2026 Audio Contract Solicitation QandA - 10 Feb 2026.docx

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

AIR FORCE SUSTAINMENT CENTER (AFMC)

HILL AIR FORCE BASE UTAH

Questions and Answers Notice ID FA8201-26-R-005 2026 HAFB WoW Air Show Sound & Visual Below are the questions received regarding the aforementioned solicitation that is currently active on SAM.gov. This is currently a live document that will be updated with any and all questions received for this solicitation. The final day to email inquiries for this solicitation is 10 FEB 2026 at 1200 MST. Once the final question has been added to this document it will longer be consider a live document. Notice of this change will be stated below.

· Will the Govt. issue site layouts/maps showing the airshow crowd line, announcer/Air Boss platform location, airfield tower proximity, and any secondary coverage areas?

· A: A airshow map with the layout will be provided upon contract being awarded

· The SOW specifies self-powered, two-way full-range loudspeakers at 90–120 ft intervals while also requiring audio coverage extending at least 500 ft into the crowd over aircraft and ambient noise.Based on industry-standard airshow experience, point-source loudspeakers typically cannot achieve this performance with acceptable speech intelligibility. Please confirm whether the Government will accept line-array or hybrid distributed line-array systems that better meet the stated performance objective, even if the loudspeaker form factor differs from the descriptive example in the SOW.

· A: Specifications provided in SOW are based on previous airshow sound/audio provided

· Are there known obstructions (aircraft, equipment, structures, barriers) that may affect assumed unobstructed sound coverage?

· A: No obstructions exist along the general crowd line

· Are additional areas beyond the main crowd line (VIP, media, static displays, overflow zones) required to be covered under this SOW?

· A: VIP, DV, Media zones are adjacent to the general crowd line

· Please confirm whether the stated “up to 2,500 linear feet” of crowd line represents a maximum scenario or the expected baseline length

· A: 2500 linear feet is max scenario

· Does the Government require a contractor-provided Air Boss (personnel), or only the Air Boss communications equipment package to be used by a Government-designated Air Boss?

· A: Airshow Air Boss and Announcer are contracted and evaluated separately from the audio/sound contract and are expected to use the audio/sound provided

· If Air Boss personnel are required, are specific qualifications or certifications required and subject to evaluation?

· Airshow Air Boss and Announcer are contracted and evaluated separately from the audio/sound contract and are expected to use the audio/sound provided

· Are wireless microphones intended solely for announcers/commentators, or for audience interaction along the crowd line as well?

· A: Wireless microphones may be used by announcer/commentators as needed

· How many days prior to June 26 will contractors be granted on-base access for setup activities?

· A: Contracted audio/system provided may begin setup on 24 June 2026

· Will overnight equipment staging or secured laydown areas be permitted once equipment is delivered?

· A: Overnight bed-down is permitted during airshow setup days and airshow weekend

· Please identify approved access gates, escort requirements, and authorized access hours during setup and teardown.

· A: All access gates, escorts, and hours of setup will be provided upon contract being awarded.

· Will extended or staggered load-out windows be permitted on June 28 to mitigate traffic congestion?

· A: Teardown and clean up must be complete by 10:00 pm 28 June 2026

· Given ongoing base and surrounding freeway construction, what traffic mitigation measures will be implemented to support contractor access?

· A: Contract access for setup days will be the same as any other day, for airshow itself contractors need to be on base before general crowd starts to arrive

· Will contractors receive dedicated access lanes, alternate routing, or early-access credentials during load-in/load-out?

· A: Contract access for setup days will be the same as any other day, for airshow itself contractors need to be on base before general crowd starts to arrive

· What are the official daily show open-to-public and close-to-public times?

· A: Airshow times for public access are not know at this time

· On authorized setup days, what are the earliest start and latest stop work times?

· A: Contracted audio/system provided may begin setup on 24 June 2026 around 1200 hours

· By what specific time on June 28 must all contractor personnel and equipment be fully off base?

· A: Teardown and clean up must be complete by 10:00 pm 28 June 2026

· Will the Government conduct a site visit, pre-proposal walkthrough, or industry day prior to proposal submission?

· A: Contracted provider will be provided a site visit prior to airshow weekend

· If no formal site visit is planned, will the Government permit individual contractor site access prior to proposal submission? If so, what is the process and lead time?

