TACKit_SourcesSought_06032026.pdf

Request for Information/Sources Sought Notice ID: SS-AFLCMC-C3-ABMS-2026-0001 Agency/Office: Air Force Materiel Command – Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Location: Wright Patterson AFB, OH Title: TACKit Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) Solutions

NAICS: 336413

1. Customer Description

This Sources Sought Synopsis (SSS) is being issued by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) and the Department of the Air Force Program Acquisition Executive for Command, Control, Communication, and Battle Management (DAF PAE C3BM). These organizations exist to provide life cycle management of products and services to provide the Warfighter’s Edge. The Airborne Connectivity (AC) Branch of the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) provides aircraft connectivity to the DAF BATTLE NETWORK through Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS)/Line of Sight (LOS) connections in all environments to ensure Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control (CJADC2).

2. Background/Overview

The AC Branch seeks competent vendors to provide TACKit systems and related services for a variety of combat and mobility aircraft. The current system provides BLOS connectivity through an aviation terminal and associated subscription service for on-aircraft connection to the SpaceX Starshield proliferated low-earth orbit (pLEO) network, as well as connection from the modem/aperture to the aircraft Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) radio via a military hand-held Link-16 radio. Data encryption is provided by the inclusion of a Type-1 High Assurance Internet Protocol Encryptor (HAIPE), with virtualized Juniper Session Smart Router (SSR) hosted on both black-side and red-side for network routing. A user interface is enabled by a pilot operated tablet. Additional components are used to facilitate platform integration. Required contractor support includes: Program Management, Hardware Acquisition, Strategic Analysis, Data Analyst, and Customer Account Management.

Note that this is not a request for quotes. This SSS seeks industry comments to assist the Government in locating potential sources with the ability to satisfy requirements. This SSS does not obligate the Government to issue a solicitation. Neither unsolicited proposals nor any other kinds of offers will be considered in response to this request or accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The Government will not be liable for payment of any response preparation expenses and is not obligated by the information received. Any costs incurred by interested companies in response to this announcement will NOT be reimbursed. The information provided may be used by the Department of the Air Force in developing future acquisition strategies.

3. Questions to Industry

The questions below are intended to increase the Government’s awareness of interested and capable vendors. If there is any additional relevant information, not asked below, that you are willing to share related to the topics covered in the questions, please provide that information on an additional page.

1. Is the vendor a certified reseller and/or provider of Starshield products and services?

a. Provide documentation of SpaceX partnership

2. What experiences does the vendor have as an authorized reseller of SpaceX hardware and subscription services across a quantity of users?

a. Provide 1 example

3. What experience does the vendor have integrating and configuring HAIPEs, SSRs and/or

BLOS solutions?

4. How will the vendor go about rapidly procuring hardware parts (assume no hardware is GFP and assume quantities of 50+ are required)?

a. See required hardware parts below for reference.

5. What is the vendors current staffing numbers?

a. If needed what is the vendors ability to ramp-up?

i. Provide notional staffing plan to show this

6. Would subcontracting be required to implement ‘required contract support’ this effort?

7. What experience does the vendor have with subcontracting?

a. Are there established relationships with subcontractors who have experience doing the work being asked?

i. Provide 1 example

8. Has the vender been awarded a contract under the Architecture & Integration Directorate-XA

IDIQ?

a. If yes, include the associated contract numbers, customer information, and identify point of contacts.

9. Has the vendor provided field service representatives (FSRs) for on-aircraft tactical data link solutions, network level troubleshooting, and instillation of aircraft components?

a. Provide one example of meeting this requirement

10. Can the vendor provide a schedule showing their ability to complete all TACKit related milestones (hardware procurements, manufacturing (if applicable), assembly/configure to include software, delivery of units), for a quantity of 150+ kits within 9 months, assuming the aircraft schedule allows for the installation?

a. Provide a notional schedule showing ability to deliver

11. What is the vendor’s manufacturing capability for fabricating military grade designing, fabricating & installing airworthy components to circuit breakers, power cabling, and mounting for TACKit and SpaceX antenna.

12. Does the vendor have previous experience with the Airworthiness process?

a. Provide an example of processes worked

13. Has the vendor integrated, modified and rapidly procured hardware and software products for platforms such as B-1, B-52, F-15E/EX, KC-135?

a. Provide 1 example for each platform worked

14. Is the vendor familiar with, or actively on contract for any scope of work related to the IL-6

DI-N network and able to meet IA requirements?

a. Provide example(s)

4. Response

Interested and capable sources are invited to submit an electronic unclassified White Paper (CUI is acceptable) describing their capabilities. The Government requests that responses be no more than 15 total pages in length, 8.5" x 11" paper, 12-point Times New Roman font, with a minimum of one (1) inch margins all around, inclusive of all text, tables, charts, illustrations, flowcharts, drawings, diagrams, indices, photographs, foldouts, appendices, attachments, resumes, etc. (including a cover sheet) and provide the following information: Respondents should provide the following information in their submissions:

A. A one-page cover letter that serves as a detailed overview of your company and includes the following:

o Company Name o Date of incorporation o Number of years in business o Number of employees o Company security clearance level o Brief overview of company history o Location o Mailing address o Phone number o Website address o Email address o DUNS #/ Unique Entity ID o CAGE CODE o Small business and socioeconomic classifications

