Arc Heater Specialized Parts- Mission Critical

The Air Force Test Center (AFTC) at Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee is issuing a Request for Information (RFI) to identify responsible sources capable of manufacturing specialized arc heater components for mission-critical hypersonic testing and reentry programs. The components must be manufactured from Oxygen-Free High Conductivity (OFHC) copper and engineered to withstand extreme operational conditions, including temperatures up to 13,000 degrees Rankine (6,649 degrees Celsius), gas pressures of 170 atmospheres, and internal water-cooling pressures of 1,000 PSI. Prospective vendors must submit responses by February 13, 2026, at 1:00 PM Central Time, limited to ten pages in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format, addressing detailed capability statements, quality control processes, past performance on similar projects within the last five years, access to technical data and specialized tooling, company information including CAGE Code and UEI, minimum/maximum order quantities, delivery lead-times, quantity discounts, and available contract vehicles. Evaluation will consider vendors' capabilities to meet exacting manufacturing standards, including accurate machining and brazing free from microscopic defects, as well as their ability to support increased operational demand for these mission-essential components. Responses should be submitted via email to the primary point of contact, Brogan Fullmer (brogan.fullmer@us.af.mil), or the secondary contact, Robert Greene (robert.greene.17@us.af.mil).

This procurement involves no set-aside designations and anticipates awarding a sole-source, follow-on Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract to the incumbent contractor, Neodora, LLC, pending market research results. The Government estimates a need for 3,727 'H1' type arc heater components and 14,623 'H2' and 'H3' type components over a five-year ordering period from fiscal years 2026 through 2030, with an estimated total contract value and ceiling of $14,976,177.31 to be funded through Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriations. The anticipated contract structure is a Firm-Fixed-Price ID/IQ vehicle designed to ensure continuous supply of these specialized components to support the Arnold Engineering Development Complex's (AEDC) high operational tempo and the stand-up of new test facilities. This RFI is issued pursuant to DFARS Procedures, Guidance, and Information (PGI) 206.302-1(d), with results informing the Justification and Approval for Other Than Full and Open Competition. The Government will not be responsible for costs incurred in responding to this RFI.