Test Antenna

The Department of the Air Force Materiel Command Lifecycle Management Center at Wright Patterson Air Force Base issued a Notice of Intent to Sole Source for acquisition of a test antenna system under FAR 6.302-1 and FAR 13.106-1(b), with a capability statement deadline of September 30, 2026 and anticipated award date of September 25, 2026. The procurement is restricted to a single source because the Government does not own the proprietary technical data, software, or tooling required to compete the effort.

The requirement specifies a 5-meter parabolic antenna system with motorized azimuth/elevation mount, feedhorn, and control components engineered to integrate with existing infrastructure and achieve a 194 miles per hour wind survival rating. The motorized mount design is proprietary and certified only by a single independent third-party engineering firm; internal mechanical, drive, and electrical components are not utilized in any other commercial or defense antenna system. Market research across commercial satellite communications vendors, NASA SEWP, GSA Multiple Award Schedules, and Air Force Enterprise Sourcing confirmed no equivalent configuration is available on pre-existing Government contracts or blanket purchase agreements. The manufacturer retains exclusive ownership of all technical data, manufacturing drawings, and factory refurbishment tooling and does not utilize dealer networks or third-party integrators for this configuration.

Per FAR 5.207(c)(16)(ii), all responsible sources may submit a capability statement demonstrating technical capabilities to satisfy the requirement; submissions will be used solely to determine if a competitive procurement can be conducted. Contact: tyler.fruhwirth@us.af.mil. Attachments include the justification and bill of materials specifying 31 line items including the antenna assembly, installation training, decommissioning services, microwave components, controller systems, and integration services.