Seeking vendors for Remote Tower Systems (RTS) for the National Airspace System (NAS)
Closed Solicitation Posted
- Solicitation number
- 693KA8-26-T-00017
- Agency
-
Headquarters
Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- NAICS code
- 488119 Other Airport Operations
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Federal Aviation Administration seeks qualified vendors to design, manufacture, deliver, install, and sustain Remote Tower Systems for deployment within the National Airspace System, with proposals due June 26, 2026, and questions due May 17. The procurement carries no set-aside; it is issued as a Memorandum of Agreement with potential conversion to an Indefinite Delivery and Indefinite Quantity contract following System Design Approval. The FAA intends to procure up to 50 RTS units over a five-year period, contingent on proposal outcomes, and has allocated approximately $36 million under the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 for digital remote towers.
Vendors must submit system design documents, software and hardware documentation demonstrating compliance with RTCA DO-278A and DO-254 standards, system safety documentation, installation guidance, and cybersecurity compliance with NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 (Low baseline). The RTS must provide continuous 360-degree video display with capture-to-display latency not exceeding 1 second, a frame rate of 25 Hz or higher, inherent availability of 0.999, and automatic switchover within 3 seconds. Vendors must demonstrate production capacity to deliver up to 50 units over five years and possess fully developed, mature systems immediately ready for evaluation—not research-and-development efforts.
Proposals are limited to 37 pages total (25 technical, 5 past performance, 5 management approach, 2 business qualifications) plus a cost breakdown using the provided Work Breakdown Structure covering one complete RTS unit including a 20-year lifecycle period. The FAA will use a best-value tradeoff approach with technical approach weighted significantly more heavily than cost, using an adjectival rating system (Outstanding, Good, Acceptable, Marginal, Unacceptable). Upon SDA completion, vendors will be placed on the Qualified Vendor System List for potential IDIQ procurement opportunities. The NAICS code is 488119, Other Airport Operations; the PSC code is N063.
Notice text
This RFP is intended to identify vendors capable and willing to undergo the RTS SDA process. The goal of the FAA through this RFP is to assess the depth of the vendor base, understand the barriers and costs associated with achieving SDA, and comprehend the system cost, production, and delivery capacity at scale.
The FAA intends to purchase up to 50 RTS units over a five-year period[1], contingent on the outcomes of this proposal request. The FAA communicates this planned procurement volume to signal the scale of interest to industry and to enable vendors to plan production and delivery capacity accordingly.
The FAA is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to design, manufacture, deliver, install, and sustain RTS for deployment within the NAS.
[1] This figure does not constitute a commitment to purchase any specific quantity
Please refer to the attached documents for detailed information regarding the requirement, as well as the evaluation and selection criteria.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor RFP Questions FAA Response.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| RT Vendor Eval Criteria.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| Request for Proposal_Remote Towers (Vendor).docx | DOCX document |
On GovTribe
Work this opportunity
- Track it in your pipeline
- Find teaming partners
- Similar opportunities
- Ask GovTribe AI about this opportunity