Installation Base Defense Security System (IBDSS) Maintenance (Intent to Sole Source)

Closed Special Notice Posted

Agency
Responses due
Set-aside
No set-aside

Opportunity facts

Place of performance
Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota 58205, United States

Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .

About this opportunity

The 319th Contracting Squadron at Grand Forks Air Force Base announced on May 19, 2026 a notice of intent to award a sole-source contract for maintenance of the Integrated Base Defense Security System (IBDSS) under 41 U.S.C. 1901, with a justification deadline of May 26, 2026. Only Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) is eligible; competition is restricted.

The IBDSS integrates radars, cameras, and thermal imagers through ARA's proprietary Sentinel software to detect and respond to base intrusion activity. Grand Forks AFB requires continued maintenance, updates, and operational support of all IBDSS components under a Performance Work Statement. A prior sources-sought notice yielded no capable alternative vendors; ARA confirmed that Sentinel maintenance is proprietary to ARA alone. The Air Force determined that awarding to a new contractor would create unacceptable delays and service interruptions due to the system's specialized nature, proprietary software integration, and transition ramp-up time, with potential consequences of degraded base security and mission failure. The contract will be awarded using Simplified Acquisition Procedures. This notice is not a request for competitive proposals.

Notice text

Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source Contract – Grand Forks AFB Integrated Base Defense Security System (IBDSS) Maintenance Services

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS

This is a notice of intent to award a sole source contract under statutory authority 41 U.S.C. 1901, as implemented by Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) 12.102 “Restricting Competition.” This purchase will be made utilizing Simplified Acquisition Procedures as authorized by RFO 12.201-1. The 319th Contracting Squadron, Grand Forks Air Force Base (AFB), North Dakota, requires continued maintenance services for the Integrated Base Defense Security System (IBDSS), which utilizes radars, cameras, and thermal imagers integrated through Applied Research Associates’ (ARA) Sentinel software to detect and respond to intrusion activity.

The anticipated contract will provide for the uninterrupted maintenance, updates, and operational support of all IBDSS components in accordance with the Performance Work Statement (PWS). Award to a new contractor at this time would result in unacceptable delays and potential service interruptions due to the specialized nature of the system, the proprietary integration of the Sentinel software, and the ramp-up and transition time required for a new provider. The loss of IBDSS maintenance services would significantly degrade base security and could result in mission failure and negative impacts to Grand Forks AFB operations.

Based on the results of the recent Sources Sought Notice (posted on SAM.gov), no interested vendors were found to be capable or authorized to provide maintenance services for the Sentinel system, as it is proprietary to Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA). This was confirmed both through the responses to the Sources Sought and a proprietary statement provided by ARA. Therefore, only ARA is capable of providing these services without interruption and without incurring additional investment or start-up costs. The anticipated contract award is on or about 1 September 2026, with a start date of 28 September 2026. The Product Service Code (PSC) is J063, the NAICS code is 561621, and the size standard is $25 million.

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotes. A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement lies solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive requirement.

Submit responses to this notice by email to Mr. Gabriel Randall, Contract Specialist, at gabriel.randall.1@us.af.mil no later than 26 May 2026, 12:00 PM Central Standard Time (CST).

Notice history

Notice Type Posted
This notice Latest special notice Special Notice
Installation Base Defense Security System (IBDSS) Maintenance Original Pre-Solicitation

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