F-16 Grip Assembly

The Defense Logistics Agency Aviation is soliciting quotations for six grip assemblies (NSN 1680-01-263-0648) for F-16 aircraft controllers under solicitation SPRHA4-26-Q-0371. This Request for Quotation (RFQ) requires contractors to comply with multiple technical standards including MIL-STD-2000 soldering requirements, ISO 9001:2015 quality standards, Item Unique Identification marking per MIL-STD-130, and Buy American Act provisions. Offerors must submit range pricing for five quantity brackets (1-2 EA, 3-4 EA, 5-10 EA, 11-15 EA, and 16+ EA) with firm pricing valid for 120 days. The acquisition includes a First Article Test requirement with delivery to FB2029 within 150 calendar days and production articles required by December 31, 2027. The quotation due date is April 17, 2026, with the solicitation posted on March 18, 2026.

This procurement is designated as a Total Small Business set-aside, limiting competition to qualified small business sources. Currently, only Guardian Electric Manufacturing (CAGE 73949) and Essex Industries Inc. (CAGE 83533) are identified as qualified sources; however, other contractors may qualify by submitting a Manufacturing Qualification Requirement package within 180 days at an estimated cost of $4,000. The solicitation specifies that requirements are volatile and may impact final awarded quantities, and no specific budget or award value is disclosed in the RFQ. Delivery terms are F.O.B. origin with surface transportation expected, and early and partial deliveries are acceptable at no cost increase. Supporting documentation requirements include a First Article Test Report, compliance with the Engineering Data List containing 43 engineering documents, and adherence to comprehensive packaging and preservation standards per MIL-STD-2073-1E and MIL-STD-129R.