KC-130 Lockheed Martin Peculiar Support Equipment

Update 001: This update is to identify additional CSI and CAI P/Ns listed within Enclosure 1.

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The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst intends to solicit, negotiate, and make an award on a sole-source basis with to Lockheed Martin, CAGE Code: 8X044. This procurement is to acquire the Peculiar Support Equipment (PSE) identified in Enclosure 1 in support of the C-130 Kinston Depot project, Kuwait Foreign Military Sales, and In Flight Refueling efforts for the KC-130J Program.

The Government intends to solicit this requirement under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1), FAR 6.103-1: Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Lockheed Martin is the Original Equipment Manufacturer of the identified PSE, who confirmed that they do not have authorized distributors. The OEM owns the proprietary design and manufacturing data rights of the required equipment and is not selling any of the rights. Lockheed Martin is the only source with the requisite knowledge, experience, technical expertise, and technical data to provide the required PSE. There are no other manufacturers or approved distributors identified that are able to meet the Government's requirement, and no other equipment can be sourced to meet this requirement. A solicitation will NOT be posted following the close of this synopsis, unless alternate offerors are identified.

The Sling Assembly, P/N: 3400961-9; Rear Mount Sling Fitting Assembly, P/N: 3404003-1; Sling Assy Nacelle QEC, P/N: 404055-9; Radome Sling, P/N: 404058-1; and QEC Sling/Engine Removal Sling, P/N: ES125155-1, are designated Critical Safety Items (CSI). DFARS 209.270-3(a) states that "The head of the contracting activity responsible for procuring an aviation or ship critical safety item may enter into a contract for the procurement, modification, repair or overhaul of such an item only with a source approved by the head of the design control activity." The Cradle Assembly, P/N: 3401197-1; Dolly Adapter Assembly, P/N: 3402489-1; and Engine Generator Cover Plate, P/N: 3404053-1, are designated Critical Application Items (CAI). For these particular items, the technical authority is NAWCAD Lakehurst. Lockheed Martin is the OEM of the aforementioned items of support equipment. In order to award to any other company than Lockheed Martin, an engineering and quality assurance audit would need to be performed on an interested company. The audit process generally takes 12 months, which is an unacceptable delay to contract award and delivery. The required PSE, including the CSI and CAI parts, are the only parts validated and verified for compatible use on the C-130 Aircraft. 

Alternate offerors must submit a Source Approval Request (SAR) package within fifteen (15) days of the publication of this synopsis to the Contract Specialist in order to be considerd for evaluation to become a qualified source. Once received, the SAR package will be forwarded to the Technical Authority (TA). The SAR package shall contain the following documentation: 

• Copy of complete configuration drawings for similar items which your company has produced within the last three years, including test procedures for which your company has been:
  • Qualified to manufacture, and;
  • Which is similar, i.e., requires the same materials, manufacturing processes, inspections, tolerances and similar applications as the items for which you are seeking approval.
• Copy of the complete process/operation sheets used to manufacture the similar item, including, but not limited to, detailed shop sketches. These plans must note those operations and processes performed by subcontractors/vendors. 
• Complete copies of purchase orders, shipping documents, etc., that document delivery of production quantities of the part to the Original Equipment Manufacturer or Military service. Provide the most recent copies of these documents.
• A detailed comparitive analysis of the differences/similarities between the similar part and the part(s) for which you are seeking approval. This analysis should include materials, configuration, tolerances, process requirements, dimensions, castings, forgings, etc.
• Copy of inspection method sheets used in the manufacturing and at final inspection. These sheets should include actual tolerance, print requirements, inspection devices, sources performing the operation, and level of inspection. Critical characteristics should be discernable from all other characteristics. 

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS.

However, the Government will consider all responses received within fifteen (15) days after the date of publication of this synopsis. Registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov is mandatory for consideration. A determination by the Government not to open this requirement to competition based on the responses to this notice will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Information provided herein is subject to change and in no way binds the Government to solicit for an award of a contract. Responses must be received within fifteen (15) days of publication of this notice via email, no later than 25 August 2026 at 4:00 PM Eastern Time to Alexander Buchan at alexander.g.buchan2.civ@us.navy.mil