T-45 F405 Engine Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) FY 27-32

Sources Sought Notice 

N00019-24-RFPREQ-TPM273-0095 

T-45 F405 Engine Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) FY27-32 

NAICS: 336412, Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing 

PSC: J028 

Place of Performance: Naval Air Station Kingsville (NASK), Naval Air Station Meridian (NASM), Naval Air Station Pensacola (NASP) and Naval Air Station Patuxent River 

1.0 INTRODUCTION 

Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) in Patuxent River, MD along with the Naval Undergraduate Flight Training Systems Program Office (PMA-273) at Naval Air Systems 

Command (NAVAIR), also located at Patuxent River, MD is conducting a Market Survey of Industry to identify potential sources capable of providing the skills and experience required to perform all Intermediate (I)-level and Depot (D)-level maintenance and logistics support for the F405-RR-401 engine and MK II Gas Turbine Starter (GTS).  The contract will include all necessary engineering support to maintain the engine at the Organizational (O)-level, I-level and D-level.  Engine repair services will be in support of various Naval Air Station facilities for the T-45 Goshawk aircraft’s Engine CLS contract. This requirement is anticipated to be a five-year IDIQ contract, beginning in late fiscal year (FY) 2027 and through late FY 2032. 

This notice serves as a market research tool conducted in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 10 to assess potential sources and their technical capabilities for the F405 Engine Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) contract. The findings from this market research will assist in determining the appropriate procurement strategy, including whether to issue a competitive solicitation or make a sole source award to Rolls Royce, the designer, developer and manufacturer of the F405-RR-401 Adour engine. Only those firms who believe they possess the capability to provide the required supplies and services and can meet the requirements as a prime contractor or as a joint venture are invited to respond to this notice.  

Primary Work Location/Place of Performance:
 

NAS Kingsville, TX

                Percentage of Total Effort ~ 50%

                On-Site Government – 100%

NAS Meridian, MS

                Percentage of Total Effort ~ 40%

                On-Site Government – 100%

NAS Pensacola, FL

                Percentage of Total Effort ~ 10%

                On-Site Government – 100%

NAS Patuxent River, MD

                Percentage of Total Effort – <1%

                On-Site Government – 100%

Various Detachments to support Carrier Qualifications

                Percentage of Total Effort – <1%

                On-Site Government – 100%

Contractor Program Management, Engineering, Administrative & Manufacturing Support

                Percentage of Total Effort – Unknown

                On-Site Government – 0%

2.0 DISCLAIMER 

THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.  THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.  IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT.  RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT OFFERS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.  NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.  ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY. 

3.0 ANTICIPATED CONTRACT TYPE AND CONTRACT/PROGRAM BACKGROUND

The Government anticipates this follow-on contract will be a single-award, indefinite quantity, indefinite delivery (IDIQ) contract, primarily utilizing -fixed-price CLINs to support a minimum of 65,000 flight hours annually. Task orders for services will likely be issued on a “Power by the Hour” basis, where the Government will pay a firm-fixed-price for each actual flight hour flown by the training wings. In addition, the Government may negotiate and award additional task orders for engine repairs, obsolescence mitigation, and other related requirements to support the engine ecosystem, specifically in the of training of student Naval aviators.

The incumbent contract information is as follows: 

1. Incumbent Contractor: Rolls Royce
2. Contract Number: N00019-22-D-0042
3. Contract End Date: 31 July 2027
4. Contract Type: Single Award IDIQ
5. Previous Set-Aside Designation: Sole Source

Program Background: The Rolls-Royce Model F405-RR-401 Adour engine is the power plant for the T-45 aircraft, which is used to perform the United States Navy (USN) undergraduate jet pilot training mission.  The T-45TS is the first totally integrated training system developed for and used by the USN.  It includes the Boeing-built T-45 Goshawk aircraft, advanced flight simulators, computer-assisted instructional programs, a computerized training integration system, and a contractor logistics support package. The T-45TS replaced two training aircraft and added advanced simulators to improve the process for training U.S. Navy and Marine Corps pilots for conversion into the F/A-18A-D Hornet, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the E/A-18G Growler, JSF, E-2D and the AV-8B Harrier II Plus.    Rolls-Royce is the sole-source manufacturer of the F405-RR-401 Adour engine. 

NAVAIR has obtained a limited rights license for a minimal quantity of the F405-RR-401 series engine data. However, it is not a comprehensive technical data package. As the sole engine manufacturer, RRC is the only source with the technical data required to engineer and produce the F405-RR-401 engine parts, as well as perform I-level and D-level maintenance.  Additionally, RRC Bristol holds the design authority for the engine’s hot section, while the partnership with Safran who serves as the design authority for the engine’s cold section. RRC possesses the capabilities and resources to forecast parts and logistics requirements, adjusting its manufacturing priorities in real time to meet maintenance requirements.  Companies that are capable of meeting this requirement, currently possess or have authorized access to the necessary technical data or have a viable plan to obtain, generate, or otherwise secure the necessary technical data, and can maintain this capability throughout the duration of the effort being solicited are encouraged to respond. Companies may also highlight unique data generation techniques that are currently utilized by your firm or areas where modifications can be performed, or the capability can be provided, without technical data provided by the Government or OEM.  Interested businesses or organic sources shall demonstrate the capability to meet the Government’s required timeline. You may also submit information that demonstrates how you could potentially meet this requirement for future production opportunities.

