RFI Contractor F-16 Pilot Services

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Title: “RFI Contractor F-16 Pilot Services”

Notice ID: FA823226ACFERRY

USAF/AFMC/AFLCMC/F-16-SPO/FMS Contracting Office, Hill Air Force Base, UT

1. Description

1.1 The F-16 Support Program Office in support of the FMS countries is seeking information on how an interested contractor could provide Contractor F-16 Pilot Services – Ferry Flight Operations for Two (2) F-16 Block 52 Fighting Falcon Aircraft (Lockheed Martin Facility, Greenville, SC to Martyr BG Ali Flaih AB, Iraq)
 

1.2 THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes – it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the Air Force is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it could possibly be synopsized on the SAM.gov website. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement; however, if you do provide information, you could possibly be sent the solicitation notification directly and this is NOT guaranteed.

1. Background

2.1 The United States Government (USG) has an emerging requirement to execute a point-to-point ferry flight delivery of two (2) F-16 Fighting Falcon (Block 52) aircraft originating from the Lockheed Martin Facility in Greenville, South Carolina (Lockheed Martin F-16 Production and Sustainment Facility, Donaldson Field / KGYH) to Martyr BG Ali Flaih Air Base in the Republic of Iraq.

2.2 Anticipated Execution Period: March 2027.

2.3 Pre-Mission Integration & Approvals: Q1 FY2027 / January–February 2027 (flight records review, GFR approvals, ALSS inspections, APACS clearances, Lockheed Martin site access/badging, and AMC Coronet coordination).

2.4 Operational Division of Responsibility:

Contractor Responsibility: Furnish two (2) fully qualified, current, and mission-capable F-16 Block 50/52 Pilot-in-Command (PIC) aviators (plus one designated alternate) to conduct the flight operations. Ensure flight crew compliance with theater entry, medical readiness, survival training standards, and badging/facility access protocols at the Lockheed Martin Greenville facility.

Program Office Responsibility: All aircraft maintenance support, pre-/post-flight inspections, en-route servicing, and technical troubleshooting will be coordinated directly by the USG Program Office (e.g., AFLCMC Program Office / designated depot field service teams) in coordination with Lockheed Martin facility personnel prior to release.

AMC / ACC Responsibility:All aerial refueling (AAR) support, tanker boom operations, Coronet flight movements, and military oceanic flight plans will be scheduled and coordinated through Air Mobility Command (AMC) and Air Combat Command (ACC).

2.5 Objective

The primary objectives of this market research notice are to:

1. Identify commercial sources capable of providing two (2) qualified F-16 Block 52 ferry pilots with documented currency, Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 operational familiarity, boom aerial refueling certifications, and international long-range flight experience ready for deployment from the Lockheed Martin Greenville facility to Martyr BG Ali Flaih AB in March 2027.
2. Assess industry capacity to integrate into US Air Force operational flight packages (e.g., cell formation flying and Coronet missions supported by AMC tanker assets) and coordinate closely with Program Office maintenance and plant representatives.
3. Evaluate compliance mechanisms under Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) Instruction 8210.1 and Government Flight Representative (GFR) flight crew approval processes operating from a contractor/OEM facility.
4. Solicit industry feedback regarding life support equipment provisioning, survival certifications, theater entry lead times, weather delay/standby structures, and mobilization horizons leading into March 2027.

2.6 Scope of Work and Technical Requirements Areas

Task Area 1: Pilot Qualifications, Credentials, and Currency

The contractor shall supply two (2) primary ferry pilots and one (1) designated backup/alternate pilot meeting the following mandatory thresholds:

• Flight Hours & Airframe Currency:
• Minimum 1,500 total military/tactical flight hours, with at least 500 hours as Pilot-in-Command (PIC) in the F-16.
• Documented PIC qualification and currency in the F-16 Block 50/52 configuration (Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engine familiarity).
• Documented F-16 flight currency leading up to the March 2027 departure date (including instrument, formation, and emergency procedures).
• Aerial Refueling (AAR) Qualification:
• Current or recent qualification in military boom aerial refueling (day and night tanker receiver procedures) compatible with USAF KC-135, KC-10, or KC-46 tankers.
• Survival Training & Physiological Standards:
• Valid Water Survival / Underwater Egress Training (Dunker/HUET) certification current within standard service intervals for oceanic crossings.
• Valid Physiological / High-Altitude Chamber training (or altitude chamber refresher) compliant with USAF standards.
• Basic Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) familiarization or tactical isolated personnel guidance appropriate for operations into the CENTCOM AOR.
• Licensing & Medical Certifications:
• Valid FAA Commercial or Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate with instrument rating, or military equivalent documentation (DD Form 759 / Flight Record).
• Current FAA Class I Medical Certificate (or military flight physical equivalent) valid through the planned mission window in March 2027, along with CENTCOM medical deployment readiness/waiver screening.
• Security Clearance, COMSEC & Facility Access:
• Active U.S. Secret security clearance (or higher) to handle classified flight route data, secure tactical communication suites (e.g., Have Quick, ARC-210), and Mode 4/5 IFF systems.
• Eligibility for security vetting and unescorted flight line badge access at the Lockheed Martin Greenville facility.

