Why It Matters

Sherpa 6’s shift from Grassroots Political Consulting LLC to Holland & Knight LLP represents a dramatic escalation in federal influence spending. The defense contractor spent just $30,000 with its previous firm over two years. Now it’s retaining a powerhouse lobbying shop with $164 million in disclosed fees since 2003.

Congress just enacted sweeping defense acquisition reforms designed to accelerate small business access to Pentagon contracts. Service-disabled veteran-owned firms like Sherpa 6 are now centerpiece to defense strategy.

The company is positioning its Tactical Assault Kit geospatial software for deeper Army integration as congressional priorities around soldier modernization create favorable conditions for its push.

By the Numbers

Sherpa 6 Inc. has significantly escalated its federal lobbying presence from $30,000 with Grassroots Political Consulting LLC to employing Holland & Knight LLP, one of the nation’s largest lobbying firms with over $164 million in disclosed fees since 2003.

The new engagement includes two lobbyists with extensive defense policy experience:

The Agenda

Sherpa 6 previously focused narrowly on securing Congressional appropriations for its Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) ecosystem within Army and Special Operations Command, explicitly seeking a $10.1 million appropriation in FY 2025.

By hiring Holland & Knight LLP, Sherpa 6 is positioned to capitalize on broader legislative momentum. The FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act and associated appropriations bills will determine funding levels for soldier modernization programs that rely on TAK technology. Congressional activity on the SPEED Act and INNOVATE Act creates favorable conditions for small defense innovators.

Broader Context

Sherpa 6’s lobbying escalation coincides with sweeping congressional efforts to overhaul defense procurement. The FY 2026 NDAA authorized $900.6 billion in defense spending with what Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker called "the most sweeping upgrades to these business practices in 60 years."

Key reforms directly benefit companies like Sherpa 6:

Between The Lines

Congress is actively reshaping defense acquisition through the FY 2026 NDAA with Cost Accounting Standards relief raising exemptions to $35 million for small contractors.

Recent congressional hearings underscore appetite for reform, including House Armed Services Committee sessions on "Reforming Defense Acquisition to Deliver Capability at the Speed of Relevance" and Senate Small Business Committee examination of "Reforming SBIR-STTR for the 21st Century."

Key lawmakers are backing these priorities: Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) introduced the DOD Entrepreneurial Innovation Act, while Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) sponsors the INNOVATE Act.

Competitive Landscape

Sherpa 6 faces competition from well-capitalized defense tech firms lobbying on similar acquisition reform issues. Misha Lehrer represents Skydio Inc. ($1.38M) and Intelligent Waves LLC ($680K), while Michael Wakefield represents Applied Intuition Inc. ($120K).

These companies compete for influence during defense appropriations cycles and share interest in bills like the SPEED Act and INNOVATE Act, underscoring why Sherpa 6 upgraded to a major lobbying firm.

The Bottom Line

Sherpa 6 Inc. has significantly upgraded its federal lobbying strategy, hiring Holland & Knight LLP as Congress debates defense authorization and appropriations while advancing acquisition reforms designed to accelerate small business access to Pentagon contracts.

The new lobbying team brings heavyweight credentials with direct expertise in the funding process. The move signals an effort to scale previous efforts amid a favorable legislative environment for defense innovation and small business contracting.

Access the Legis1 platform for comprehensive political news, data, and insights.

Spot something wrong? Report an issue with this article