Notice of Intent to Sole Source FY26_PSA_Football Helmets.docx

Notice of Intent to Sole Source

This is a special notice prepared in accordance with (IAW) the Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Overhaul (hereinafter referred to as RFO) 5.101 – Presolicitation Notice. The contracting office for this notice is the 10th Contracting Squadron, USAF Academy, CO 80840.

The US Air Force Academy (USAFA) intends to award a sole source commercial contract using simplified acquisition procedures IAW RFO part 12 to Riddell All American Sports Corp. 7501 Performance Lane, North Ridgeville, OH 44039. The authority for this non-competitive award is RFO 12.102(a). The NAICS code for this requirement is 339920 and the PSC is 7810. The size standard as defined by the U.S. Small Business Administration is 750 employees. This notice incorporates provisions and clauses that are in effect through the RFO effective 1 February 2026. The Government has deemed Riddell All American Sports Corp. (Riddell) to be a responsible contractor with respect to performance.

a. Only one responsible source and no other item will satisfy the USAFA requirement.

b. A comprehensive market survey was conducted to identify potential vendors for the required equipment. This research included a detailed search of the General Services Administration (GSA) Advantage! website and other government supply sources. The market research concluded that Riddell is the only vendor capable of meeting the government's requirements for the following reasons:

· Exclusive Distributorship: Riddell is the sole manufacturer and the only authorized distributor of the required helmets within the Colorado region. Based on the business model utilized by Riddell, there are no third-party authorized distributors of the Riddell Axiom helmet in the Colorado region (or nationally).

· Direct Regional Sales Representative Model: Riddell does not authorize local sporting goods stores (e.g., Big 5, Dick’s Sporting Goods, or local independent athletic dealers in Colorado) to sell, quote, or perform the custom fitting/3D-scanning for the Axiom line.

· Voiding of Certification: NOCSAE certification is only valid if the helmet is fitted, assembled, and maintained according to strict factory specifications. If an unauthorized third-party attempts to customize or fit these liners, the NOCSAE safety certification is immediately voided, exposing the Air Force Academy Prep School and the government to extreme legal liability in the event of a player injury.

· Factory-Direct Custom Fabrication: The custom liners within the helmets are fabricated and assembled exclusively at Riddell's manufacturing plant in Ohio. No other distributor, retail store, or contractor has specialized machinery, chemical formulations, or factory tooling required to manufacture or customize these liners.

· Patent-Protected Design & Intellectual Property (OEM Exclusivity): No other manufacturer (such as Schutt, Xenith, or Vicis) has the legal right to manufacture or license this design.

· Procurement from a source other than Riddell would result in substantial duplication of costs and unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency's requirements. The rationale is detailed below:

Based on the unique safety requirements of the USAFA Prep School Athletics Program, Riddell is the only responsible source capable of providing the required custom-fit helmets. Sourcing from any other vendor would make it impossible to utilize the proprietary 3D-scanning contour technology, thereby compromising player-specific concussion protection and voiding mandatory NOCSAE safety certifications. Therefore, it is in the government's best interest to procure these sixty-three (63) custom-fit Axiom football helmets and associated fitting services directly from Riddell on a sole-source basis.

c. This request is issued for the USAFA Prep School Athletics Program. Anticipated award on or before 31 July 2026 (subject to availability of funds) as a firm fixed-price purchase order.

REQUIREMENT:

A SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE POSTED. Based on market research conducted, the Government intends to proceed with this sole source action. This synopsis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation for bids or proposals. DO NOT submit a bid/quote at this time. IAW RFO 12.102(a), a separate Justification and Approval will not be posted as this requirement is valued below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT).

All responsible sources may submit a capability statement. Interested concerns must show clear and convincing evidence that competition of this requirement would be advantageous to the Government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement is solely within the discretion of the Government.

Responses and questions regarding this notice of intent to sole source must be submitted to marissa.morris.4@us.af.mil AND danielle.hyde.2@us.af.mil no later than 10:00 AM, MDT on 22 July 2026. Responses received after this will be considered late IAW RFO 52.212-1(f) and will not be answered. Contractors must have a current registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) at http://sam.gov/. The Government bears no legal liability for any costs incurred by responding to this notice.