-spark-discussion-at-assembly/article_6ac582a2-1e7b-41a0-926c-e2389cfa67c0.html), report, 2026-08-30.
- A Bering Straits Native Corporation shareholder petition had garnered 102 signatures from shareholders and descendants, and 20 from non-shareholders, as of early December. [The Nome Nugget, by Diana Haecker, January 8th, 2026](https://www.nomenugget.com/news/shareholders-ask-bsnc-divest-ice-contracts), report, 2026-01-08.
- The petition calls on Bering Straits Native Corporation to divest from all business contracts associated in any way with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers immediately. [The Nome Nugget, by Diana Haecker, January 8th, 2026](https://www.nomenugget.com/news/shareholders-ask-bsnc-divest-ice-contracts), report, 2026-01-08.
- The Leisnoi contract's obligated total exceeds the $20 million sole source review threshold by $632,119.41. [Derived. USAspending.gov award record for the obligated total, and the Hunton Andrews Kurth briefing for the threshold.](https://api.usaspending.gov/api/v2/awards/CONT_AWD_HQ003425CE092_9700_-NONE-_-NONE-/), report, 2026-09-08.

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