Air Traffic Control SYNOPSIS.docx

Sources Sought Synopsis

United States Air Force

National Airspace System Air Traffic Control Voice Communications Switch (NAS ATC VCS)

18 AUG 2026

FA8141-27-R-0001

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this notice is to advise that the Government intends to solicit for award to a limited pool of potential vendors already identified, validated, and approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for Air Traffic Control (ATC) operations in the National Air Space (NAS). This acquisition is critical to ensuring the safety, interoperability, and continuity of operations within the NAS. The United States Air Force (USAF) requires a modernized Voice Communications Switch (VCS) that meets stringent FAA operational and safety standards to ensure uninterrupted air traffic management, which is essential for the safety of all aircraft operating within the NAS.

BACKGROUND:

The FAA has identified and awarded two vendors that possess the production data, expertise, capabilities, and experience to meet qualification requirements to provide a NAS ATC Voice Communications Switch (NAS ATC VCS). The USAF is replacing its legacy voice switch with a modern and supportable Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)-enabled voice communications system consistent with the FAA’s systems. The Government is currently seeking to procure an estimated 150 ATC voice switches that meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and United States FAA standards. The scope of the effort includes system production, installation services, training, and interim system support.

REQUIREMENTS:

The VCS will:

- Enable air traffic control to establish a network-based communications system,

- Provide improved aircraft flow capacity,

- Use open systems standards and/or commercial Non-Developmental Item (NDI) equipment,

- Reduce equipment inventories,

- Improve equipment availability/supportability,

- Enable flexible allocation of access to communications resources to meet both strategic and tactical demands,

- Enable flexible user access profile definitions to assure secure access to the system and enable defined roles to be performed,

- Provide scalability for x-small/tactical to large capacity systems, and

- Provide a fault-tolerant system.

NAICS: 334210 - Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing Size Standard: 1250 Employees PSC/FSC: 7G21/7G IT AND TELECOM - NETWORK: DIGITAL NETWORK PRODUCTS (HARDWARE AND PERPETUAL LICENSE SOFTWARE)

MARKET RESEARCH FINDINGS:

The short posting time is In accordance with (IAW) R-DFARS 205.205-71, Only one responsible source. The Government’s prior related market research conducted in 2022 and 2023 included an Industry Day and survey completion. The USAF received six responses from interested vendors, which were evaluated thoroughly. At that time, the USAF identified only two vendors that meet the agency’s requirements and FAA safety standards in the NAS for ATC.

Due to a recent Sources Sought Synopsis/Request for Information (SSS/RFI) provided by the FAA, the USAF has confirmed that there has been no change in the pool of FAA-approved vendors able to satisfy the agency’s requirements. Furthermore, the FAA validation and approval process ensures that vendors meet rigorous operational, safety, and interoperability standards unique to the NAS environment. These standards are critical to safeguarding air traffic control operations. Waiting until 2028 to validate new vendors would delay the USAF’s ability to meet its mandate to field upgraded systems by FY 2027, which is operationally infeasible given the urgency of replacing the legacy system.

Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes (Oct 1997)

(a) The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this Request for Information (RFI) or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul (RFO) 31.205-18, Bid and Proposal costs.

(b) Although "proposal" and "offeror" are used in this Request for Information, your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal.

(c) This SSS/RFI is issued for the purpose of planning only and market research.

(End of provision)

JUSTIFICATION FOR LIMITED SOURCES:

Note: The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) has been replaced by the Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul (RFO). As such, all regulatory references in this document align with the RFO framework. This transition is part of an overarching modernization effort to streamline federal procurement processes

Because of the USAF mandate to start fielding the upgraded VCS in FY 2027, the USAF is limiting consideration of vendors to those who have already completed the FAA validation and approval process for the NAS ATC VCS. This approach is justified in accordance with RFO 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source, and RFO 6.104. A Justification and Approval (J&A) has been prepared or will be prepared, as required by RFO 6.104. The J&A will document the results of this market research and further substantiate the limited sources’ determination.

Instructions for Respondents

1. If you desire to participate in the market research and your company is validated and approved by the FAA for Air Traffic Control in the NAS, you should provide documentation that supports your company’s capability in meeting the above requirements. This may include:

- Prior contracts or projects demonstrating expertise in FAA-approved NAS ATC VCS systems,

- Certifications or agreements with the FAA for validation and approval,

- Evidence of compliance with ICAO and FAA standards.

Failure to provide adequate documentation demonstrating FAA validation and approval may result in the Government being unable to assess your company’s qualifications, which could preclude your participation in future phases of this acquisition.

If you lack sufficient experience in a particular area, please provide details explaining how you would overcome the lack of experience or capabilities in order to perform that portion of the requirement (e.g., teaming, subcontracting, etc.). Identify any areas of work that your organization believes should be broken out exclusively for small businesses.

2. Both large and small businesses are encouraged to participate in this market research. Joint ventures or teaming arrangements are also encouraged. While this acquisition does not lend itself to small business set-asides due to the FAA validation and approval requirements, the Government strongly encourages small businesses to explore subcontracting and teaming arrangements with FAA-approved vendors. This approach aligns with the Government’s commitment to maximizing small business participation in federal acquisitions.

3. The Government will assess vendor qualifications solely based on their ability to obtain FAA validation and approval within the USAF acquisition timeline of March 2027.

4. Questions or requests for clarification regarding these Sources Sought Synopsis/Request for Information must be submitted via email no later than 7 calendar days from the date of this notice to ensure a timely response.

POINTS OF CONTACT:

Please direct all inquiries to:

- Katelyn Ward, NAS ATC VCS Program Manager: katelyn.ward.3@us.af.mil

- Kimberly Simms, Contracting Officer: kimberly.simms.1@us.af.mil

- Anthony Cotto, Contracting Officer: anthony.cotto.1@us.af.mil Be sure to include "NAS ATC VCS" in the subject line of all correspondence.

Additional Considerations for Joint Certification Program (JCP)

Vendors should note that access to certain technical documents, such as drawings or Technical Orders, may require Joint Certification Program (JCP) certification. Vendors without this certification will need to obtain it during the procurement process. For more information on how to apply, visit [https://www.dla.mil/HQ/LogisticsOperations/Services/JCP/] or contact the JCP office directly.

Request for Proprietary Information

Proprietary information submitted in response to this Sources Sought Synopsis/Request for Information will be safeguarded in accordance with applicable RFO regulations. Such information will not be disclosed outside the Government and will be used solely for the purposes of market research and acquisition planning.

Final Disclaimer

This is not a screening information request (SIR) or request for proposal. The USAF is not seeking or accepting unsolicited proposals. The USAF is seeking interested sources that are capable of fulfilling the USAF requirements, which align with the FAA’s, in order to validate the limited source determination being pursued by the USAF. Participation in this SSS/RFI may not ensure participation in future solicitations or contract awards, as this survey is for planning purposes and may not result in a solicitation or contract. The Government will not reimburse participants for any expenses associated with their participation in this survey.