Task Area 2: Operational Coordination and Mission Execution

• Pre-Flight at Lockheed Martin Facility and Operations with AMC/ACC:
• Report to the Lockheed Martin facility in Greenville, SC for mission planning, final pre-flight walkarounds, cockpit checks, and coordination with Program Office and DCMA plant personnel.
• Integrate into AMC Coronet movement planning, mission briefings, and cell lead/trail formation procedures scheduled for the March 2027 movement.
• Coordinate with Program Office maintenance personnel for aircraft acceptance, debriefings, and aircraft turnover at intermediate staging points and final delivery.
• Conduct pre-flight route briefings, weather checks, oceanic contingency planning, and divert emergency reviews alongside government tanker/escort crews.
• DCMA 8210.1 & GFR Approval:
• Compliance with DCMA Instruction 8210.1 (Contractor's Flight and Ground Operations).
• Submission of flight crew records, training certificates, and medical approvals to the cognizant Government Flight Representative (GFR) for flight crew qualification approval at least 45 days prior to the March 2027 departure.
• Theater Entry, International Clearances, and Repatriation:
• Ensure all flight crew members maintain valid U.S. Passports (minimum 6 months validity past mission window), required en-route transit visas, and Iraqi entry documentation.
• Coordinate country clearance submissions via the Aircraft Clearance Processing System (APACS) and contractor tracking through the Synchronized Predeployment and Operational Tracker (SPOT) / Letter of Authorization (LOA).
• Coordinate commercial or contract travel for pilot positioning to Greenville, SC prior to departure and crew repatriation/return travel from Martyr BG Ali Flaih AB, Iraq back to home station.

Government-Furnished Support (GFS) & Operational Baseline

The following elements will not be required from the contractor:

1. Aircraft Maintenance: Intermediate, turnaround, servicing, and pre-/post-flight maintenance will be coordinated directly by the USG Program Office utilizing USG military maintenance personnel or designated depot contractors. Contractor personnel are only responsible for pilot duties and pilot-level pre-flight / post-flight functional checks.
2. Fuel & Aerial Refueling: All aviation fuel and en-route tanker boom refueling will be provided and coordinated directly by AMC/ACC. Initial fuel servicing will occur at the Lockheed Martin Greenville facility.
3. Aviation Life Support Systems (ALSS): All flight gear—including flight helmets with compatible communications, oxygen masks compatible with F-16 life support regulators, anti-G suits (CSU-13B/P or approved equivalent), survival vests with emergency signaling equipment, and anti-exposure/immersion suits certified for cold-water North Atlantic transit—must be Contractor-Furnished Equipment (CFE). All CFE ALSS must possess current inspection certifications conforming to USAF Technical Orders / DCMA Instruction 8210.1 and must be approved by the Cognizant GFR prior to flight.
4. Diplomatic Clearances: Diplomatic overflight and landing clearances for intermediate sovereign staging points will be secured through USG diplomatic channels under the AMC Coronet flight plan.
5. Aircraft Hull Risk: Risk of loss or damage to USG aircraft will be addressed in accordance with DFARS 252.228-7001 (Ground and Flight Risk).

1. Requested Information

Interested vendors are requested to submit capabilities addressing the following areas:

Part I: Company Information and Socioeconomic Status

1. Company Profile: Company Name, UEI number, CAGE code, primary operating location, and designated point of contact.
2. Business Size: Business size standard under designated NAICS codes (Small Business vs. Large Business) and any applicable socioeconomic subcategories (8(a), SDVOSB, WOSB, HUBZone).

Part II: Pilot Availability and Technical Capability (Block 52 / March 2027 Horizon)

1. Pilot Pool & Airframe Experience:

• Detail your current roster of qualified F-16 pilots, specifically highlighting flight time and currency in F-16 Block 50/52 aircraft, and your ability to commit qualified primary and backup flight crews for an execution window in March 2027.
• How does your company ensure and maintain recent pilot currency leading up to a future-year mission (e.g., commercial adversary air contracts, simulator programs, flight test, or military reserve status)?

1. Boom Aerial Refueling (AAR) Experience & Recency:

• Describe your pilots' experience conducting trans-oceanic AAR operations with USAF tanker platforms.
• What currency intervals or recency checks does your firm mandate prior to executing long-range oceanic tanker-escorted Coronet flights?

