Presolicitation
Common Armament Tester for Fighter (CAT-F)
Dept of Defense · Dept of the Air Force · Sol. FA853325R0002
No deadline
AI summary Beta
The Air Force's Automated Test System branch at Robins AFB, Georgia plans to issue a Request for Proposal for the Common Armament Tester for Fighters (CAT-F). It covers design, development, manufacture and sustainment of handheld and depot-level testers for F-16, F-15 and A-10 aircraft. It is a full and open competition expected to award up to two IDIQ contracts, with a 1-year base and 4 one-year options.
Watch out for
- Large design-and-development program. The work covers designing, prototyping and later building hundreds of testers under cost-type and fixed-price arrangements, which is a heavy lift for a small business without a prime-level team.
- Downselect after design review. Up to two firms get the first award, but only the contractor(s) chosen after Critical Design Review can go on to production, so most of the work depends on winning the downselect.
Option I is for EMD and Production but will only be exercised for the contractor(s) chosen during the Downselect.
- Notice may be out of date. The notice was posted in March 2025 and expected the RFP in FY25 Q3, so check SAM.gov for the current status of the RFP.
The approximate Request for Proposal (RFP) issue date is FY25 Q3, with a response date of 45 days later.
Read from the notice text only.
Full brief
What they want
- Design, develop, manufacture and sustain the CAT-F for the F-16, F-15 and A-10
- Testers that cover Preload, Clean Wing and Fault Isolation requirements at O-Level and I-Level maintenance
- Base year: prototype design and digital development, with 4 handheld prototypes each for the F-16, F-15 and A-10
- Options I-IV: about 543 O-Level and 265 I-Level testers across the three aircraft
- Option I covers engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) and production, for the contractor(s) chosen at the downselect
- Contract type
- Up to two IDIQ contracts, with a mix of Cost Plus Fixed Fee, Firm Fixed Price and Cost Reimbursement-No Fee pricing
- Period of performance
- 1 year base + 4 one-year options
- Place of performance
- USA
- How they'll choose
- Tradeoff source selection, with an initial selection of up to two contractors and a final downselect after Critical Design Review
- How to submit
- Not yet open: the RFP will be posted on SAM.gov (Notice ID FA8533-25-R-0002); comments and questions go by email to the contracting officer and contract specialist
What to include when you submit
- RFP expected in FY25 Q3 with a response date 45 days after issue
- Send comments, questions and concerns about this notice to Oya Harrison (oya.harrison.1@us.af.mil) and Alexis Davis (Alexis.Davis.13@us.af.mil)
You must have
- No small business set-aside; open to all responsible sources (size standard 750 employees under NAICS 334515)
This acquisition will be a Full and Open Competitive Acquisition with no small business set aside.
- U.S. firms only; foreign participation is not permitted
Foreign Participation is not permitted.
Not in the notice text
- Estimated contract value
- Evaluation factors and their weight
- Whether and when the RFP has actually been issued
- Technical requirements for the testers (to come with the RFP)
- Security or facility clearance requirements
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Key facts
- Posted
- Mar 12, 2025
- Notice type
- Presolicitation
- Solicitation
- FA853325R0002
- Agency
- Dept of Defense · Dept of the Air Force
- Office
- FA8533 AFLCMC Rokb
- NAICS
- 334515
- Product/service code
- 4920
- Business type
- Electrical & electronic components
- Contracting contact
- Oya Harrisonoya.harrison.1@us.af.mil
Full notice text from SAM.gov
This Synopsis serves as a notice of intent that the Automated Test System Contracting Branch, AFLCMC/ROKB, at Robins Air Force Base, GA, anticipates issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) on SAM.gov under Notice ID FA8533-25-R-0002 for the Common Armament Tester-Fighters (CAT-F). This effort requires the design, development, manufacture, and sustainment of the CAT-F for the F-16, F-15, and A-10 platforms, capable of testing Preload, Clean Wing, and Fault Isolation Requirements at both O-Level and I-Level Maintenance. The North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS) for this requirement is 334515, Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals, with a corresponding small business size standard of 750 employees, and Product or Service Code (PSC) 4920. This acquisition will be a Full and Open Competitive Acquisition with no small business set aside. This acquisition will utilize the Tradeoff Source Selection Procedures in accordance with the DoD Source Selection Procedures, dated 20 Aug 2022, and DAFFARS MP 5315.3. It will be comprised of an Initial Source Selection that will result in up to two (2) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts to two (2) offerors with a Final Downselect to at least one (1) contractor following Critical Design Review (CDR). The Initial Source Selection will result in the award for CAT-F System Design. In the Initial Source Selection, the Government will conduct a full and open competition to narrow the competitive field down to no more than two (2) contractors that will execute CAT-F System Design and proceed to the Final Downselect. The Contracts will contain options for the execution of the program beyond the basic contract. The Final Downselect source selection will determine which contractor’s Option I may be exercised. The IDIQ contracts will utilize a mix of pricing arrangements, including Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF), Firm Fixed Price (FFP), and Cost Reimbursement-No Fee (CR-NF). The Period of Performance for the resultant contracts shall include a 1 year Basic and 4 one year Options (in accordance with FAR 52.217-9, Option to Extend the Term of the Contract). The Basic is for Prototype Design and Digital Development of the O-Level and I-Level Testers. Option I is for EMD and Production but will only be exercised for the contractor(s) chosen during the Downselect. The following approximate quantities will be required for delivery during the Basic: Qty of 4 for the F-16 O-Level Handheld Tester Prototype Qty of 4 for the F-15 O-Level Handheld Tester Prototype Qty of 4 for the A-10 O-Level Handheld Tester Prototype The following approximate quantities will be required for delivery during Options I-IV: Qty of 303 EA for the F-16 O-Level Testers Qty of 172 EA for the F-15 O-Level Testers Qty of 68 EA for the A-10 O-Level Testers Qty of 143 EA for the F-16 I-Level Testers Qty of 80 EA for the F-15 I-Level Testers Qty of 42 EA for the A-10 I-Level Testers Delivery Schedule: O-Level Handheld Tester Prototypes will be delivered to begin 12 months ARO Order The approximate Request for Proposal (RFP) issue date is FY25 Q3, with a response date of 45 days later. In accordance with FAR 5.2079(c)(16)(i) All responsible sources may submit a bid, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency. Foreign Participation is not permitted. All comments, recommendations, concerns, and questions in regards to this notice should be submitted to the PCO, Oya Harrison, oya.harrison.1@us.af.mil and the Contract Specialist, Alexis Davis, Alexis.Davis.13@us.af.mil.
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