Engineering Services T-38/F-5

Amendment 1 The purpose of this amendment is to extend the due date to the Sources Sought Synopsis from 13 June 2024 to 29 June 2024. T-38/F-5 Engineering Services Notice Type:

Sources Sought Sources Sought Synopsis:

1. NOTICE: This is not a solicitation but rather a Sources Sought Synopsis to determine potential sources for information and planning purposes only. 1.1 The purpose of this Sources Sought is to conduct market research to determine if responsible sources exist, to assist in determining if this effort can be competitive and/or a total Small Business Set-Aside. The proposed North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) Code 541330 Engineering Services which has a corresponding Size standard of $25.5M.

The Government will use this information to determine the best acquisition strategy for this procurement. The Government is interested in all small businesses to include 8(a) Service-Disabled Veteran Owned, HUBZone, and Women-Owned small business concerns. The Government requests that interested parties respond to this notice if applicable and identify your small business status to the identified NAICS code.

Additionally, please provide any anticipated teaming arrangements, along with a description of similar products offered to the Government and to commercial customers for the past three years. Any responses involving teaming agreements should delineate between the work that will be accomplished by the prime and the work accomplished by the teaming partners.

2. Program Details: T-38 Systems Program Office (SPO) is tasked with sustainment of the T-38 trainer and F-5 aircraft.

Background: The T-38 and F-5 are mature and proven aircraft, requiring specialized engineering to ensure system sustainment. The F-5 is currently not in use by the USAF, but it supported by the USAF through the Technical Coordination Group (TCG).

The T-38 aircraft is in active use by the USAF, with a programmed AETC retirement starting in 2028. To sustain the T-38 weapon system, the USAF fleet has undergone a number of modification programs since its initial acquisition and fielding by the AF in 1961. These include Pacer Classic I and II, the Avionics Upgrade Program (AUP), the Propulsion Modernization Program (PMP), the Escape System Upgrade Program (ESUP) and the current Pacer Classic III modification. Each of these programs has either replaced or repaired major structural and legacy systems and components.

Scope: The purpose of this notice is to gather comments and potential sources for providing engineering and associated technical activities which may include, but are not limited to, the following tasks: develop/provide analysis, assessments, studies, component and system-level component design or testing to substantiate a new or improved component or sub-system capability, and provide configuration management support.

Services may include, but are not limited to, ancillary engineering support activities such as developing and validating troubleshooting/isolation faults in a current design configuration, providing Non-destructive Inspection (NDI) improvement and capabilities studies, methods developments, and general consultation.

3. The Government requests interested parties to submit a brief statement and provide demonstrated experience and knowledge associated tasks and capabilities. Please limit your submissions to responses to these questions. Working to the guidelines of the USAF's Operational Safety and Suitability Effectiveness (OSS&E) requirements. Configuration management methodology and procedures for managing USAF aircraft specific baselines. Provide examples and strategies used for procuring "Limited Data rights" from Northrop Grumman Corp (NGC). NGC retains legacy data and experience for the T-38 and F-5 platforms. Samples of NGC Proprietary Data include but are not limited to:

a. Drawing labeled Limited Rights b. Proprietary Process Specifications c. Northrop Aircraft Industries (NAI) and NORAIR Engineering Reports (NOR) d. Tooling Design e. Technical know-how Provide experience in developing arrangements with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of supersonic jets for the use of their proprietary data. The Government does not own all, only part, of the required data. What can you, the contractor, do to retrieve the required data and what risks do you foresee in procuring the data?

It is important to note that reverse engineering is not a viable option as the contract is for engineering support, not manufacturing. Active contributions and participation in the specialized engineering fields of Aircraft Structural Integrity Program (ASIP), Mechanical Equipment and Sub-System Integrity Program (MECSIP), Avionics Systems Integrity Program (AVIP), and the Landing Gear Integrity Program (LGIP).

Expertise in Non-destructive Inspection (NDI) studies, component/airframe teardown studies, failure and metallurgical analyses, and materials properties and component testing. Examples of managing technical documentation with regard to Technical Orders (TOs) and Time Compliance Technical Orders (TCTOs) and providing source data for these documents. Expertise and direct experience with engineering analyses on aerospace systems to include:

classical elastic and plastic analysis, static, dynamic and margin-of-safety evaluations, fatigue/fracture analysis, aerodynamics, vibration and finite element modeling/analysis. Experience with flight testing and flight load data recorders. Experience supporting/participation with analysis on Class A mishap investigations. Evaluate modifications to or replacement of systems components. Develop modifications to systems, components or structures to address failures or new requirements.

Provide support to identify facility requirements, spares, and support equipment requirements, and component repair data supporting operational aircraft. Potential offerors are requested to provide information on current services meeting the needs of the Air Force in supporting the T-38/F-5 weapon systems, or relevant history and evidence of past performance/capability with supersonic aircraft.

The Air Force is expecting that the requirement to provide information on current or past services meeting the needs of the Air Force will demonstrate that the offeror's infrastructure and capabilities that exist to provide all aspects of an engineering services effort.

Non-Technical Questions: Have you provided this service previously to the Government or very similar services to commercial entities? If so please give some examples. What is your company name, CAGE code and Unique Entity ID (UEI)? Would you be the prime or a sub-contractor? Who is your point of contact and what is their email address and telephone number? What NAICS code do you suggest for this acquisition? Is your company a small business for this NAICS Code?

If your company is a small business, is it also a women owned business, small disadvantaged business, 8a business, HUB Zone business, service disabled veteran owned business, etc. If you are a small business, would your company provide services of its own or would it provide services via another small business. Discusses any concerns you may have with our requirement or how you would be able to provide the service. Are there other NAICS codes which are more appropriate which you could suggest?