RFO Part 12 JA 4CAB Aircraft Rafts Final approved_Redacted.pdf
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- 4CAB Aircraft Life Rafts
- Solicitation number
- W911RZ-26-P-A033
About this file
This is a Justification Review Document for a FAR Part 12 Sole Source Justification and Approval for a commercial products acquisition.
The 4th Combat Aviation Brigade (4CAB) at Fort Carson, Colorado, seeks to procure HARD-8 and HARD-20 life raft systems from Life Support International, Inc. (LSI), located in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, under a firm-fixed-price contract valued at $1,336,500. The requirement comprises 44 units of Life Raft P/N FLO-4380-HD and 30 units of Life Raft P/N FLO-4110-HD, with delivery scheduled for March 1, 2027, and fiscal year 2026 funding utilizing Operations and Maintenance appropriations. The acquisition authority is Title 41 U.S.C. 1901, as implemented by FAR 12.201-1 and DFARS Class Deviation 2026-00028, permitting simplified procedures for commercial products when only one responsible source exists.
The justification establishes sole-source authority based on Army Regulation 95-1, which mandates life raft systems for aircraft conducting overwater operations exceeding 30 minutes or 100 nautical miles from shoreline. LSI is identified as the only manufacturer capable of providing HARD-series rafts meeting 4CAB's technical and operational requirements, including airframe-integrated deployment mechanisms, rigid protective hard cases enabling five-year recertification cycles (versus annual recertification for competing systems), and compatibility with UH-60 aircraft configurations. A sources sought notice posted August 27-31, 2026, yielded no vendor responses; market research confirms no equivalent commercial products meet the government's minimum technical specifications. The U.S. Government lacks ownership of the Technical Data Package and manufacturing drawings, precluding alternate source development. LSI is a small business and sole manufacturer of these products. Fair and reasonable pricing will be determined through price analysis and IGCE comparison, with certified cost or pricing data not required because the items are considered commercial. The contracting officer at 918th Contracting Battalion (MICC), Fort Carson, has certified the justification as accurate and complete.
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Control No.: FC-26-12
d. Background: The requirement for HARD-8 and HARD-20 aircraft life raft systems arises from 4th Combat Aviation Brigade’s (4CAB) evolving mission profile and regulatory obligations associated with overwater aviation operations. As 4CAB transitions under I Corps and expands its operational responsibilities within the U.S.
Army Pacific (USARPAC) area of operations, overwater flight becomes a routine and essential component of both training and mission execution.
Regulatory Mandate (AR 95-1): Army Regulation 95-1 dictates that all aircraft operating more than 30 minutes or 100 nautical miles from shoreline must be equipped with life rafts sufficient to hold all personnel aboard, accompanied by mission-tailored survival kits. This regulatory requirement is non-waivable and directly tied to aircrew and passenger survivability.
Proprietary Engineering & Airworthiness: The HARD 8 raft was specifically engineered for Army Aviation (originally fielded by the 160th SOAR) to withstand rotary-wing flight environments, featuring:
An airframe-integrated single-point bulkhead release harness and static-line/manual deployment mechanism compatible with UH-60 seating configurations.
An environmentally sealed, rigid protective case extending inspection and recertification cycles to 5 years (competing commercial systems require annual recertification, imposing prohibitive maintenance burdens on unit ALSE shops).
Technical Data Rights: The U.S. Government does not own the Technical Data Package (TDP), manufacturing drawings, or qualification test data. Developing an alternate source would result in substantial duplication of cost and unacceptable operational delays (FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii)).
Market intelligence confirms that Life Support International Inc. (LSI) is the only responsible source capable of providing the specific HARD-8 and HARD-20 life raft systems that meet 4CAB’s minimum needs. These systems are already fielded by 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), demonstrating their suitability for military aviation environments, rapid deployment, and high-risk operational profiles. The rafts’ hard-case packaging, static-line deployment capability, and extended five-year recertification cycle provide operational advantages not available in competing commercial systems.
A sources sought posted from 27–31 August 2026 yielded no vendor responses, and no equivalent products were identified through government or commercial database searches. Additionally, Life Support International Inc., is a small business and the sole manufacturer for these products.
This background establishes the operational need, regulatory basis, and market conditions that support the use of sole-source authority under FAR Overhaul Part 12 for acquiring the HARD-series life raft systems.
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .