Request for Whitepapers: AEDC Velocity Alliance - A Multi-Billion Dollar OTA Consortium Opportunity

Open Solicitation Posted Mar 17, 2026

Solicitation number: FA9101-26-9-Velocity_Alliance
Agency: Air Force Test Center Air Force Materiel Command, Department of Defense
Responses due: Sep 30, 2030, 6:00 PM ET
Set-aside: No set-aside

Opportunity facts

NAICS code: 541330 Engineering Services
PSC: AC13 National Defense R&D Services; Department Of Defense - Military; Experimental Development
Points of contact: Brooke Vandeman brooke.vandeman@us.af.mil +13404957

Bailey Deason bailey.deason@us.af.mil

Greggory Jones greggory.jones.4@us.af.mil (931) 454-6372

Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated Oct 15, 2026.

About this opportunity

Written by GovTribe AI · Oct 15, 2026

The Department of the Air Force, through the Air Force Test Center and Arnold Engineering Development Complex, seeks qualified vendors to join the AEDC Velocity Alliance, a strategic consortium for infrastructure sustainment, restoration, and modernization projects under 10 U.S.C. 4022 and 10 U.S.C. 2808a, with whitepaper responses due September 1, 2026, for Opportunity 2 and the notice remaining active through September 30, 2032.

This is not a traditional procurement but rather an unfunded request for membership in a pre-qualified industrial base that will compete multi-billion-dollar portfolio work exclusively among Alliance members through individual Project-Level Agreements. The Government anticipates approximately 135 planned projects valued at $550 million through Fiscal Year 2027, with long-term scope extending through FY32.

Performance locations include Arnold Air Force Base (Tennessee), Holloman Air Force Base (New Mexico), Tunnel 9 (Silver Spring, Maryland), and the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex (Moffett Field, California), with potential expansion to other Air Force Test Center installations. Work encompasses 16 technical categories: general construction, industrial construction, low/medium/high pressure process systems, hazardous process systems, process ducting, high/medium/low voltage electrical, fire suppression, equipment repair, mechanical/electrical/instrumentation-data-control engineering services, utilities, and solid rocket motors.

Vendors must meet mandatory certifications: current Joint Certification Program (JCP) certification via DD Form 2345, and either CMMC Level 2 Self-Assessment or C3PAO Certification, or alternatively CMMC Level 1 with a detailed roadmap to achieve Level 2 by November 10, 2026. Whitepaper submissions are limited to 10 pages total and must demonstrate technical competency through completed projects within the past five years, acknowledge Government intellectual property rights (Unlimited Rights for government-funded work, Government Purpose Rights for mixed funding, Limited/Restricted Rights for performer-developed background IP), and identify at least one partner meeting statutory requirements: a Non-Traditional Defense Contractor, small business, or nonprofit research institution.

Evaluation is four-part Pass/Fail: mandatory cybersecurity and JCP compliance, technical competency, IP acknowledgment, and partnership capability. Successful vendors are invited to a mandatory virtual Industry Day (September 16, 2026, for Opportunity 2), followed by execution of a Membership Agreement and final membership approval. The Government will not cap the number of members and intends to distribute all Project Opportunity Announcements to all members in good standing without filtering by demonstrated competency. Future projects will employ Best Value evaluation and predominantly Firm-Fixed-Price milestone-based payment structures. All work involves Controlled Unclassified Information. Remote work is permissible for engineering, design, and documentation tasks provided vendors maintain CMMC-compliant systems. Vendors bear all costs for whitepaper preparation, Industry Day attendance, and proposal development; Government financial obligation begins only upon award of a funded Project-Level Agreement. NAICS code 541330; PSC AC13.

Notice text

26 versions

Update #26 · Latest · Oct 15, 2026

1. Strategic Purpose:
The Department of the Air Force, through the Air Force Test Center (AFTC) and Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC), announces the establishment of the AEDC Velocity Alliance. This strategic consortium-based initiative is established under the authority of 10 U.S.C. § 4022 to accelerate the modernization of national test infrastructure in direct support of next-generation defense systems and key National Defense Strategy objectives.

The objective is to establish a pre-qualified industrial base to execute a multi-billion dollar portfolio of complex engineering and construction projects. Upon establishment, all projects under this initiative will be competed exclusively among Alliance members.

2. Key Dates for Industry:
The Government intends to onboard members in multiple phases.

Onboarding Opportunity 1:
- Whitepapers Due: Closed
- Mandatory Site Visit Window: Completed
Consortium Activation Date: 1 July 2026
Onboarding Opportunity 2:
- Whitepapers Due: Closed
- Mandatory Site Visit Window: Complete
Onboarding Opportunity 3:
- Whitepapers Due: TBD
- Mandatory Site Visit Window: TBD
This Request for Whitepaper notice will remain active until: 30 September 2032.

3. Action Required:
We invite all interested and qualified vendors to carefully review the attached documents in their entirety to ensure all mandatory onboarding criteria are satisfied within their whitepaper submission.

4. Classification Codes:

Primary NAICS Code: 541330 - Engineering Services: This NAICS Code will be utilized to determine size standard for consortium onboarding. Primary NAICS code at the project level may differ from 541330 and will be established in each Project Oppurtunity Announcement.
Primary PSC Code: AC13 - National Defense R&D Services; Department of Defense - Military; Experimental Development
(Note: While these are the primary codes, any NAICS/PSC code that fits within the scope of the Program Objectives is acceptable.)

Amendments:

30 Mar 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-3.30.26.pdf

31 Mar 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-3.31.26.pdf

31 Mar 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-3.31.26-2.pdf

14 Apr 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-4.15.26.pdf

Section 4: Classification Codes was modified to clarify the following: Primary NAICS Code: 541330 - Engineering Services: This NAICS Code will be utilized to determine size standard for consortium onboarding. Primary NAICS code at the project level may differ from 541330 and will be established in each Project Oppurtunity Announcement.

17 Apr 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-4.17.26.pdf

21 Apr 26: Posted the following Amended Documents -

AEDC Velocity Alliance - Request for Whitepaper-Amend 1 - 21 Apr 26.pdf

Atch 1 - AEDC Velocity Alliance Program Objectives - 21 Apr 26.pdf

Atch 2 - AEDC Velocity Alliance Base Articles - 21 Apr 26.pdf

AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-4.21.26.pdf (Answer to Q.9 Amended)

23 Apr 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-4.23.26.pdf

24 Apr 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-4.24.26.pdf

27 Apr 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-4.27.26.pdf

28 Apr 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-4.28.26.pdf

30 Apr 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-4.30.26.pdf

1 May 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-5.1.26.pdf

1 May 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-5.1.26-2.pdf

12 May 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-5.12.26.pdf

15 May 26: Posted Amendment 2, Amendment 2 summary of changes, and Atch 5-UTSI Map. This amendment establishes the date/time/location for Oppurtunity 1 Mandatory Site Visit (Industry Day)

22 May 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-5.22.26.pdf

26 May 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-5.26.26.pdf

14 Jun 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-6.14.26.pdf

23 Jun 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-6.23.26.pdf

24 Jun 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-6.24.26.pdf

15 Jul 26: The following documents were posted to announce Oppurtunity 2 Industry Day date / location, revise CMMC Requirements, implement the use of 10 U.S.C. 2808a, provide updated Base Agreement Articles, and post Consoritum Q&As.

- AEDC Velocity Alliance - Request for Whitepaper-Amend 3 - 15 Jul 26.pdf

- Atch 1 - AEDC Velocity Alliance Program Objectives - 21 Apr 26.pdf

- Atch 2 - AEDC Velocity Alliance Base Articles - 15 Jul 26.pdf

- Atch 3 - CMMC-Information.pdf

- Atch 4 - CMMC-FAQsv6.pdf

- Atch 5 - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-7.15.26.pdf

17 Jul 26 - The following documents were amended:

- AEDC Velocity Alliance - Request for Whitepaper-Amend 4 - 17 Jul 26.pdf, modified criteria found in 4.0 Part 1, and 5.0 Part 1

- Atch 2 - AEDC Velocity Alliance Base Articles - 17 Jul 26.pdf, Article: Cybersecurity Requirements (CUI and CMMC) was revised

- AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-7.17.26.pdf was posted.

26 Aug 26 - The following documents were amended:

- AEDC Velocity Alliance - Request for Whitepaper-Amend 5- 26 Aug 26.pdf - Under Section 4.0, Part 2: Technical Competency, Technical Evaluation #16 was added for Solid Rocket Motors and Components

- Atch 1 - AEDC Velocity Alliance Program Objectives - 26 Aug 26.pdf - Objective - Solid Rocket Motors and Componets was added

31 Aug 26: Posted Question and Answers received to date in document - AEDC Velocity Alliance Consortium_Q_A-8.31.26.pdf

15 Oct 26: AEDC Velocity Alliance - Request for Whitepaper-Amend 6- 15 Oct 26.pdf posted and will be the basis for evaluating onboarding 3 whitepapers. Atch 2 - AEDC Velocity Alliance Base Articles - 15 Oct 26.pdf was updated by adding the Performer Representation article.

Update #25 · Aug 31, 2026

2. Key Dates for Industry:
The Government intends to onboard members in multiple phases.

Onboarding Opportunity 1:
- Whitepapers Due: Closed
- Mandatory Site Visit Window: Completed
Consortium Activation Date: 1 July 2026
Onboarding Opportunity 2:
- Whitepapers Due: 1 September 2026, COB
- Mandatory Site Visit Window: 16 September 2026 (Virtual Event)
This Request for Whitepaper notice will remain active until: 30 September 2032.

4. Classification Codes:

Primary NAICS Code: 541330 - Engineering Services: This NAICS Code will be utilized to determine size standard for consortium onboarding. Primary NAICS code at the project level may differ from 541330 and will be established in each Project Oppurtunity Announcement.
Primary PSC Code: AC13 - National Defense R&D Services; Department of Defense - Military; Experimental Development
(Note: While these are the primary codes, any NAICS/PSC code that fits within the scope of the Program Objectives is acceptable.)