Shearwater, a Native Hawaiian Organization-owned federal contractor, and TekSynap have launched ShearTek Government Services, a joint venture that will pursue federal technology contracts.
The companies said the Small Business Administration approved the venture under its mentor-protégé program. Shearwater is an 8(a)-certified subsidiary of the nonprofit Hoʻoilina Foundation. TekSynap brings a larger federal contracting portfolio to the partnership.
The difference in scale is substantial. USAspending.gov records show about $780,000 obligated on one Coast Guard prime contract awarded to Shearwater, compared with about $1.07 billion across 234 prime awards to TekSynap under its federal entity identifier.
No prime awards were found under ShearTek’s name as of Sept. 26. Obligations measure federal funds committed to contracts, not company revenue.
ShearTek plans to seek work in cloud computing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data analytics, software engineering and IT modernization. The partners said the venture can pursue eligible 8(a) contracts, including direct awards.
“ShearTek was created to help agencies move faster without compromising mission performance,” Shearwater President and Chief Strategy Officer Stephen Chvala said in the announcement.
Established in 2024, Shearwater was Hoʻoilina Foundation’s first subsidiary. The foundation says its companies support its mission to create opportunities for Native Hawaiians. The partners did not disclose their ownership shares in ShearTek or announce an initial contract.
