TCG BOSS Equipment and Link-16 Related Products

The 9th Contracting Squadron (9 CONS) at Beale AFB, CA intends to award a sole-source contract to Curtiss-Wright DS, Inc., d/b/a Curtiss-Wright Tactical Communications Group for the procurement of TCG’s BOSS equipment and Link-16 related Products. This system provides a transportable Tactical Data Link (TDL) simulation, testing, and validation environment that will interface directly with the squadron’s existing Link-16 ground station capability. The acquisition will utilize commercial product procedures under FAR Part 12.

Background: The 99th Reconnaissance Squadron (RS) requires the Curtiss-Wright Tactical Communications Group (TCG) Battlefield Operations Support System (BOSS) software suite to establish, test, and employ a transportable Link-16 ground capability. This procurement leverages the squadron's existing Link-16 infrastructure to support Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2), Department of the Air Force modernization, and Joint/Coalition interoperability.

Scope of Work: Curtiss-Wright will be responsible for providing, at a minimum, a software solution that operates on a ruggedized, transportable computing platform suitable for operational employment outside of a fixed command-and-control facility. This solution must deliver Link-16 terminal initialization and management, network monitoring, processing of Link-16 J-series messages, tactical track visualization, Participant Location and Identification (PPLI) display, message filtering and analysis, tactical data recording and playback, network troubleshooting, operator training support, mission planning support, and integration with the planned SPIDR tactical display environment. The contractor shall deliver the specific software licenses, protocol modules, technical documentation, commercial software maintenance, and future software updates required to enable terminal control, simulation, and tactical visualization in support of JADC2 and Joint/Coalition interoperability.

Place of Delivery: The equipment will be delivered FOB Destination to the 99th Reconnaissance Squadron at Beale AFB, CA BLDG 1025.

Sole-Source Justification: The Government intends to sole-source this requirement to Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions as they are the sole developer, manufacturer, and proprietary owner of the TCG BOSS software suite. A manufacturer's proprietary letter confirms there are no authorized third-party distributors for the sale, installation, or maintenance of this system. The TCG BOSS is the only commercially available software suite that possesses the unique capabilities required to integrate, test, and safely operate the 99th RS’s transportable Link-16 ground terminal. Critical technical restrictions limiting competition include: JITC pre-certification required for Link-16 interoperability; native hardware integration (pre-coded driver profiles) with existing government-owned L3 Harris/Viasat KOR-24A transceivers, avoiding substantial non-recurring engineering fees and delays; and an integrated GPS Time Server required to prevent critical clock drift. Market research indicates that the TCG BOSS software suite has been successfully procured on a sole-source basis by several other military installations for similar Link-16 requirements.  As the proprietary owner of the source code, Curtiss-Wright is the only source capable of providing the necessary software licenses, protocol upgrades, and technical support

Response Instructions: This notice of intent is NOT a request for competitive quotations. However, interested parties may submit a capability statement to demonstrate their ability to fulfill this requirement.  The Government will consider all responses received by the deadline of August 28, 2026, at 10:00 AM PDT. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract action is solely at the discretion of the Government.

Disclaimer:
This Presolicitation Notice does not constitute a solicitation or a commitment by the Government to award a contract. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.