Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Contract Tower (FCT) Program Contracts Extension

Introduction/Purpose

Through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Contract Tower (FCT) Program, the FAA acquires support mission critical and time sensitive air traffic control activities at approximately 262 Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Airports throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Saipan.

The FCT follow-on competition and acquisition will be announced at a later date but will be within the extension period described herein. The purpose of this extension is to provide time to further refine the acquisition strategy and arrive at the most suitable approach to acquiring air traffic services for the follow-on competition. The intent of the announcement is to publicize the FAA’s determination to extend the seven existing contracts for the provision of the labor, supervision, materials, required equipment, supplies, and services necessary to operate the FAA FCT Program as stated above.

The FAA intends to award a Single Source Award pursuant to Acquisition Management System (AMS) 3.2.2.4.1 Single Source Contracting. The new period of performance is for a twelve month extension (January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023) plus six, one month extension periods (January 1 through 31, 2024; February 1 through 29, 2024; March 1 through 31, 2024; April 1 through 30, 2024; May 1 through 31, 2024; and June 1 through 30, 2024) which may be executed individually or concurrently, during which the FAA intends to conduct a new competition for air traffic services.

The FCT contracts provide ATC labor, supervision, materials, required equipment, supplies, and services necessary to operate FCTs. The services provided are as follows:

1. Air Traffic Control (ATC) Services
2. Facility Training Program
3. Quality Assurance Program
4. Accident/Incident Reporting
5. Drug Testing Program
6. Alcohol Misuse Prevention Program
7. Facilities Security Management Program
8. Safety Management System/Safety Risk Management
9. Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP).

 Presently, three contractors provide services to operate 262 FAA Contract Towers: Midwest ATC Services, Robinson Aviation, Inc. (RVA), and Serco Management Services, Inc. The existing contracts are as follows:

DTFAWA-15-C-00017         Midwest ATC Services

DTFAWA-15-C-00018         Robinson Aviation, Inc.

DTFAWA-15-C-00019         Midwest ATC Services

DTFAWA-15-C-00020         Robinson Aviation, Inc.

DTFAWA-15-C-00021         Serco Management Services, Inc.

DTFAWA-15-C-00022         Serco Management Services, Inc.

DTFAWA-15-C-00023         Midwest ATC Services

Summary

The purpose of this extension is to provide time to further refine the acquisition strategy and determine the most suitable approach to acquiring air traffic services for the follow-on acquisition which was unable to be accomplished due to pandemic related issues. The intent of the announcement is to publicize the FAA’s intent to extend the seven existing contracts for the provision of the labor, supervision, materials, required equipment, supplies, and services necessary to operate the FAA Contract Towers (FCT) Program as stated above.

At this time, the FAA is not accepting proposals or capability statements from vendors. This pre-award announcement announces the contract extension on the official U.S. Government website to manage federal awards (sam.gov). The FCT follow-on competition and acquisition will be announced later but within the period of this extension.