Intent to Sole Source to Eric Benken -FIRST SERGEANT ACADEMY GUEST SPEAKER Air Force Core Values

The Department of the Air Force Air Education and Training Command, specifically the 42nd Contracting Squadron at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, has issued a Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source Contract to Eric Benken for guest speaker services. The Air Force intends to award a firm-fixed-price contract for professional and management development training services, classified under NAICS code 611430. This special notice was posted on January 22, 2026, with a response deadline of January 29, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Central Time. The procurement will be conducted under Simplified Acquisition Procedures pursuant to FAR Part 13. The government is soliciting responses from interested parties prior to awarding the sole source contract to the identified contractor.

The objective of this procurement is to secure a qualified guest speaker to deliver two-hour instructional sessions on courageous leadership to the First Sergeant Academy, with seven scheduled sessions annually beginning February 23, 2026. Interested contractors must respond via email with their company capabilities, contact information, business type and size, CAGE Code, and Unique ID Number by the January 29 deadline. Eligible contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and capable of processing invoices through the Web-Based Invoice and Receipt System (WAWF). The minimum qualification requirement is four years of experience serving in a First Sergeant functional role as a multi-level Command Chief Master Sergeant with managerial experience overseeing First Sergeants and demonstrated expertise in addressing First Sergeant-specific leadership challenges. The contract encompasses a base year performance period from February 23, 2026 through February 22, 2027, with four optional one-year renewal periods extending through February 2031, with all work performed at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base or via an approved virtual platform during standard business hours.