F-16 Pylon Rib Wing Repair

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 is 488190 – Aircraft Maintenance and Repair Services which has a corresponding Size standard of $40,000,000.00. 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 services 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.

Program Details: As part of our ongoing market research to develop a USAF organic or contractor repair capability for the F-16 Blk 30, 32, 40, 42, 50, and 52 Wing Pylon Rib, the F-16 System Program Office, (SPO) is pursuing repair capabilities to resolve a corrosion issue on the F-16 pylon rib attach fitting. To be considered an effective solution, proposed repairs must be readily available for qualification and implementation within 6 months.

Repairs must be performed while the wing is installed on the aircraft, in the field and at the unit by the Contract Field Team (CFT) or Depot Field Team (DFT). Repairs must resolve the corrosion issue and prevent future corrosion in this area for the remaining life of the aircraft.

Affected corrosion areas as shows on the attached 1F-16C-3-5 schematic are areas A, B, C, and D. To support this research, it is important for our program to identify potential capabilities, costs, and technology maturity and availability from capable vendors. The government has compiled the following Source Qualification Statement (SQS) necessary to support development of vendor responses to support this request and provides the engineering drawing (16W112) upon request.

Since the drawings are considered limited distribution, a signed DD Form 2345 must be submitted to the government program manager Charles at charles.kapinos.2@us.af.mil before drawings will be transferred. Turnaround time for a signed DD Form 2345 depends on delivery method to the Joint Certification Office (JCO), so do not delay sending a request to the JCO. Instructions and comprehensive information on this process can be found on the JCP website at <https://www.dlis.dla.mil/jcp/Default.aspx>.

Upon return of the signed DD Form 2345 from the JCP, email that form to the program manager listed above requesting the drawing package. Once the certification number is verified, a link and password will be emailed with instructions to access the files. Respond with any innovative technology or methods that could simplify the repair process or otherwise improve the outcome. Include examples of prior application with relevant outcomes.

Provide ROM for “per unit cost” of repair for the F-16 Wing Pylon Rib; Part Number 16W112; which restores it to original specifications and prevents future corrosion for the usable life of the aircraft. Identify if this repair is currently being used on any military or commercial aircraft. Provide schedule for lead time to qualify permanent repair solution according to the attached SQS, along with estimated costs. Define any tooling, material, or data rights requirements for any proposed solution.

Identify all activities that require subcontracting, collaboration, sole-source, or third-party engineering and logistical support. Provide any available test data/reports/documentation. Provide estimated costs for Government to procure full data rights to repair process, tooling, and technologies necessary to develop USAF field level repair capability. Assume validation and verification of repair install on F-16 aircraft to demonstrate effectiveness.

The U. S. Air Force asserts that it has a responsibility to advance the possibility for competition for this requirement at the earliest practical juncture. This agency will be sensitive to the possible development of Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI) as this effort progresses.

Responses: Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract or agreement. The F-16 SPO will not be obligated to pursue any particular acquisition alternative as a result of this notice. Responses to the notice will not be returned. Not responding to this notice does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if one is issued.

All interested parties shall submit one (1) electronic copy of the response via e-mail, no later than 11:00 AM MST on 5 March 2024 via email (maximum of 7 MB) to the Contract Specialist, Kennedy Stark, kennedy.stark@us.af.mil, and the Contracting Officer, Jushawn Ferrell, jushawn.ferrell@us.af.mil.

Be advised that all correspondence sent via e-mail shall contain a subject line that reads “F-16 Wing Pylon Repair.” Note that, e-mail filters at Hill AFB are designed to filter e-mails without subject lines or with suspicious subject lines and/or certain attachments (i.e., .exe or .zip files). Therefore, if this subject line is not included, the e-mail may not get through the e-mail filters. Also be advised that .exe or .zip files are not allowable attachments and may be deleted by the e-mail filters at Hill AFB. If sending attachments with e-mail, ensure only .PDF, .doc, or .xls documents are sent. The e-mail filter may delete any other form of attachments.