LC-130J Modernization RFI_12 December 2025.pdf

Request for Information (RFI)

12 December 2025

Modernization and Upgrade of the LC-130H Polar Mission aircraft to LC-130J Aircraft

CAUTION:

The Government is conducting market research to identify potential sources that possess the necessary data, expertise, capabilities, and experience to meet qualification requirements to deliver a fully modified, integrated C-130J aircraft that can meet the Polar Mission requirements (hereafter referred to as LC-130J) as the LC-130H fleet is sunsetting. The level of security clearance and amount of foreign participation in this requirement has not been determined. The Government does not fully own or have access to the technical data related to these requirements.

Contractor shall furnish all material, support equipment, tools, test equipment, and services required for design development, manufacturing, production, and sustainment of the newly developed or modified aircraft. The contractor is responsible for providing, maintaining, and calibrating all support equipment required at their facility or a subcontractor’s facility.

Contractors/Institutions responding to this market research are placed on notice that participation in this survey may not ensure participation in future solicitations or contract awards. The government will not reimburse participants for any expenses associated with their participation in this survey.

The Government anticipates being in a sole source environment to the OEM (LOCKHEED

MARTIN CORP, CAGE 98897).

52.215-3 Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes.

As prescribed in 15.209(c), insert the following provision:

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 solicitation or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in subsection 31.205-18, Bid and proposal costs, of the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

(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 solicitation is issued for the purpose of market research.

(End of provision)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. The document(s) below contain a description of the LC-130J modernization and upgrade requirement and a Contractor Capability Survey. The Survey allows Contractors to provide their company’s capability.

2. If, after reviewing these documents, you desire to participate in the market research, you should provide documentation that supports your company’s capability in meeting these requirements. Failure to provide documentation may result in the government being unable to adequately assess your capabilities.

3. ATTENTION: SMALL BUSINESS RESPONDENTS who are interested in participation for this effort:

a. No set aside decision has been made; however, the Government will determine the final strategy after thorough analysis of the small business responses and other market research available, considering the demonstrated interest and capability.

Please ensure that you provide a thorough response to each question. If your company does not currently possess the full capability required to fulfill the entire requirement, what teaming/partnership/joint venture/subcontracting arrangement do you have in place to fulfill the government needs? Providing evidence of this arrangement, e.g. emails, letter, etc. that demonstrates a united response to this RFI is highly encouraged but not required. The evidence should state the type of arrangement and the role each member will fulfill. If you are only interested in being a subcontractor to the future awardee, state the portion of the work that your organization has capability of fulfilling.

b. Identify any areas of work that your organization believes should be broken out exclusively for Small Business.

4. Both large and small businesses are encouraged to participate in this Market Research.

Joint ventures or teaming arrangements are encouraged.

5. Questions relative to this market survey should be addressed to the PCO.

Modernization and Upgrade of the LC-130H Polar Mission aircraft to LC-130J Aircraft

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION

The Government is conducting market research to identify potential sources that possess the necessary data, expertise, capabilities, and experience to meet qualification requirements to deliver a fully modified, integrated LC-130J aircraft that can meet the Polar Mission requirements as the LC-130H fleet is sunsetting.

The Contractor shall receive, store, inspect, modify, and develop systems to integrate into the LC- 130J to achieve the Polar Mission requirements without a loss of baseline capability. The effort shall include but not limited to, development of the aircraft systems, subsystems, operational flight profiles, outer mold lines, landing gear, skis, and components to meet the Polar Mission as an LC-130J platform.

Respondents must demonstrate through previous actions and previous procurement of the necessary access to and utilization of resources, specific tooling, fixtures with current technical ability (no manpower ramp up) to create, manufacture, and modify the C-130J (or variant) in scope with the design changes needed to meet the Polar Mission. Respondents must provide documentation and evidence of experience with the critical needed equipment as identified above (drawing ID’s, equipment part/model number) needed to support the task order requirements without additional procurement.

Respondents must provide documentation and evidence of previous C-130J (or variant) acquisition activities that demonstrate the ability to deliver certified modifications without Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) data (Technical Data Pacakge) or support for modification requiring updates to the operational flight profiles (OFP) at the aircraft, system, and component levels.

Respondents must provide documentation and evidence of their approved airworthiness (AW) certifications on the C-130J or variants from a similar accomplished modification in scope with the design changes needed to meet the Polar Mission.

