AE26 Mountain Wilderness Extreme Cold Weather Training

The United States Special Operations Command, through Naval Special Warfare Command (SOCNORTH PB), is soliciting proposals for the AE26 Mountain Wilderness Extreme Cold Weather Training program, a specialized five-day mountaineering and survival training course designed for Naval Special Warfare designated instructor staff. The procurement requires a contractor to provide comprehensive extreme cold weather training covering leadership, teamwork, risk management, weather forecasting, arctic survival techniques, shelter construction, terrain negotiation, and weapon system management in an arctic environment. Key contractor qualifications include instructor certifications such as AIARE Level II avalanche certification, Wilderness First Responder certification, recognized mountaineering guide certificates, US Forest Service Leave No Trace Master Educator certification, extensive Denali National Park mountaineering experience, and a Commercial Use Authorizations Certificate or Concession Contract meeting Denali's Lead Commercial Expedition Accreditations. The solicitation was posted on January 30, 2026, with an offer due date of February 11, 2026, at 10:00 AM, with contracting officer Ashton Smith available for inquiries at 719-723-6413. Evaluation criteria focus on contractor capacity to meet instructor-to-student ratios of four-to-eleven, maintain comprehensive safety and emergency management protocols, provide appropriate facilities within 15 miles of Fairbanks Airport, and deliver all required training materials and logistics.

This solicitation is designated as a 100% small business set-aside under NAICS code 611699 (All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction) with a firm fixed-price contract value of $16,500,000. The training is scheduled to occur February 20-24, 2026, in Alaska north of 66.0 degrees latitude, with the place of performance being Fairbanks, Alaska, and inspection and acceptance occurring at SOCNORTH PB in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The contractor will be responsible for training approximately 11 Naval Special Warfare designated instructor staff, managing all personnel, materials, foodstuffs, permits, facilities, and equipment necessary for course delivery. Key deliverables include draft course schedules and training plans prior to a post-award conference (minimum five days before course start), final documentation five days before the course begins, detailed gear lists, group meal plans, and post-award conference minutes. The Government will furnish student personal gear items including clothing layers, optics, communications/navigation equipment, and night vision devices, while the contractor remains responsible for all other training infrastructure and instructor-related supplies.