STEWS RFI.pdf

Request for Information (RFI)

Specialized Tactical Electronic Warfare Systems (STEWS) Program

30 September 2025

Contents Purpose

Instructions

Description

Contractor Capability Survey

Part I Business Information

Part II Capability Survey Questions and Requested Information

A. General Capability

B. Hardware Production

C. Engineering Services and Software Development

D. Repair

E. Testing

F. Commerciality Requested Information

Purpose The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Electronic Warfare and Avionics Division, STEWS sustainment program office is conducting a market survey to identify potential sources that may possess the personnel, capabilities, and facilities needed to meet the requirements for the Program Management, Depot Repair, Logistics Management, Material Support, Engineering Services, Business Management, Process Control Management and equipment production/procurement of the United States Air Force

(USAF) Specialized Tactical Electronic Warfare Systems (STEWS) program. The prospective contractor would be required to have personnel with a “Secret” security clearance, and the ability to catalog, store and ship classified parts worldwide. Therefore; foreign contractors physically located outside of the

United States would not be eligible to compete for this contract. 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.

A potential source shall possess the expertise and capability to step in with no loss of execution coverage, and no reduction in operational tempo, while performing all the required duties. This is a recurring requirement currently occupied by a sole source vendor.

Note: THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY to identify sources that can provide specialized STEW Production/Operations/Technology Site functions. The information provided in the RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The Air Force has not made a commitment to procure any of the items/services discussed, and release of this

RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

Responses must be received no later than close of business Friday, 31 October 2025.

Please send responses to Alexander Katsekis (Alexander.Katsekis@us.af.mil) with a copy to Daniel

Daniels (Daniel.Daniels.2@us.af.mil).

mailto:cheryl.wilhelm@us.af.mil mailto:cassandra.tharpe@us.af.mil

Instructions

1. This document contains a description of the Specialized Tactical Electronic Warfare Production

Operation Technology Site (STEW POTS) requirements 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. If you lack sufficient experience in a particular area, please provide details explaining how you would overcome the lack of experience/capabilities in order to perform that portion of the requirement (i.e., teaming, subcontracting, etc.)

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

3. Both large and small businesses are encouraged to participate in this Market Research. Joint ventures or teaming arrangements are encouraged.

4. Questions relative to this market survey should be addressed to the PCO, Daniel Daniels at daniel.daniels.2@us.af.mil

Description The Government is conducting market research to identify potential sources that may possess the personnel, capabilities, and facilities to support an Specialized Tactical Electronic Warfare

Production/Operations/Technology Site (STEW POTS). This is a full Contractor Logistics Support

(CLS) acquisition, encompassing all aspects of system sustainment (to include engineering efforts aimed at overcoming obsolescence issues) up to and including disposal. This acquisition requires the prospective contractor to provide the following functional requirements: Program Management, Depot

Repair, Logistics Management, Material Support, Engineering Services, Business Management, Process

Control Management and General Requirements for multiple, non-stock listed, small quantity, highly, specialized mission specific systems; to include production and/or procurement of equipment through a third party. The Specialized Tactical Electronic Warfare (STEW) systems are the cornerstone of the

Electronic Warfare (EW) defensive suites, protecting Air Force personnel on multiple high profile and critical airframes vital to the defense of the U.S. Examples of the electronic warfare and test equipment systems supported are: QRC 81-01, ALQ-188, USM-642, GLM 10, and HARM Targeting System Test

Set (HTS TS). Support for STEW systems covers over 2,800 recoverable items which are used to support

13 different Mission Design Series at 300+ installations. The STEW concept is a special management and procurement process applied by the Air Force to designated electronic combat (EC) programs to provide rapid response to technical or tactical surprise by the enemy, new intelligence or changes in our own systems or tactics. The concept has been around since 1953. The prospective contractor would be required to have personnel with a “Secret” security clearance, operate as an independent Integrated

Product Team (IPT), and have the ability to catalog, store, and ship classified parts worldwide.

The Government’s acquisition strategy proposes a five-year contract (1 year Basic plus four 1-year

Options) that will start in FY27 and continue through FY31. Contractor must be fluent in applicable DoD and USAF regulations, instructions, and guidance required to conceptualize objectives and assist in developing internal STEW POTS procedures for each of the functional requirements identified below.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

This technical effort shall be under the direction and coordination of a single Program Manager (PM).