1. Survival & Life Support Training:

• Detail your pilots' status regarding water survival (dunker), high-altitude chamber/hypoxia training, and tactical survival familiarity.
• Confirm your company's capability to provide 100% Contractor-Furnished Equipment (CFE) for all required ALSS gear (fitted helmets, oxygen masks, anti-G suits, and immersion suits). Detail your inspection, maintenance, and GFR approval processes for CFE flight equipment.

1. Compliance with DCMA INST 8210.1 & OEM/Depot Interface:

• Summarize your experience working under DCMA INST 8210.1 / GFR oversight and your flight operations procedures (FOPs).
• Describe your past experience coordinating flight operations and acceptances directly from OEM facilities (e.g., Lockheed Martin).

1. Relevant Past Performance:

• Provide up to three (3) examples of fighter-class aircraft ferry, flight test, or adversary air operations completed within the past five (5) years.

Part III: Industry Feedback and Acquisition Strategy

1. Lead Time & Milestones: Given a March 2027 execution date, what is the ideal contract award lead time your firm would recommend ensuring GFR crew packages, refresher training/simulators, facility badging, and theater clearances are fully vetted?
2. Crew Rest & Contingency Staffing:

• What are your recommended crew duty day limitations for an international multi-leg fighter movement?
• What backup/spare pilot staffing strategy do you recommend (e.g., carrying a designated 3rd pilot aboard the accompanying AMC tanker or pre-positioning at intermediate bases) to prevent mission failure in the event of pilot illness or injury?

1. Commercial Pricing Model & Standby Rates:

• What is the prevailing commercial pricing structure for high-performance tactical ferry pilots (e.g., Firm-Fixed-Price lump sum per pilot/mission, or daily dry pilot rate plus travel per diem)?
• How does industry typically structure weather hold days, maintenance delays, and en-route divert standby rates when aircraft are grounded through no fault of the contractor?

1. Risk Factors & Mitigation: What technical or operational risks do you foresee regarding pilot integration into AMC tanker movements or interfacing with Program Office maintenance teams and Lockheed Martin facility personnel, and what mitigations should be included in the Performance Work Statement (PWS)?

4.0 Responses

4.1 Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a white paper.

4.2 White papers in Microsoft Word for Office 365 or .pdf Adobe compatible format are due no later than 24 NOVEMBER 2026, 1300 hrs MST.  Responses shall be limited to 15 pages and submitted via e-mail only to Joe Barthold @  joseph.barthold.1@us.af.mil and Blake Merriam @ joseph.merriam@us.af.mil Email Subject: “Company name “RFI Contractor F-16 Pilot Services”. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

4.3. The white paper shall provide administrative information, and shall include the following as a minimum:

  4.3.1. Name, Cage Code, mailing address, phone number, and e-mail of designated point of contact.

  4.3.2. Recommended contracting strategy.

4.3.3. Business type (large business, small business, small disadvantaged business, 8(a)-certified small disadvantaged business, HUBZone small business, woman-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business) based upon North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 488190 Other Support Activities for Air Transportation. Product Service Code (PSC): V227-  Navigational Aid and Pilotage Services   Or suggested NAICS in line of requirements. “Small business concern” means a concern, including its affiliates, that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on Government contracts, and qualified as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR part 121. A small business concern for the purposes of this procurement is generally defined as a business, including its affiliates, averaging no more than 34 million dollars in annual receipts. Annual receipts of a concern that has been in business for 3 or more complete fiscal years means the annual average gross revenue of the concern taken for the last 3 fiscal years.  Annual receipts of a concern that has been in business for less than 3 complete fiscal years means its total receipts for the period it has been in business, divided by the number of weeks including fractions of a week that it has been in business, and multiplied by 52. Respondees are cautioned, however, that this is a general description only.  Additional standards and conditions apply. Please refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 19 for additional detailed information on Small Business Size Standards. The FAR is available at Acquisition.gov. {NOTE: Subject to change based on the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) to Part 19}

4.3.4. The facility security clearance of the offeror.

4.4 All parts of the white paper shall limit the number of pages as possible.  We do not want a boil plate business development brochure of your company, moreover, we request direct information/answers and or questions to the requested information. 

5.0 Industry Discussions-F-16 SPO FMS Contracting Office representatives may or may not choose to meet with potential offerors. Such discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements, especially any development and certification risks.

6.0 Questions-Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to the Contracting Officer, email address. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Questions will be answered by posting answers to the Government Point of Entry website; accordingly, questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after 10 NOVEMBER 2026, 1300 hrs MST will be answered.

7.0 Summary-THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY to identify sources that can provide F-16 SPO FMS Contracting Office.  The information provided in the RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The Air Force has not made a commitment to procure any of the items/services discussed, and release of this RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.