Current contract requirements include:

• Deliver 170 Ready for Issue (RFI) engines daily to CNATRA for the duration of the contract;  
• Deliver 2 RFI engines daily to NAS Patuxent River;
• Deliver 185 RFI GTS systems daily to CNATRA;
• Deliver 2 RFI GTS systems daily to NAS Patuxent River for the five-year contract term;  
• Deliver Final Engineering Investigation Reports within 180 calendar days of event; 
• Manage the F405 & GTS system supply chain to meet or exceed the daily availability metrics; 
• Aviation Maintenance Management Team (AMMT) Government inspection results with no more than two areas graded as non-compliant; 
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9000/1400 and Aerospace Standard (AS) 9100 certified; and
• Repair severely damaged engines.

4.0 SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND REQUIRED CAPABILITIES 

N/A

5.0 ELIGIBILITY 

• The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is 336412, Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing with a Small Business Size Standard of 1,500 employees. 
• The Product Service Code is J028, Maint/Repair/Rebuild Of Equipment- Engines, Turbines, And Components
• Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to respond; however, each respondent must clearly identify their business size in their capabilities statement. Note: FAR 52.219-14 Limitation on Subcontracting requires a small business prime on a Set-Aside to perform at least 50% of the cost of contract performance.  Small business primes may now count “first tier subcontracted” work performed by similarly situated entities as if it were performed by the prime itself. Please read the full text of the clause deviation (52.219-14 Class Deviation 2020-O0008 dated 04/03/20 at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far).  
• To assist in our market research and determination of any applicable small business set-aside for this effort, if you are a small business interested in priming this effort and plan to utilize “similarly situated entities” to meet the Limitations on Subcontracting, please identify the name & CAGE Code of the specific firm(s) you intend to partner/subcontract with to meet the requirements as well as their SB size status under the NAICS that you as the prime would assign for their workshare. Information regarding any planned similarly situated entity should be included in answering any questions outlined in the Sources Sought Notice (SSN) in order to assist the Government’s capability determination. 

6.0 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS  

a.   Interested parties should address the following questions in their response. The responses to these questions will aid the Government in determining whether a company is capable in performing the requirement, so it is important to address these areas with specific details:

• What similar corporate experience in maintaining, repairing, rebuilding, and testing aircraft engines does your firm possess? What similar experience in complex supply management does your firm possess?
• What is your firm’s approach to data rights mitigation to support this requirement? 
• Is your firm AS9100D and/or ISO9000/1400 certified?
• What engineering resources does your firm have available to support engine maintenance and manufacturing operations? What I and D level resources (both management and front line maintainers) does your firm have available to support engine maintenance operations?
• Does your firm have experience in using Navy maintenance and supply software?
• Please note that under a Small-Business Set-Aside, in accordance with FAR 52.219-14, the small business prime must perform at least 50% of the work themselves in terms of the cost of performance. Provide an explanation of your company’s ability to perform at least 50% of the tasking described in this PBSOW for the base period as well as the option periods. Similarly situated small businesses may team together to meet the 50% requirement. If your company is planning to team with a similarly situated small business, the response must clearly identify the proposed team members and the capability statement must clearly articulate which portion of the work each team member will be responsible for. The response must be detailed enough for the Government to make a determination whether or not the proposed team will be able to perform 50% of the work when combined. 
• Provide a statement including current small/large business status and company profile to include number of employees, annual revenue history, office locations, Unique Entity Identifier (UIE) number, etc.
• Respondents to this notice also must indicate whether they qualify as a Small, Small Disadvantaged, Women-Owned, HUBZone, or Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Concern under the NAICS code identified for this requirement.  

b.   Interested parties shall adhere to the following instructions for the submittal of their capabilities statements: 

• Page Limit and Format: Ten (10) 8.5 X 11 inch pages in Times New Roman font of not less than 10 point.
• Document Type: Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF are acceptable
• Delivery: Email to Contracting Officer, Thomas Conrow (thomas.w.conrow.civ@us.navy.mil), Contract Specialist Erin Allison (erin.e.allison.civ@us.navy.mil), and Contract Specialist LCDR Ronald Parry (ronald.r.parry1@navy.mil)
• Response date: Responses are due by 2:00PM EST or EDT on 17 January 2025.
• No classified information shall be submitted in response to this Sources Sought.
• No phone calls will be accepted. 
• All questions must be submitted via email to the Contract Specialist named above
• All responses shall include Sources Sought Notice name/number, Company Name, Company Address, Company Business Size, and Points of Contact (POC), including names, phone numbers, and email addresses.
• All data received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government.
• Any information or materials provided in response to this Sources Sought Notice will not be returned. The Government is not committed nor obligated to pay for the information provided, and no basis for claims against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this Sources Sought Notice.