Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Aircraft Program for the Purchase of Two Commercial Aircraft, Three Year Sustainment Package, and Contractor Logistic Support (CLS), Training, and Medical Equipment

This Request for Information (RFI) is issued solely for information and planning purposes. In accordance with Part 10 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, the U.S. Government is conducting market research. The intended purpose is to identify potential sources that may possess the capability to provide for the Air Force’s full requirement. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. Further, the Air Force is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Responders are advised the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI.  In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.

Objective:  The Department of the Air Force, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), Mobility and Training Aircraft, International Programs Division, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH, intends to award a single award, Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) contract in support of a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.  This potential FMS purchase will consist of the procurement of two (2) Boeing 737 Next Generation (737-700 and 737-800) commercial aircraft, a three (3) year sustainment package, Contractor Logistic Support (CLS), training and medical equipment.  Please see the draft requirements document for specifics.

Written responses to this RFI shall contain sufficient documentation to establish a bona fide capability to fulfill this requirement. The intent of this notice is not a request for competitive proposals. Responses to this RFI are due no later than 5:00 pm, EDT. Friday, 9 August 2024 and should be sent to clay.wells.1@us.af.mil. Information received as a result of this notice will be considered solely for the purpose of determining the appropriate acquisition decision for the procurement. This notice does not constitute a solicitation for offers.  This is NOT a Request for Proposal (RFP), and respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.  The United States Government (USG) shall not pay for information received.

If, after reviewing the requirements document, you desire to participate in the market research, you should provide documentation that supports your company’s capability and estimated costs for meeting these requirements. Failure to provide documentation and costs may result in the government being unable to adequately assess your capabilities.

Included in your response, please provide the following business information for your company/institution and for any teaming or joint venture partners:

• Company/Institute Name:
• Address:
• Point of Contact:
• CAGE Code:
• Phone Number:
• E-mail Address:
• Web Page URL:

Respondents should identify themselves as a small business and/or any other socioeconomic designations such as Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB), Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) or 8(a) business.  RFI issuance does not restrict the USG’s ultimate acquisition approach. The USG will neither award a contract solely based on this notice, nor pay for any information that is submitted by respondents to this RFI.

FMS Aircraft Program Request for Information (RFI):

Information obtained from industry’s response to this notice may be used in the development of an acquisition strategy and future RFP. The program’s Period of Performance (PoP) will not exceed five (5) years.

Requirements for Commercial Aircraft and Support Items:

Aircraft No. 1 - One (1) used Medium Multi-Purpose Transport Aircraft, defined by the FMS customer as Boeing 737-700 Boeing Business Jet:

