Naval Introductory Flight Evaluation (NIFE) Program

01/29/2024

Thank you to our industry partners who are expressing interest in this requirement. The Government is providing the updated DRAFT Performance Work Statement to assist in answering industry questions related to the upcoming solicitation. No further responses are required at this time.

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This is a Sources Sought request for vendor information. Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) requires contractor services, supplies and tasks for the operations and support of the Naval Introductory Flight Evaluation (NIFE) program that will be conducted near the Naval Aviation Schools Command (NASC) at Pensacola, FL and the Gulf Shores, AL area. The critical objectives of the effort are to introduce military procedures-based flight training and performance standards; to screen students for aeronautical adaptability; to decrease future drop on request (DOR) and attrition at follow-on flight school; and to improve performance in follow-on primary flight training. The scope of work includes contractor-provided certified flight instructors (CFI), minimum of 24 contractor owned and operated, identically configured aircraft (Cessna-172, Lycoming 180HP engine) and spare aircraft to ensure that there is always a sufficient amount of aircraft ready for each successive wave during the day at each of home airfields in Pensacola, FL and Gulf Shores, AL, training aids (to include Flight Simulators), supervision, materials, maintenance, publications, equipment, and services necessary to perform flight screening and military instructor training.

The contractor shall execute the NIFE program at a minimum of two home airfields in the Pensacola, FL and the Gulf Shores, AL area to meet the student and military flight instructor (MFI) throughput requirements. The required home airfields must be located no further than 40 statute miles driving distance from 181 Chambers Avenue, Pensacola, FL (Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola). The contractor’s daily flight operations shall provide flight training for approximately 1,660 total students annually. These numbers do not include approximately 22 military flight instructors who will require limited instructor training flights throughout the training evolution. The contractor’s facilities shall support up to 140 students per month all year.

The contract period of performance is expected to be one year with five additional one-year option periods for a total of 6 years. Responses to this notice should include a brief synopsis of the contractor’s experience in providing flight-training services. Describe the following:

(1) number of Certified Flight Instructors you employed on past contracts for flight training

(2) the number and location of airfields you simultaneously used to support past contracts

(3) your firm’s access to airfields within 40 miles of Pensacola, FL

(4) your firm’s ability to provide 80 aircraft sorties daily in waves of ten aircraft in the Pensacola FL and Gulf Shores, AL area using contractor owned and operated, identically configured general aviation aircraft (Cessna-172, 180HP or similar) at one or more airfields

(5) your firm’s access to facilities to support up to 60 personnel during peak flight operations at one or more airfields; and

(6) your firm’s past experience with flight training using a Firm Fixed Price type of contract.

Please address the following as appropriate:

• Identify your firm’s CAGE code

• Identify if your firm is considered small under the $30M size standard associated with the NAICS code 611512.

• Identify your firm’s socio-economic status (WOSB, EDWOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone, SDB, 8(a))

• Please address if your firm is interested in participating as a prime or subcontractor. If interested in the prime contractor role, please identify anticipated teaming partners and their role in the overall acquisition (specific capabilities/solutions that partner brings to the acquisition, size and status of the partner, CAGE code, approx. workshare, etc)

Please e-mail responses that are no more than 6 pages long using 12-point Times New Roman font.

 NAWCTSD is using this notice for the purpose of determining market interest, availability, and adequacy of potential business sources prior to establishing the method of services acquisition and issuance of a request for proposals. Your responses in any form are not offers. Issuance of this sources sought notice does not obligate the Government in any way to issue a solicitation or to award a contract in furtherance of the objectives discussed herein. The Government reserves the right to review and use data at its own discretion. Interested offerors shall respond to this notice, no later than 4:00 PM EST on 25 Aug 2023 via email to krista.a.scott3.civ@us.navy.mil (Contract Specialist) and to virginia.l.marquez.civ@us.navy.mil(Procuring Contracting Officer). All interested offerors must register in Systems for Award Management (SAM) to be eligible for award of Government contracts.

This is a Sources Sought request for vendor information. Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) requires contractor services, supplies and tasks for the operations and support of the Naval Introductory Flight Evaluation (NIFE) program that will be conducted near the Naval Aviation Schools Command (NASC) at Pensacola, FL and the Gulf Shores, AL area. The critical objectives of the effort are to introduce military procedures-based flight training and performance standards; to screen students for aeronautical adaptability; to decrease future drop on request (DOR) and attrition at follow-on flight school; and to improve performance in follow-on primary flight training. The scope of work includes contractor-provided certified flight instructors (CFI), minimum of 24 contractor owned and operated, identically configured aircraft (Cessna-172, Lycoming 180HP engine) and spare aircraft to ensure that there is always a sufficient amount of aircraft ready for each successive wave during the day at each of home airfields in Pensacola, FL and Gulf Shores, AL, training aids (to include Flight Simulators), supervision, materials, maintenance, publications, equipment, and services necessary to perform flight screening and military instructor training.

The contractor shall execute the NIFE program at a minimum of two home airfields in the Pensacola, FL and the Gulf Shores, AL area to meet the student and military flight instructor (MFI) throughput requirements. The required home airfields must be located no further than 40 statute miles driving distance from 181 Chambers Avenue, Pensacola, FL (Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola). The contractor’s daily flight operations shall provide flight training for approximately 1,660 total students annually. These numbers do not include approximately 22 military flight instructors who will require limited instructor training flights throughout the training evolution. The contractor’s facilities shall support up to 140 students per month all year.

The contract period of performance is expected to be one year with five additional one-year option periods for a total of 6 years. Responses to this notice should include a brief synopsis of the contractor’s experience in providing flight-training services. Describe the following:

(1) number of Certified Flight Instructors you employed on past contracts for flight training

(2) the number and location of airfields you simultaneously used to support past contracts

(3) your firm’s access to airfields within 40 miles of Pensacola, FL

(4) your firm’s ability to provide 80 aircraft sorties daily in waves of ten aircraft in the Pensacola FL and Gulf Shores, AL area using contractor owned and operated, identically configured general aviation aircraft (Cessna-172, 180HP or similar) at one or more airfields

(5) your firm’s access to facilities to support up to 60 personnel during peak flight operations at one or more airfields; and

(6) your firm’s past experience with flight training using a Firm Fixed Price type of contract.

Please address the following as appropriate:

• Identify your firm’s CAGE code

• Identify if your firm is considered small under the $30M size standard associated with the NAICS code 611512.

• Identify your firm’s socio-economic status (WOSB, EDWOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone, SDB, 8(a))

• Please address if your firm is interested in participating as a prime or subcontractor. If interested in the prime contractor role, please identify anticipated teaming partners and their role in the overall acquisition (specific capabilities/solutions that partner brings to the acquisition, size and status of the partner, CAGE code, approx. workshare, etc)

Please e-mail responses that are no more than 6 pages long using 12-point Times New Roman font.

 NAWCTSD is using this notice for the purpose of determining market interest, availability, and adequacy of potential business sources prior to establishing the method of services acquisition and issuance of a request for proposals. Your responses in any form are not offers. Issuance of this sources sought notice does not obligate the Government in any way to issue a solicitation or to award a contract in furtherance of the objectives discussed herein. The Government reserves the right to review and use data at its own discretion. Interested offerors shall respond to this notice, no later than 4:00 PM EST on 25 Aug 2023 via email to krista.a.scott3.civ@us.navy.mil (Contract Specialist) and to virginia.l.marquez.civ@us.navy.mil(Procuring Contracting Officer). All interested offerors must register in Systems for Award Management (SAM) to be eligible for award of Government contracts.