Please clearly identify your company's small business size standard based on the primary North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code of 336413 (Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing) The small business size standard for this NAICS code is 1,250 employees. For more information, please refer to http://www.sba.gov/content/table-small-business-size-standards. Please also indicate any socioeconomic classifications:

• Large Business concern;

• Small Business (SB) concern;

• 8(a);

• Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB);

• Women-Owned Small Business;

• Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone);

• Veteran-Owned Small Business;

• Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business o Point of Contact ο Name ο Title ο Phone Number ο Email Address

B. Vendors will need to include a response addressing each of the major tasks below in their submission. Vendors are reminded that submissions are limited to 15 pages total.

http://www.sba.gov/content/table-small-business-size-standards http://www.sba.gov/content/table-small-business-size-standards

1. Task 1 – Production of TACKit and required aircraft mounting and power hardware, with integration of SpaceX Starshield aviation Tile Mini

2. Task 2 – Program and Lifecycle Management

3. Task 3 – Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) for aircraft installation and related services

4. Task 4 – TACKit installation and Integration

5. Task 5 – Field Service Representative Support

6. Task 6 – Test Support

C. Documentation will be evaluated by the Command, Control, Communication, and Battle Management – Airborne Connectivity Branch solely for the purpose of determining the availability and capability of all businesses in providing the requirement.

Supporting documentation is acceptable and may be submitted only where specifically referenced in the Sources Sought, vendors are reminded that submissions are limited to 15 pages total. Any company proprietary information, performance capabilities and/or future modification plans should be clearly identified and MUST be marked accordingly and will be protected by the Government.

Note that SSS respondents shall designate a single point of contact for receipt of all information pursuant to this SSS.

Responses to the SSS:

• Will not be returned.

• May be used to develop Government documentation.

• Will be used for planning purposes to identify interested and capable sources.

• Respondents to the SSS may not receive feedback from the Government once reviewed.

Additional information may be requested and / or provided by the Government to interested and capable sources. Please be advised all information submitted in response to the Sources Sought becomes the property of the U.S. Government and will not be returned. All information received in response to this Sources Sought marked "proprietary" will be handled accordingly. No classified documents shall be included in your response.

The respondent must clearly state on the cover sheet to the Sources Sought response whether or not a Proprietary Information Agreement (PIA), Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), or equivalent is required prior to non-Government personnel reviewing the submissions. Should a PIA/NDA be required, the respondent must obtain the PIA/NDA from the company POCs and provide the PIA/NDA with their SSS submittal.

4. Schedule of Events:

A statement of intent to submit a response to this Sources Sought must be communicated to the PCOs Laura Rittenhouse and Wesley Livesay (laura.rittenhouse@us.af.mil and wesley.livesay@us.af.mil) via email within 7 calendar days of posting.

Responses to this Sources Sought notice are due 14 calendar days after posting.

Respondents deemed capable of fielding the TACKit BLOS Solution based on their submission may be given the opportunity to participate in an Industry Day should the USG decide to host such an event.

5. Technical and Contracting Points of Contact:

Address technical questions to:

Wade Daugherty, AFLCMC/C3 Email: wade.daugherty.ctr@us.af.mil

Savanna Pilcher, AFLCMC/C3BA Email: savanna.pilcher.1@us.af.mil

Address contracting questions to:

Laura Rittenhouse, AFLCMC/C3BK Email: Laura.Rittenhouse@us.af.mil

Wesley Livesay, AFLCMC/C3BK Email: wesley.livesay@us.af.mil

6. Additional Information:

a. Export Control: Information involved in this effort is subject to Export Control (International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) 22 CFR 120-131, or Export Administration Regulations (EAR) 15 CFR 710-774). A Certified DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement, is required to be submitted with proposal.

b. Export-Controlled Items: As prescribed by DFARS 225.7901-4, DFARS 252.225-7048, “Export-Controlled Item (JUN 2013)” is contained in this solicitation. This clause shall be contained in ALL resulting contracts. Any resulting agreement will include a term and condition to address the same.

c. Foreign Participation: Foreign participation is not authorized. Foreign Nationals (FNs) can be employed by the US Prime Contractor or Sub-Contractor; however, FNs will be limited to Public Domain information unless the contractor has obtained the proper License or Technical Assistance Agreement that authorizes disclosure of CMI and/or CUI to foreign entities pursuant to the Department of State’s ITAR or Department of Commerce’s EAR. Public Domain information is defined as information that is releasable to the general public and sometimes referred to as open-source material. Examples include but are not limited to newspapers, magazines and information posted on the internet. Any proprietary information will have to be appropriately protected.

mailto:wade.daugherty.ctr@us.af.mil

Hardware and Software needed for TACKit build and integration

SpaceX Tile Mini Mount and Radome (to include Tile Mini Antenna) TAC Satocom Controller TACKit Power & Data Wire Harness Aircraft Power Harness TACKit Power & Data Wire Harness TACKit External Harness

PRC 161

PRC161 Connectivity Kit

KGV-250XS

Wave Guide Covers Microsoft Surface Pro Tablet (10&11) Pelican Shipping Case Starshield Service

GETAC

EUD