2026 - VOR Systems Market Survey_Final_A1.pdf

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MARKET SURVEY ANNOUNCEMENT

FOR

Very High Frequency (VHF) Omnidirectional Radio Range (VOR) Systems/Amendment 1

1. Introduction The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is conducting this market survey in accordance with the FAA Acquisition Management System (AMS) Section 3.2.1.2.1. The FAA is interested in gathering information regarding commercially available VOR Systems to validate the FAA acquisition strategy for future procurements.

2. Purpose The FAA would like to gather industry input regarding the information provided in this market survey.

3. Background On June 24, 2025, the FAA approved FAA-E-37012, Performance Specification, Conventional VOR and Doppler VOR.

Following the approval of FAA-E-37012, the FAA released a VOR Market Survey in November 2025 to assess industry’s ability to meet FAA requirements and support modernization of legacy VOR Systems.

Industry feedback indicated that portions of FAA-E-37012 prescribed specific design approaches rather than focusing on desired outcomes. Respondents recommended reducing the number of requirements and emphasizing operational, functional, and performance-based requirements to better align with commercially available products and reduce implementation risk.

In response, the FAA developed a VOR Minimum Viable Product (MVP) requirements set that focuses on the essential capabilities needed to modernize legacy VOR Systems while addressing equipment obsolescence, diminishing parts availability, and long-term sustainment needs.

The MVP is intended to serve as a starting point for industry engagement and is not intended to prescribe a unique FAA design solution. The FAA seeks to understand how existing Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) products align with the MVP requirements and to obtain industry recommendations for closing any identified gaps while minimizing cost, schedule, technical risk, and long-term sustainment burdens.

4. Description of the Scope The FAA is seeking information from respondents that currently offer mature Conventional VOR (CVOR) and/or Doppler VOR (DVOR) products and solutions.

The FAA's overall objective is to maximize the use of existing COTS products and minimize the need for new development, custom FAA configurations, and associated non-recurring engineering (NRE) activities.

Respondents should assume an electronics-focused replacement approach in which their solution would integrate with existing FAA antennas and counterpoises to the maximum extent practicable.

The FAA requests respondents evaluate their existing products against the attached VOR MVP requirements and identify their current level of compliance for each requirement (e.g., Fully Meets, Partially Meets, Does Not Meet). For requirements that are not fully met, respondents are encouraged to provide recommendations for closing those gaps. Recommendations may include, but are not limited to:

• Modifications or enhancements to existing products;

• Requirement refinements or alternative approaches that achieve the FAA's operational intent;

• Equivalent performance or operational mitigations;

• Requirement substitution, relaxation, or waiver recommendations; and/or

• Other approaches that reduce implementation complexity, cost, schedule, and long-term sustainment risk.

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For any proposed product enhancements, respondents are requested to identify the approximate level of effort (e.g., Low, Moderate, High) and provide a high-level Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost and schedule estimate necessary to achieve full alignment with the MVP requirements. This information is being requested solely to inform FAA acquisition planning and assess implementation feasibility and should not be interpreted as a request for a traditional development effort.

The FAA strongly prefers solutions in which any required product enhancements become part of the respondent's standard commercial product baseline that is maintained by the respondent, rather than creating a unique FAA-specific configuration requiring separate lifecycle support.

Respondents are requested to also describe the maturity and deployment readiness of their proposed solution, including lifecycle sustainment considerations, supply chain resiliency, and approaches to mitigating known market challenges such as component obsolescence, counterfeit or nonconforming material risks, cybersecurity considerations, and equipment reliability.

The FAA is particularly interested in understanding:

• The degree of alignment between existing COTS products and the VOR MVP requirements;

• The feasibility of achieving full MVP compliance while minimizing development activities;

• Industry recommendations to improve, modify, or streamline MVP requirements;

• Opportunities to reduce cost, schedule, and technical risk through alternative approaches; and

• The overall effort required to support replacement of legacy third-generation VOR equipment within the National Airspace System.

The information collected through this market survey will be used to refine the FAA's acquisition strategy and inform future modernization activities. This market survey is not intended to solicit custom system development proposals or establish requirements for a traditional development contract.

5. Tentative Procurement Strategy (for industry feedback) The challenge facing the FAA is a large inventory of obsolete VOR systems that are becoming harder and hard to maintain. In the past, the FAA had considered a more traditional development contract to develop a solution to meet the complete FAA-E-37012 specification. Now the FAA is working to develop a strategy that maximizes the use of mature COTS products that meet the FAA’s MVP requirements to reduce technical, schedule, and life cycle sustainment risks. The FAA is seeking to collaborate with industry to refine this procurement strategy. The FAA is open to innovative approaches that includes one or more of the following:

a. Other Transaction Authority (OTA)

b. Operational Capability Demonstration (OCD): Pre-procurement demonstration to evaluate vendor solutions in the FAA operational environment.

c. Operational Capability Testing (OCT): Post-procurement testing to verify the solution meets the

MVP requirements.

d. Qualified Systems List (QSL) / Qualified Vendor List (QVL)

The FAA is interested in industry feedback regarding the feasibility of and effectiveness of this overall approach, including recommendations for improving the evaluation, qualification, and procurement strategy. The OCD and OCT are of particular interest to the FAA to evaluate vendor solutions in FAA operational environments and to identify gaps between the vendor solutions and the MVP.

Respondents are encouraged to provide feedback on:

• The suitability of using OTA agreements or similar acquisition vehicles for demonstration and evaluation activities;

• The appropriate scope, duration, and success criteria for OCDs, OCTs, and or similar operational test periods;

• Recommended qualification criteria and process for establishing a QSL;

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• The benefits and risks associated with maintaining multiple qualified vendors;

• Contracting approaches that would best support long-term procurement, sustainment, and technology refresh objectives, recognizing that current budgets may not permit a big bang approach to replacing the existing legacy systems;

• Strategies to incentivize vendors to incorporate MVP requirements into their standard COTS product baselines;

• Alternative acquisition approaches that could further reduce cost, schedule, technical, and sustainment risks for the FAA.