The scope for this effort shall include the following:

i) The Contractor shall receive, house, and maintain C-130J aircraft from the USG as

GFE.

ii) The Contractor shall procure all the material required for this effort and identify long lead items to the USG.

iii) The Contractor shall have the required engineering expertise, to perform the modification/modernization of the C-130J to the LC-130J aircraft.

iv) The Contractor shall have the required tooling or means to obtain the required tooling to perform the modification/modernization of the C-130J aircraft to the Polar Mission configuration without degradation of the baseline aircraft.

v) The Contractor shall produce a design to meet the Polar Mission without degradation of the baseline aircraft to meet Air Force and/or Commercial airworthiness (AW) certification requirements to include delivery of all artifacts necessary to support and achieve said certifications.

vi) The contractor shall produce a quality verification/inspection plan that adheres to 8210 and ISO 9000 standards.

CONTRACTOR CAPABILITY SURVEY

Modernization/Upgrade of the LC-130H Polar Mission aircraft to LC-130J Aircraft

Part I. Business Information

Please provide the following business information for your company/institution and for any teaming or joint venture partners:

• Company/Institute Name:

• Address:

• Point of Contact:

• CAGE Code:

• Phone Number:

• E-mail Address:

• Web Page URL:

• Government Proposed North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code: _____

Based on the Government proposed NAICS Code, state whether your company is:

• Small Business (Yes / No)

• Woman Owned Small Business (Yes / No)

• Small Disadvantaged Business (Yes / No)

• 8(a) Certified (Yes / No)

• HUBZone Certified (Yes / No)

• Veteran Owned Small Business (Yes / No)

• Service Disabled Veteran Small Business (Yes / No)

• System for Award Management (SAM) (Yes / No)

• A statement as to whether your company is domestically or foreign owned (if foreign, please indicate the country of ownership).

Responses to the Capability Survey Part I and Part II must be received no later than 10:00am EST on 12 January 2026. Please ensure data is in a readable electronic format that can be received through a firewall. Attachments shall not to exceed 10 MB per email. Multiple emails are acceptable. Responses must be sent via email with RFI LC-130J in the subject line to the following:

Amber Mathe, Procurement Contracting Officer (PCO), amber.mathe@us.af.mil

Hannah Tuck, Contract Specialist (CS), hannah.tuck.1@us.af.mil

Questions relative to this market research should be addressed to the PCO and CS.

mailto:%20amber.mathe@us.af.mil mailto:hannah.tuck@us.af.mil

Part II. Capability Survey Questions

All examples and experience should be related to development, modification, and installation of C-130J aircraft.

A. General Capability Questions:

1. Describe briefly the capabilities of your facility and nature of the goods and/or services you provide. Include a description of your staff composition and management structure.

2. Describe your company’s ability to access the TDP or proprietary data to support this requirement.

3. Describe your company's past experience on previous projects similar in complexity to this requirement. Include contract numbers, a brief description of the work performed, period of performance, agency/organization supported, and individual point of contact (Contracting Officer or Program Manager).

4. Describe your company's capabilities for generating, handling, processing and storing classified material and data.

5. Describe your company's capabilities and experience in generating technical data, engineering drawings and manuals. Identify what software programs are utilized to generate these data products and what formats are available for delivered items.

6. What quality assurance processes and test qualification practices does your company employ?

Provide a description of your quality program (ISO 9001, AS9100, etc.).

a. Provide a detailed quality plan implementing AS9100 (or equivalent).

B. Modification and Installation Questions:

1. Describe your capabilities and experience in modifying existing systems/equipment (hardware and software) to solve maintenance and support problems in the depot environment.

2. Describe your capabilities and experience in developing/modifying maintenance procedures.

Include associated upgrade of technical orders and preparation of new technical orders.

3. Demonstrate your ability and experience in the manufacture of the same or similar components, which are currently utilized in the commercial or military environment by providing the following information on the same or similar items:

a) Contract Number

b) Procuring Agency

c) Contract Value

d) Number of assets shipped

4. Describe your configuration management processes and how you identify and resolve parts obsolescence and diminishing manufacturing sources problems?

5. Discuss your process for addressing any fit, form, and or function issues that may arise out of this effort.

6. Describe your process for maintaining inventory records and reporting on hand/work-in-process balances and installation/modification status to your customer.

7. Include a detailed listing of facilities and equipment, including quantities, required to satisfy the requirements of this effort.

a. Provide an outline of the proposed process, including inspections.

i. State the type of test procedures are anticipated for this effort.

ii. State the type of inspection processes anticipated for this effort.

1. NDI/T

2. Destructive testing and inspection.

8. How will your organization address the absence of drawings, specifications, technical data, test procedures, etc.

9. State any technology insertion ideas for the item that would be suitable for this effort.

10. If the item cannot be manufactured in total, state what your organization can produce.

11. Discuss any reverse engineering or item replacement opportunities that may be present.

12. Provide your commercial manual(s) or Acceptance Test Procedures (ATP) and your rights to these manuals and or ATP used in the manufacture and functional check of these or similar assets for Government Engineer review.