ALTAIR - Intent to Award Sole Source (IASS)

The Department of the Air Force Materiel Command Research Laboratory (Air Force Research Laboratory) has issued a Special Notice on January 13, 2026, announcing its intent to award a sole-source contract for Altair software. This Notice of Intent to Award Sole Source (IASS) indicates the government's plan to issue a Firm-Fixed-Price Purchase Order directly to Altair, the original equipment manufacturer and exclusive provider of HyperStudy software in the United States. The procurement falls under FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) for single-source acquisition and is classified under NAICS code 541519 (Other Computer Related Services) with a size standard of $34 million. The contract award is expected on or about February 1, 2026, with a 12-month period of performance from December 20, 2025, to December 19, 2026. Interested parties have until January 19, 2026, at 0900 EST to submit responses or challenge the sole-source determination.

The Air Force Research Laboratory's RQ Directorate seeks to procure 25 units of Altair Enterprise Suite Lease to support the Airframe-Propulsion-PTMS Integration (APPI) program, which requires multidisciplinary-design analysis and optimization (MDAO) capabilities. AFRL/RQ engineers across multiple divisions have established customized multidisciplinary workflows using Altair HyperStudy and related HyperWorks tools on Linux and Windows platforms, and the justification asserts that procuring alternative software would result in substantial cost duplication and unacceptable mission delays. Potential respondents must submit a maximum 10-page response to Stephen Wenclewicz by email, including contact information, business size, socioeconomic status, CAGE Code or UEI Number, and a demonstration of how their product meets specified characteristics. Although designated as sole-source, the government will consider compelling alternatives received within the 5-day response period and may convert the procurement to a competitive or small business set-aside process if warranted. Respondents should note that Altair Enterprise Units are not available through GSA or BPA pricing arrangements, and pricing will be based on Altair's standard 2025 Units Price List.