USAFA - Westnet First-In Fire Station Alerting System

The Air Force Academy seeks procurement and installation of the Westnet First-In Fire Station Alerting System, with proposals due June 18. This is a brand name sole source acquisition set aside for small businesses; competition is foreclosed by the technical and operational requirement for native compatibility with the proprietary Westnet Alerting Platform (FiAP) gateway, through which the El Paso County Regional Communications Center exclusively processes emergency dispatch signals to the Academy.

Place of performance is Air Force Academy, Colorado. The NAICS code is 334290, Other Communications Equipment Manufacturing (size standard: 800 employees); PSC is 6350. The system replaces an existing all-call alarm system documented to pose a cardiovascular health hazard to firefighters and is mission-essential for dispatching first responders to life-safety and emergency incidents on the installation, which protects over 8,000 personnel and 4,000 cadets.

The sole-source determination rests on comprehensive market research conducted February 4–24, 2026 through a Request for Information on SAM.gov, GSA Advantage searches, and AbilityOne catalog reviews, all confirming no alternative vendors provide compatible solutions. The El Paso-Teller County 911 Authority, the external technical authority governing the dispatch network, issued a definitive written ruling approving only the Westnet system. Offerors must submit a Buy American Certificate certifying domestic end products and separately identifying foreign end products and any non-iron/steel foreign items exceeding 55 percent domestic content, with exceptions for commercially available off-the-shelf items. The determination was made under FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) on May 22, 2026.