CRFI Rep Mo Brooks Q and A - USAF.pdf

CRFI // Rep Brooks - BAK-12 Arresting Gear Systems

TMT# 51158

AQ Suspense: 11 May 2018

Purpose: To respond to questions regarding aircraft arresting systems from David J. Allen, MLA for CM Mo Brooks (AL-05).

Q1. Does the USAF maintain a list of approved suppliers of aircraft arresting systems, and, if so, on what basis have those suppliers been approved?

A1. To date, the USAF has acquired complete Aircraft Arresting Systems (AAS) from one manufacturer based on approved First Article Testing (FAT). There is no need for a specific list to cover this single manufacturer.

Q2. What companies have undergone First Article Testing of BAK-12 arresting systems, and when and where was the testing conducted?

A2. To our knowledge, the only company to complete FAT for the USAF on a Barrier Arresting

Kit (BAK)-12 is Gulf and Western Industrial Products (G&W). This was conducted at Wright-

Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio in 1968. G&W was acquired by Engineered Arresting Systems

Corporation (ESCO) and then Zodiac Arresting Systems (ZAS) along with the proprietary data to build a BAK-12 system. ESCO is still a manufacturer and is doing business as ZAS America.

3. Has the USAF conducted First Article Testing of BAK-12 systems manufactured by

Zodiac Arresting Systems? If so, when and where was the testing conducted and what was the cost?

A3. To our knowledge, the only company to complete FAT for the USAF on a Barrier Arresting

Kit (BAK)-12 is Gulf and Western Industrial Products (G&W). This was conducted at Wright-

Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio in 1968. G&W was acquired by Engineered Arresting Systems

Corporation (ESCO) and then Zodiac Arresting Systems (ZAS) along with the proprietary data to build a BAK-12 system. ESCO is still a manufacturer and is doing business as ZAS America.

4. Does the USAF consider ATECH an approved supplier of BAK-12 arresting systems?

A4. At this time, the USAF does not consider ATECH an approved supplier of BAK-12 arresting systems as a whole. We have no record demonstrating ATECH completion of Government FAT on a BAK-12 system.

5. Does the USAF contend that ATECH is required to undergo First Article Testing in order to become an approved supplier of BAK-12 arresting systems?

If so, please direct me to the specific authority for that requirement.

A5. To become an approved supplier of BAK-12 arresting systems, any manufacturer will have to meet FAT criteria established pursuant to MIL-STD-3035 and MIL-STD-3036.

6. What steps will the USAF take to correct the endorsement of ATECH's competitor by the Colonel at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, and what steps will the USAF take to ensure that such endorsement do not reoccur in the future?

A6. The Colonel responded to a request for information and only provided factual information the Royal Saudi Air Force (RASF) sought. The Colonel’s response was not an endorsement or promotion of a specific vendor.

In regards to the steps the USAF will take to ensure that such endorsements do not reoccur in the future, all personnel with positions of leadership in Air Force Acquisition are required to take annual ethics training. One section of this training specifically discusses the prohibition regarding promotion and/or endorsement of non-governmental entities. The F-15SA Security

Assistance Program Manager (SAPM) has retaken the required training as of 6 April 2018. In addition, and where appropriate, the F-15SA SAPM is including a statement in correspondence with the RSAF indicating that the correspondence is not an endorsement of any specific vendor.

7. How does the USAF justify its continued designation of Zodiac Arresting Systems as an

"approved" supplier, if the USAF has no foreseeable requirement to procure BAK-12 arresting systems in the future? How is this justification consistent with BWC

Technologies, Inc., B-242734 (Comp. Gen. May 16, 1991)?

A7. As described in the response to question 2, ESCO/ZAS is the original equipment manufacturer of the BAK-12 systems currently in place and was approved through FAT in 1968.

Recently, a requirement has emerged for a Mobile Aircraft Arresting System (MAAS), which is a BAK-12 on a wheeled trailer. The USAF posted a solicitation to FedBizOpps 20 Apr 2018.

This solicitation is full and open competition and includes FAT. Once complete this will qualify the offeror for the MAAS, as well as the BAK-12, using a USAF-owned drawing package. Any contractor that chooses to offer, regardless of prior qualifications, will have to meet the FAT requirements established in accordance with FAR Subpart 9.2, Paragraph 9.202, MIL-STD-3035 and MIL-STD-3036. The USAF is consistent with BWC Technologies, Inc., B-242734 (Comp.

Gen. May 16, 1991) in that any vendor who wishes to qualify their product may compete if they adhere to these requirements and should respond as such to Sources Sought RM18-

Mobile_Aircraft_Arresting_System_1710-01-549-9539.