This acquisition approach is preliminary and is being provided solely to obtain industry feedback. The FAA has not finalized its acquisition strategy, procurement vehicles, evaluation methodology, or future contract structure.

6. Nature of Competition This survey will support market research obtained from multiple sources and be used for planning purposes only. The acquisition strategy for the procurement has not been determined at this time. The FAA intends to review all responses submitted to establish the acquisition strategy. Responses to this market survey will be used to determine if there is adequate competition to set the requirement aside for Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Businesses (SEDB), Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), and Small Business concerns; unrestricted competition; and/or justification of a single source.

7. Standard Language

a. This announcement is not a Screening Information Request or Request for Proposals of any kind.

b. The FAA is neither seeking nor accepting unsolicited proposals.

c. The FAA will not pay for any information received or costs incurred in preparing the response to the market survey.

d. Any cost associated with the market survey submittal is solely at the interested respondent’s expense.

e. The FAA, at its sole discretion, may contact any or all of the respondents to this market survey and request additional information.

8. Requested Submittals for Market Survey In addition to the information requested under the Scope, interested entities are requested to submit the following documentation and responses for each VOR Electronics System currently offered.

a. Provide responses to the requests for information in the tables below. Identify each response with the associated market survey identification (MS ID) indicated in the tables.

b. Provide input to the MVP Requirements Matrix, as indicated within the columns of the matrix.

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MS ID CVOR COTS Electronics System Solution CVOR-01 Electronics Cabinet (single equipment): Identify cost and included components.

CVOR-02 Electronics Cabinet (dual equipment): Identify cost and included components.

CVOR-03 Identify Installation costs, associated details, and assumptions.

CVOR-04 Identify a standard set of spares, costs for each spare component, and a complete set of spares.

CVOR-05 Describe how the COTS solution integrates with existing FAA collocated systems (i.e. TACAN, DME).

CVOR-06 Provide copies of the COTS solution system description and specification.

N/A CVOR Ancillary Components

CVOR-07 Identify costs for and descriptions of the components listed below.

CVOR-07A Counterpoise.

CVOR-07B TACAN Antenna central mount.

CVOR-07C DME Antenna central mount.

CVOR-07D Field Monitor Antennas (specify number of antennas).

CVOR-07E Shelter (12 x 20 ft minimum).

CVOR-07F Radome.

CVOR-07G Complete Antennas.

N/A CVOR Sustainability CVOR-08 Provide information on the sustainability/maintainability of the COTS solution.

CVOR-09 What generation/type of technology is used to implement the equipment design?

N/A CVOR System Safety and Security CVOR-10 What security measures are in place for the COTS solution?

CVOR-11

Was a company Safety Management System (SMS) process that complies with SAE ARP4761, EUROCAE ED-135, or both followed during design and development of the COTS solution?

CVOR-11A If so, state the company SMS process name and provide a copy of the process.

CVOR-11B If so, state which safety standard(s) and version(s) the company SMS process complies with.

CVOR-11C If not, describe what (if any) was followed to manage safety risk and ensure the effectiveness of safety risk controls within the COTS solution.

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MS ID DVOR COTS Electronics System Solution DVOR-01 Electronics Cabinet (single equipment): Identify cost and included components.

DVOR-02 Electronics Cabinet (dual equipment): Identify cost and included components.

DVOR-03 Identify Installation costs, associated details, and assumptions.

DVOR-04 Identify a standard set of spares, costs for each spare component, and a complete set of spares.

DVOR-05 Describe how the COTS solution integrates with existing FAA collocated systems (i.e. TACAN, DME).

DVOR-06 Provide copies of the COTS solution system description and specification.

N/A DVOR Ancillary Components

DVOR-07 Identify costs for and descriptions of the components listed below.

DVOR-07A Counterpoise (80 ft diameter minimum) DVOR-07B TACAN Antenna central mount (Teepee radome).

DVOR-07C DME Antenna central mount.

DVOR-07D Field Monitor Antenna and tower (level terrain).

DVOR-07E Shelter (12 x 20 ft minimum).

DVOR-07F Sideband antenna mount.

DVOR-07G Radome.

DVOR-07H Complete Carrier Antenna.

DVOR-07J Complete Sideband Antennas.

N/A DVOR Sustainability DVOR-08 Provide information on the sustainability/maintainability of the COTS solution.

DVOR-09 What generation/type of technology is used to implement the equipment design?

N/A DVOR System Safety and Security DVOR-10 What security measures are in place for the COTS solution?

DVOR-11 Was a company SMS process followed during design and development of the COTS solution, that complies with SAE ARP4761, EUROCAE ED-135, or both?

DVOR-11A If so, state the company SMS process name and provide a copy of the process.

DVOR-11B If so, state which safety standard(s) and version(s) the company SMS process complies with.

DVOR-11C If not, describe what (if any) was followed to manage safety risk and ensure the effectiveness of safety risk controls within the COTS solution.

9. Delivery of Submittals Interested companies should submit their response electronically to Richard.J.Simons@faa.gov and Michael.E.Jones01@faa.gov reference VOR Systems MVP Market Survey in the subject line no later than Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

The FAA does not intend to respond directly to public inquiries or recommendations provided for the Market Survey.

10. Other Any confidential or proprietary information submitted in response to this announcement must be marked accordingly by the respondent. Such information will not be disclosed outside of the FAA acquisition team.

mailto:Richard.J.Simons@faa.gov mailto:Michael.E.Jones01@faa.gov