CNMI businesses eye military contracting opportunities

By Pacific Island Times News Staff

Saipan—Tinian business owner Phillip Mendiola-Long constantly looks for opportunities emerging from the military buildup in the Northern Marianas.

“Our firm always discovers another way to expand our business in order to provide products or services for the military,” said Mendiola-Long, owner of Sherman Consulting and Tinian Fuel Services.

Mendiola-Long joined dozens of CNMI business owners who participated in this year's its 2026 CNMI Industry Day series, seeking access to defense contracting opportunities as Pacific military commands gear up to invest in building more infrastructure on Tinian, Saipan and Rota.

“This year's Industry Forum was an excellent opportunity for existing and new businesses on Tinian to learn about the future military contracting opportunities,” Mendiola-Long said, following the conclusion of the three-day forum hosted by the CNMI Small Business Development Center Network at the Northern Marianas College.

Amid shrinking tourism, the CNMI’s main economic driver, local businesses are turning to the military industry for fresh opportunities to expand—or to survive.

“This single event puts you in the room with contracting officers from Guam, Hawaii and the U.S. mainland who are interested in finding Tinian businesses to buy from for military operations. Every year they come to Tinian,” Mendiola-Long said.

The industry forum ran from Jan. 27 to 29, held at Crowne Plaza Resort on Saipan, Triple J’s Bar-K Diner on Tinian and the Puesto Grill Annex on Rota.

“Each stop offered tailored discussions and engagement opportunities designed to meet businesses where they are—regardless of size, stage, or prior federal contracting experience,” states a press release from CNMI SBDC.

On Tinian, the U.S. military is investing close to $800 million in infrastructure to support an alternative landing site for military aircraft if Andersen Air Force Base on Guam becomes incapacitated due to war or natural disasters.

The forum featured key stakeholders from Pacific Air Forces and Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, who announced current and upcoming projects and provided guidelines for CNMI-based small businesses to navigate the procurement process and position themselves as competitive bidders.

“I truly appreciate the push to help our business community build the capability and capacity to enter the federal contracting space. With our economy facing real challenges, these opportunities matter, and I’m grateful for the dedication and commitment of the SBDC team,” said Glenna Sakisat Palacios of Marianas Integration LLC.

A cornerstone of Industry Day was the networking showcase, where CNMI SBDC clients and local businesses were featured as exhibitors—showcasing their products, services, and capabilities directly to Department of War representatives, prime contractors and industry professionals.

“As a family business that has served Saipan and the CNMI since 1984, Industry Day gives Transamerica a meaningful opportunity to present our capabilities and products directly to the Department of War,” said Steven Lim, owner of Transamerica Saipan Corp. “With an increased military presence in the region, this is a timely moment for local businesses to connect, share what we offer, and explore future opportunities.”

The CNMI SBDC said the networking space provided companies to build relations, introduce themselves, exchange information and explore future collaboration opportunities.

Industries represented included food service, logistics, construction, energy, consulting, hospitality, education, media and economic development.

“Industry Day is a great opportunity for Hong Ye Construction and Rental—not just to hire, but to let people know who we are and what we do,” said Simon Deleon Guerrero from Hong Ye Construction and Rental.

“We’re a construction and logistics company that has been established since 1999, with more than 20 years of experience, including military projects. Events like this help us connect with the local workforce, whether we’re looking for carpenters, plumbers, or administrative and payroll support. It’s a valuable space to build both our team and our visibility,” he added.

Benusto Lisua, owner of BwiiBwii’s Professional Lawn Care Services, said his business was initially set up to offer basic lawn care services on island.

“Through their one-on-one counseling and guidance with SAM registration, I was able to successfully obtain my UEI and begin preparing my business to pursue larger contracting opportunities,” Lisua said.

“Hearing directly from businesses already working in federal contracting and seeing opportunities available right here in the CNMI was truly inspiring. The experience motivated me to continue growing my business and pursue opportunities I never thought were within reach," he added.

Nadine Deleon Guerrero Kintol, network director of the CNMI Small Business Development Center Network, said the forum aims to keep local businesses informed and encouraged.

"What matters is showing up, learning the landscape, and knowing that CNMI SBDC is here to walk alongside them every step of the way," she added.

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