1. General Aircraft information

   1. Year of manufacture - 2005 or later
   2. Status – second hand without report of accidents
   3. Flight hours and cycles - Maximum acceptable: 15,000 flight hours and 10,000 cycles
   4. Two (2) Engines
   5. Engine Power - higher than 26,000 Pounds of Force/Thrust (LBF)
2. Required Aircraft Capabilities
   1. Range of 4,500 Nautical Miles (Nm) (8,300 Kilometers [Km]) or higher
   2. Auxiliary tanks must have a remaining service life of not less than 3 years
   3. Must be able to accommodate no less than 55 passengers
   4. Cabin must be able to be reconfigured for the following capabilities:
      1. Passengers in general (55 passenger seats)
      2. Capacity to transport medical equipment
      3. Capacity to transport 8 stretchers or more
      4. Capacity to transport in an isolated cabin at least two (2) highly contagious patients
   5. Cargo Capacity of 10 cubic meters (roughly 353 cubic feet) or higher
   6. Service ceiling above 40,000 feet
   7. Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) Certificate of Airspace is required
   8. Performance Based Navigation (PBN) capability: RNAV-Required Navigational Performance/Minimum Navigation Performance Specifications (RNP/MNPS) Certificate required
   9. Winglets – Yes
   10. Certified for high altitude take-off and landings at a maximum altitude of 14,000 ft
   11. Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) capable of operating at 37,000 ft or higher while in flight
   12. Required APU power and/or the remaining power of the rotary parts - minimum 1,500 cycles
   13. Maximum take-off weight – greater than 75,000 Kilograms (kg) (165,348 pounds [lbs.])
   14. Maximum landing weight - greater than 60,000 kg (132,277 lbs.)
   15. Auto landing capability - minimum Category II
   16. Extended-Range Twin Operations Performance Standards (ETOPS) - 120 minutes or more
3. Maintenance Requirements
   1. All Airworthiness Directives must be accomplished (status) at delivery of the aircraft
   2. Remaining power of the rotary parts of the engines - 3,500 cycles or greater
   3. Total engine hours shall not be higher than 15,000 total hours
   4. All the mandatory Service Bulletins/Alert Service Bulletins (SB/ASB) should be accomplished (status) when the aircraft is delivered
   5. “C” Checks/inspection should be accomplished within a period not exceeding three (3) months prior to delivery
   6. Emergency equipment (slides, boats, life rafts, life jackets, oxygen masks from racks, portable oxygen, and firefighting cylinders) must have a remaining service life of not less than five (5) years
   7. Firefighting extinguisher for the APU and engines must have a remaining service life of not less than five (5) years
   8. Detection and extinguisher systems required in the cargo area
   9. HEPA filters must be newly installed in the aircraft (in accordance with the technical capability of each aircraft)
   10. Potential power of the landing gear must be, at minimum, five (5) years or more (50% of time between overhauls [TBO])
   11. Total cycle of the landing gear must not be higher than 10,000 cycles
   12. At the delivery of the aircraft, the inspection/test of the Emergency Oxygen System, must be completed within a period not exceeding three (3) months prior to delivery
   13. The aircraft must have, at a minimum, 12 minutes of Emergency Oxygen Portable Service Units (PSU) capacity and the needed equipment to provide oxygen to all passengers
   14. Painting and exterior logos shall be applied to the aircraft in accordance with the end user’s design
4. Avionics Requirements
   1. Future Air Navigation System (FANS) must be Version 1 or higher
   2. Dual Flight Management Computer System (FMCS) is required with worldwide database capacity, software U14 or higher
   3. Satellite Communication (SATCOM) System
   4. Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) System
   5. Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) System, Out or In/Out
   6. Air Traffic Control (ATC) Transponder, mode “S”
   7. Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS)
   8. High Frequency (HF) Communications - two (2) units
   9. Very High Frequency (VHF) Communications - three (3) units with 8.33 Mega Hertz (MHZ) capacity
   10. Selective Calling (SELCAL) Decoder
   11. Cockpit Voice Recorder
   12. Digital flight data recorder
   13. Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (ECPWS) computer (ECPWS)
   14. Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Range (VOR) – Instrument Landing System (ILS), certified at Minimum Category II
   15. Traffic Alert & Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), minimum 7.1 TCAS II processor enhanced
   16. Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) Control panel
   17. Standby flight instruments
   18. Weather radar with predictive wind shear (PWS)
   19. Onboard Audio-Visual system with satellite internet capacity (WIFI processor equipment with 2000 MBPS)
5. Aircraft Cabin and Equipment of the Aircraft:

All Equipment, Components, Accessories that are part of the Aircraft Systems shall be in operational condition, in good shape or repair and ready for immediate use.

Aircraft No. 2 - One (1) used Medium Cargo and Passenger Transport Aircraft - defined by the FMS customer as one (1) Boeing 737-800 Aircraft

1. General Aircraft Information

   1. Year of manufacture - 2008 or later
   2. Serial number/block number - Yes
   3. Status - Second hand, without report of accidents
   4. Total flight hours and cycles – Maximum acceptable: 40,000 flight hours and 30,000 cycles
   5. Two (2) engines
   6. Engine power - higher than 26,000 LBF
2. Required Aircraft Capability
   1. Range of 2,900 Nm or higher
   2. Must have seating for more than 140 passengers
   3. Cargo Capacity must be 28 cubic meters/988 cubic feet (minimum) up to 45 cubic meters/1589 cubic feet
   4. Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) Certificate of Airspace is required
   5. Performance Based Navigation (PBN) capability: RNAV-RNP/MNPS Certificate required
   6. Winglets – Yes
   7. Must be able to perform at a service ceiling above 40,000 feet
   8. Certified for high altitude take-off and landings at a maximum altitude of 14,000 feet
   9. Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) capable of operating at 37,000 ft or higher while in flight
   10. Required APU power and/or the remaining power of the rotary parts - minimum 1,500 cycles
   11. Max take-off weight - greater than 70,000 Kg (154,324 lbs.)
   12. Max landing weight - greater than 58,000 Kg (127,868 lbs.)
   13. Auto landing capability - Minimum Cat II
   14. Extended-Range Twin Operations Performance Standards (ETOPS) - 120 minutes or more
3. Maintenance Requirements
   1. All Airworthiness Directives must be accomplished (status) at Aircraft delivery
   2. Remaining power of the engine rotary parts - 2,500 cycles or more
   3. Total engine hours no higher than 40,000 hours
   4. All the mandatory Service Bulletins/Alert Service Bulletins (SB/ASB) – accomplished (status) when the aircraft is delivered
   5. The “C” Checks/inspection should be accomplished within a period not exceeding three (3) months prior to Aircraft delivery
   6. Emergency equipment (slides, boats, life rafts, life jackets, oxygen masks from racks, and portable oxygen and firefighting cylinders) must have a remaining service life of not less than five (5) years
   7. Firefighting extinguisher for the engines and APU must have a remaining service life of not less than five (5) years
   8. Detection and extinguisher systems in the cargo area
   9. HEPA filters must be newly installed on the aircraft (in accordance with the technical capability of the aircraft)
   10. Potential power of the landing gear must be, at minimum, five (5) years or more (50% of time between overhauls [TBO])
   11. Total cycles of the landing gear must be no higher than 10,000 cycles
   12. Test of the Emergency Oxygen System must be completed within a period not exceeding three (3) months prior to aircraft delivery
   13. The aircraft must have, at a minimum, 12 minutes of Emergency Oxygen PSU capacity and the needed equipment to provide oxygen to all passengers
   14. Painting and exterior logos shall be applied to the aircraft in accordance with the end user’s design
4. Avionics Requirements
   1. Dual Flight Management Computer System (FMCS) with worldwide database capacity, software U14 or up
   2. Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast ADS-B System, Out or in/out
   3. Air Traffic Control (ATC) Transponder, mode “S”
   4. High Frequency (HF) Communications - two (2) units
   5. Very High Frequency (VHF) Communications - three (03) units with 8.33 MHZ capacity
   6. Selective Calling (SELCAL) Decode
   7. Cockpit voice recorder
   8. Digital flight data recorder
   9. Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) Computer (ECPWS)
   10. VOR – ILS, certified for Cat III, TAWS or up
   11. Traffic Alert & Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), minimum TCAS II 7.1 processor enhanced
   12. Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) Control panel
   13. Standby flight instruments
   14. Weather radio with predictive wind shear (PWS)
5. Interior of the Cabin and Equipment of the Aircraft