This individual shall be the single point of contact for the Government on all issues and shall ensure that work accomplished meets the requirements of the contract and PWS. The PM shall perform tasks such as:

• Primary Interface

• Budgetary Estimates and Suspense

• Written Reports

• Cost, Schedule, and Technical Compliance

• Risk Management and Mitigation

• Briefings, Boards, and Reviews

• Informal/Formal Meetings and Discussions

• Site Visits

• Status Reporting

• Continuous Process Improvement

DEPOT REPAIR

The contractor shall perform depot repair of all STEWS systems referenced. The contractor shall perform tasks such as:

• Repair of Contract Assigned Items. Repairs shall be accomplished to the component level and shall include mechanical reconditioning, refurbishment, and repair as required. This task includes scheduling and prioritizing depot maintenance activity repairs and tasks to meet organizational unit requirements. 100% of all items repaired shall meet the Acceptance Test Procedure requirements at the quality inspection. Support includes activities such as:

o Repair source (depot/vendor) determination o Repair authorization documentation preparation o Repair prioritization based on user needs o Maintain status of all items in the repair cycle o Authorizing scrap/condemnation of parts beyond economical repair o Reporting Due-In-From-Maintenance control of repairable assets o Monitoring receipt of returned items from the field

• Material Serviceability and Warranty. Ensure serviceability of all material used within the

STEW POTS as well as material issued to its customers.

• Receiving Inspection and Tests. Perform receiving inspection/testing as required to ascertain condition of incoming material.

• Acceptance Tests. The contractor shall develop and verify Acceptance Test Procedures (ATP) for each SRU/LRU. The ATPs shall verify the items are of the proper configuration to meet or exceed all functional requirements. The ATP shall verify proper interoperability between associated components and systems. The contractor shall correct all discrepancies identified during verification. All data shall be made available to the Government.

LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT

The contractor shall provide logistics and item/production management for the STEW POTS covering all customer material and support requirements. The contractor shall perform tasks such as:

• Maintain Master Item/Inventory Database Records

• Develop/Maintain a Spares Authorization List by system/user location

• Review and analyze consumable usage data

• Identification of stock listed material

• Identify inactive, excess, or obsolete inventory and provide disposition recommendations

• Validate and fill field requisitions including routine, MICAP, unserviceable stock, and unserviceable vendor stock; provide requisition status

• Research field material requisitions for stock listed items

• Analyze customer requirements and provide cost estimates; maintain database

• Ensure ECP affected material is identified/procured; monitor TCTOs for completion and configuration control

• Maintain support records for all customer transactions

• Develop Recommended Buy Material Lists with estimated pricing for all material requirements

• Manage and control cost accounts; provide quarterly Contract Funds Status Reports

• Maintain database of operating procedures for currency, structure, approval, and distribution

• Monitor failure, repair, and utilization data to identify trends before negative impacts to availability and readiness

• Maintain hardware configuration control of system level components by serial number

• Develop and maintain a Logistics Support Plan IAW AFI 63-101/20-101

MATERIAL SUPPORT

Contractor shall perform material support for the STEW POTS. The contractor shall perform tasks such as:

• Material Control and Administration

• Operation of a Contractor-Inventory Control Point (C-ICP) that interfaces with Government DPAS software and is compliant with Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness (FIAR) regulations and procedures.

• Qualification Testing

• Material Availability

• Periodic Physical Inventory of Property

• Packing

• Painting and Marking

• Operate a robust Counterfeit Electronic Parts Control Plan for counterfeit parts avoidance, detection, and reporting IAW SAE AS5553; conduct inspections using a certified IDEA-ICE-3000 Counterfeit

Component Auditor/Inspector

• Maintain sufficient levels of sustainment stock

ENGINEERING SERVICES

Contractor shall perform engineering services for the STEW POTS. The contractor shall perform tasks such as:

• Investigation/Resolution of obsolescence issues and vanishing vendor problems

• Deficiency reporting and resolution

• Technical Manual revisions; Validation completion reports

• On-site support to assist field organizations

• Support of operation flight tests

• Develop/Update drawing packages

• Maintain configuration control drawings

• Provide training to field units

• Engineering analyses of physical and functional properties

• Develop and maintain Operational Safety, Suitability, and Effectiveness program IAW AFMCI

63-1201

• Manage ECPs IAW MIL-HDBK-61A

• Perform effectiveness analyses

COMPUTER AND NETWORK SUPPORT

The contractor shall maintain a computer system in a secure area to support all assigned tasks. The contractor shall establish a data sharing solution that allows the contractor to interact and share program, schedule, cost, and other information with the Government and geographically separated users in a timely manner. The contractor shall establish and support a Contractor Communication Network to include at a minimum secure voice, secure email, and toll-free voice for supply requisition.

CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

The contractor shall establish, implement, and document a configuration control process in accordance with AFPD 63-12, AFI 63-101/20-101, and AFMCI 63-1201. A formal review and approval process shall be conducted for all proposed hardware and software configuration changes. The contractor shall define all approved changes to the product baseline in the engineering data, product specifications, and/or drawings. The contractor shall document parts replacement in the affected technical data package. The contractor shall establish, implement and maintain a data management program. The contractor shall release generated data to the Government as requested. All generated data shall be released to the

Government at the conclusion of the contract.

The contractor shall maintain and deliver a Technical Data Package (TDP) that accurately depicts the current configuration of the STEW systems. The TDP shall represent the approved, tested, and accepted configuration of the defined delivered item(s). TDP data includes, but is not limited to, Computer Aided

Design (CAD) data, CAD models, model based definition data sets, Gerber data and Master Bill of

Materials (BOM). Any changes to the existing TDP shall provide the necessary design, engineering, manufacturing, testing and quality assurance requirements information necessary to enable the manufacture of an interchangeable item that duplicates the physical and performance characteristics of the original product without additional design engineering effort or recourse to the original design activity or any third party.

Contractor Capability Survey Specialized Tactical Electronic Warfare Production/Operations/Technology Site for QRC 81-01 (HAVE

SIREN), USM-642 (Combat Shield Test Set), HARM Targeting System Test Set (HTS-TS), ALQ-188A(V), ALQ-188(V)4 (Intimidator--Electronic Attack Training Pods), GLM-10 (ALQ-188 Test

Set), and Purge/Fill Test Sets, Radiometer, and Radiometer Calibrator Test Set

Part I Business Information Provide the following business information for your company and for any teaming or joint venture partner.

• Company/Institute Name:

• Address:

• Point of Contact:

• CAGE Code:

• Phone Number:

• E-mail Address:

• Web Page URL:

• Size of business pursuant to North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code: 541330

Based on the above 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)

• HUB Zone 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).

Specialized Tactical EW Systems Program RFI

Part II Capability Survey Questions and Requested Information

A. General Capability

1. Describe briefly the capabilities of your facility and the nature of the goods and/or services you provide that relates to the services expertise listed in this RFI. Include a description of your staff composition and management structure.

2. Describe your company's past experience on previous projects similar in scope and 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).

3. 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.

4. Describe your company's capabilities for generating, handling, processing, and storing classified material and data. Describe your C-ICP, FIAR CFO Reporting and DPAS interface capabilities.

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. Describe your configuration management processes and how you identify and resolve issues with requirements traceability, parts obsolescence, and diminishing manufacturing sources problems. If software tools are employed identify particulars of the licenses.

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

8. Only a partial Technical Data Package is available. How will your company address the absence of drawings, specifications, technical data, test procedures, etc.

B. Hardware Production

1. Describe your capability and experiences in the manufacturing/fabrication of components.

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

Please provide a description of your quality program (ISO 9000, QS-9000, EIA-599, or otherwise).

C. Engineering Services and Software Development

1. Is your company's software development processes certified to the Carnegie Mellon Capability

Maturity Model? If so what level of certification have you achieved and what is the date of your certification.

2. Describe your capabilities and experience in managing software development projects, including subcontractor involvement. Include any experience in project planning, work breakdown structures, resource allocations, schedule tracking, risk analysis, and cost management.

D. Repair

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 repair or maintenance procedures. Include associated upgrade of technical orders and preparation of new technical orders.

3. Describe your company’s experience in, and infrastructure for, repairing the systems and test sets listed above that make up the Quick Reaction Capability Support Center. Include experience with component level repairs including mechanical reconditioning and refurbishment.

E. Testing

1. Describe your capabilities and experience with writing, performing, and executing Acceptance

Test Procedures (ATP) and Functional Qualification Testing (FQT).

2. Describe your capabilities and experience with writing, performing, and executing aircraft ground checkouts, flight tests, and flight demos.

3. Describe your capabilities and experience with test equipment, routine lab testing, regression testing, and receiving/inspection testing.

4. Describe your capabilities and experience with development of, and obtaining government approval for, test plans and reports.

F. Commerciality Requested Information

1. If you offer this product and/or service to both U.S. Government and commercial sources, is the same workforce used for both the U.S. Government and commercial sources?

2. Describe your standard warranty and return process for goods and services furnished to the government for items similar in nature to this requirement.

3. How long has your company been in business and how many employees does your company have?

4. How do you support your product after it has been sold and delivered to the customer (i.e., resolving problems, design practices which avoid obsolescence, developing manual updates)?

5. Do you feel that your company would be able to provide firm-fixed prices for this effort for a period of 1- 5 years?

6. Describe how you would fill any short term emergency (urgent software updates) needs the government may have.

7. What are the quality assurances or testing processes your company utilizes in its design, manufacturing, and inspection practices, such as ISO 9001, AWS, ANSI?