FINAL_ NGAGE_SSS (Draft).docx

Next Generation Aerospace Ground Equipment (NGAGE) Support Equipment and Vehicles (SE&V) Program Office Robins Air Force Base

AFLCMC/ROZ

CAUTION:

The Government is conducting market research to identify potential sources in industry that possess the expertise, capabilities, and experience to meet the requirements for developing and fielding multi-capable and/or innovative aerospace ground equipment (AGE) to support sourcing, acquiring, and ensuring delivery of a wide range of ground and aircraft common support equipment (CSE). The NGAGE provider strategy has been developed to obtain leverage for modernization efforts, improve or replace aging assets, and continue to enhance a robust industrial vendor base. The level of security clearance and foreign participation has not been determined at this time.

Contractors 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.

FAR 52.215-3—Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes (Oct 1997)

a) The Government does not intend to award a contract based on this Sources Sought Synopsis (SSS) or to pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in the 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.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Below is a description of the NGAGE requirement and a Contractor Capability Survey which allows you to provide your company’s capability and to provide industry feedback regarding various aspects of this effort.

2. If after receiving these documents, you desire to participate in the market research, you should respond to the Contractor Capability Survey to reflect 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. Both large and small businesses are encouraged to participate in this Market Research. The Government anticipates holding a virtual Industry Day in support of this effort.

4. Questions related to this SSS/market research, as well as responses to the Contractor Capability Survey, should be addressed to the Support Equipment and Vehicles Contracting Office Team listed below:

Amanda Ragan Joe Lee amanda.ragan.1@us.af.mil joe.lee.4@us.af.mil

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION

The primary purpose of the proposed contract is to identify potential sources that possess the expertise, capabilities, and experience to meet qualification requirements for the SE&V Division’s AGE portfolio. The secondary purpose is to design, develop, test, and integrate new hardware and software into new or existing AGE. The contractors providing these supplies shall incur incidental services to source, acquire, and ensure delivery of a broad range of ground and aircraft CSE end items.

For the purposes of NGAGE, AGE is defined as all the equipment used on the ground to support, maintain, and operate aircraft. The scope of this NGAGE Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) multiple award contract (MAC) includes a range of AGE supporting safe and efficient launch, recovery, and operations and maintenance (O&M) of aircraft.

North American Industry Classification Codes (NAICS) associated with previous procurement of this equipment includes, but is not limited to 336413, 336411, 334519, 541330, 333415, 541512, 333611, 333413, 221122, 333998, 221121, 334515, 454390, and 335310.

In certain instances, the Government may require testing to ensure that the assets meet their specified requirements and to determine their acceptability. Commonly referred to as “first article testing” (FAT), the NGAGE will include Developmental Test (DT), Qualification Test and Evaluation (QT&E), Coordination of Operational Testing (OT) and production-related testing. The types of testing that may be requested include DT/OT/QT&E for Developmental and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) or non-developmental items, as well as lot acceptance tests, pre-production qualification tests (PPQT), production qualification tests (PQT), and production acceptance test and evaluation (PAT&E). These tests may not apply to every CSE asset or order requested and will be deemed necessary by the SE&V IPT prior to issuing a delivery order on the NGAGE IDIQ.

A significant emphasis will be placed on digital engineering, to include model-based systems engineering, simulation, technical data, and provisioning.

The Government anticipates awarding multiple IDIQ contracts to all Offerors determined as responsible and acceptable within the evaluation criteria. The anticipated period of performance is a two-year basic period and four, two-year options to extend performance to a total of ten years if all options are exercised. The total estimated ceiling of this program is $910M.

All responses should be sent via email to Amanda Ragan (amanda.ragan.1@us.af.mil), and Joe Lee (joe.lee.4@us.af.mil). Responses should be received no later than close of business 09 JUL 2025. Please ensure data is in a readable electronic format that can be received through a firewall. Attachments shall not exceed 10 MB per email. Multiple emails are acceptable.

Next Generation Aerospace Ground Equipment (NGAGE) Sources Sought Synopsis

Please provide the following company information:

Company/Institute Name

Address

Point of Contact

Cage Code

Phone Number

Email Address

Web Page URL

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

Indicate your company’s NAICS Code

Based on NAICS Code above, indicate Yes or No whether your company is:

Yes or No

Small Business

Woman Owned Small Business

Small Disadvantaged business

8(a) Certified

HUBZone Certified

Veteran Owned Small Business

Service-Disabled Veteran Small Business

System for Award Management (SAM)

Please indicate your interest in participating in a virtual Industry Day ☐Yes or ☐No

Part I. General Capability Questions

Answer 1

Answer 2

Answer 3

Does your company have a mature software/firmware developmental process to include security consideration and integration? If yes, provide brief explanation.

Does your company have experience with NIST SP 800-171 security controls implementation and self-assessment IAW NIST SP 800-171A? If yes, provide brief explanation.

Does your company have experience or familiarity with NIST SP 800-82? If yes, provide brief explanation.

Answer 4

Answer 5

Answer 6

Answer 7

Answer 8

Answer 9

Answer 10

Answer 11

Answer 12

Answer 13

Answer 15

Part II. Developing Strategy The NGAGE MAC is intended to be broad within the constraints of the scope described within the Purpose/Description and attached draft Statement of Objectives. Contractors are strongly encouraged to review the drafts of the Statement of Objectives, Section L - Instructions, Conditions, and Notice to Offerors, and Section M - Evaluation Factors for Award to ensure awareness of the proposed technical evaluation factors/sub-factors.

1. Upon review of the draft documentation, are there any areas of concern or disconnect that could be clarified or corrected to ensure a better understanding of the overarching requirement for this MAC, as well as the instructions, and corresponding evaluation basis for award?

2. A significant attempt has been made to highlight the differences between the Small Business Subcontracting Plan, required as part of Volume I from Large Businesses, and the separate and different Volume III Small Business Participation Plan that is required from all Offerors (Large and Small Businesses). Based on your review of the draft Sections L and M, is it clear that these are two separate and mandatory (if applicable) deliverable requirements, and if an Offeror does not submit one or both (as applicable) then that Offeror will be determined as non-responsive for the solicitation?

3. Specific to the Small Business Subcontracting Plan requirements identified within the draft solicitation provisions, do you foresee any issues with complying with the solicitation requirements?

4. For this action, which is considered as a supply, price must be evaluated. The corresponding pricing attachment is still in draft.

a. Are the pricing instructions clear and easy to understand?

b. Is it clear that all offerors must provide a pricing proposal in order to be considered responsive and eligible for award? In other words, if an Offeror does not submit a pricing proposal that conforms to those instructions, it would be deemed as non-responsive and ineligible for award.