· A: Contracted provider will be provided a site visit prior to airshow weekend

· Does the Government anticipate optional or additive requirements for LED video walls, cameras, or supplemental staging?

· A: No optional or additive requirements required

· How many people are expected to attend at any given time

· A: 60,000 expected each day

· Besides announcements are there any audio content - Music, band etc.

· A: Announcer, Air Boss, National Anthem Singer, and Performer audio only

· Can you advise where on the flight line the air boss platform will be?

· A: Air boss platform will be placed approximately 50-75 yards from the base of the airfield tower

· Is there a current incumbent for this contract? (History of previous awards, including the award amount(s) and vendor(s) who were awarded in the past.)

· A: Past contracts have been awarded by our community partner in the past

· If available, please provide preliminary or historical reference information sufficient for proposal planning, including:

· Spectator area depth and overall footprint

· Locations of the Air Boss position, announcer/control location, and primary crowd line

· Identification of any segmented coverage areas (VIP, sponsor, STEM, media)

· Any restricted areas for tower placement or cable routing

· Availability of existing cable paths, crossing points, or staging/storage areas We understand that final site maps may be issued after award; however, baseline reference dimensions are necessary to size system quantities and infrastructure.

· A: Answered these questions previously as part of this live document

· Preliminary or historical power drop locations and available capacity

· A: Per Statement of Work self-powered quiet generators capable of handling total power needs for sound equipment is required

· Any base-specific grounding or bonding requirements for towers/platforms

· A: Grounding and bonding requirements are at the discretion of the contractor with coordination of the base airfield management and civil engineer teams

· Any generator placement or noise restrictions, if applicable

· A: Quiet generators (50-60 dB) are preferred so the audio/sound can be heard, placement of generators must not interfere with airshow performers, be isolated from the crowd, buildings, aircraft, etc.

· Will the Government provide RF frequency coordination, or should the contractor submit a coordination plan?

· A: RF frequency will be coordinated with the airshow audio/sound contractor and the contracted airshow Air Boss prior to the rehearsal day (Friday)

· Are intercom and/or radio communications required between the Air Boss, announcer, FOH/A1, tower, or safety personnel?

· A: Per Statement of Work communication with the Air Boss and Announcer is required

· Are program audio distribution feeds required for broadcast, livestream, VIP areas, or command locations? If so, please confirm quantity and format.

· A: Requested/required speaker system along the crowd line and VIP/Commander locations provided audio/sound to these area

· Please confirm whether the A1 control position will be co-located with the Air Boss and whether a media broadcast feed consistent with prior years is required.

· A: System location and setup will be the same and consistent with prior years

· Anticipated daily show hours and gate times

· A: Show hours 0900-1600 with gate times to be determined but expected to be 1-2 hours prior and after airshow based on commander direction

· June 26 rehearsal timing and number of run-throughs

· A: Time is flexible as it is a rehearsal with only one run-through expected

· Earliest/latest daily access windows for load-in, operations, and teardown

· A: Setup days – 24 June – 1200-2000 hours, 25 June – 0600-2000 hours, rehearsal/airshow days – 26/27 June – 0600-2000 hours, 28 June – 0600-2200 hours

· RFP states contractor must exit with tear down by 10pm on Jun 28th, please advise Show End time on Jun 28th

· A: Its expected airshow will end by 1600 hours

· The SOW references an elevated platform on a trailer (approximately 100–200 sq ft). Please clarify:

· Whether the contractor is required to provide the platform/trailer, or if it will be Government-furnished.

· If contractor-provided, the required height, configuration, and type (e.g., flatbed, towable stage, broadcast trailer).

· If Government-furnished, please provide dimensions, deck height, load capacity, available power, and timing of availability for system integration.

· A: Per SOW a platform on a trailer is required be provided

· The Q&A references 60,000 attendees per day, while historical public reporting indicates significantly higher attendance. Please confirm whether this figure represents:

· A hard operational cap

· A planning minimum

· A revised operational target

· A: Planning per SOW indicates our planning factors for the 2026 airshow

· Please confirm any coverage/intelligibility expectations or sound level limitations, if applicable.

· A: Coverage needs to be sufficient to the crowd over the aircraft and crowd noise itself image1.png