All equipment, components, accessories that are part of the aircraft’s systems shall be in operation condition, in good shape or repair and ready for immediate use.

Deliverables of the two (2) Aircraft

1. Air stair for aircraft (Aircraft No. 1)
2. One (1) tow bar per aircraft (Aircraft No. 1 and No. 2)
3. One main gear wheel (rim and tire) and two (2) nose gear wheels (rim and tire) per aircraft (Aircraft No. 1 and No. 2)
4. One (1) wheel wrench for main gear and nose gear per aircraft (Aircraft No. 1 and No. 2)
5. One (1) wheel torque wrench per aircraft (Aircraft No. 1 and No. 2)
6. Aircraft/engine maintenance manuals (digital), latest version
7. Illustrated parts catalog (IPC) (Digital)
8. Manuals of electronic schematics (AWM/AWL) (Printed and digital) latest version
9. Flight manuals, checklists, performance tables and other aircraft documents (Digital) latest revision
10. Corrosion prevention and control program (CPCP) (Digital) updated and accomplished
11. Aircraft, engines, APU record book (updated)
12. Standard Repair Manual (SRM) (Digital)
13. Aging aircraft program (Digital)
14. Accessories and components traceability (Digital)
15. Aircraft Inventory (Digital)
16. List of Hard Time-on condition – condition monitoring components (Digital)
17. Updated report of the borescope inspection performed to the compressor and to the hot area of engines and APU at the delivery of the aircraft (All internal components should not be at the permissible operation limit)
18. Airworthiness certificate and/or export certificate of airworthiness (Aircraft No. 1 and No. 2)
19. At the time of the award process, the company will provide the Serial Number of the aircraft

 Spares and Equipment

Sustainment package to support two aircraft for three years based on assumed 500 annual flight hours per aircraft.  Spares and consumables for aircraft, engine, and mission equipment are required and are to be estimated based on an assumed spares ratio of 25%. General shop equipment and hand tools, and aircraft- and engine-peculiar ground support equipment (GSE) and tools are required.  Maintenance programs, publications, manuals, and technical data for both aircraft and publications for all mission equipment are required.

Potential Additional Services

1. Contracted/Contractor Logistical Support (CLS) is required for flight line operations and maintenance of the aircraft and will provide contracted personnel for a duration of one year for eight hours per day, five days a week at the customer’s main operating base, as a standard.  Contracted personnel will provide over-the-shoulder operations and maintenance training, aircraft launch and recovery. Contracted personnel shall provide monthly reports on CLS activities provided and a quarterly assessment of the end user’s proficiency. 
2. Training for pilots and maintainers (number TBD) on differences between the end user’s existing 737-500 aircraft and 737 Next Gen aircraft (737-700 & 800).
3. Aircraft modification for Aircraft #1:  In reference to the customer’s stated requirement for the capacity to transport at least two (2) highly contagious patients in an isolated cabin, please provide an estimate as to what modifications and costs are necessary to support this capability, as well as the availability and cost of the isolation units.
4. Commercial aircraft ferry service from the seller’s facility to the end user’s Main Operating base.

Additional Information

Section 604(a)(1) of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulation requires that funds made available for assistance under the FAA may be used for procurement only in the United States, the recipient country, or non-advanced developing countries.

Destination Information

Point of Debarkation will be shared later if the customer moves forward with a request for proposal.

Contracting Office Address

2240B Street, Bldg. 11, Room B01, WPAFB, Ohio 45433