Sources Sought
Cylinder Assembly (Load Arrestor) PN 1171-3
Department of Defense · Department of the Air Force
AI summaryThe Air Force intends to award a sole-source contract to Collins Aerospace for the Cylinder Assembly (Load Arrestor), national stock number (NSN) 1680-01-181-4175MH, part number (P/N) 1171-3, used in the B-1B ejection seat. This is a sources sought notice (market research), not a solicitation. Other interested firms may send capability statements by email by November 13, 2026. More in the summary
Market research, not a bid. Replying is free and tells Department of the Air Force who could do this work. Send a short reply to the contracting contact; no price is needed. See the contact
AI summary Beta
The Air Force intends to award a sole-source contract to Collins Aerospace for the Cylinder Assembly (Load Arrestor), national stock number (NSN) 1680-01-181-4175MH, part number (P/N) 1171-3, used in the B-1B ejection seat. This is a sources sought notice (market research), not a solicitation. Other interested firms may send capability statements by email by November 13, 2026.
Who can bid
- Only Collins Aerospace can win this as planned: other firms may send a capability statement, and the agency decides whether that is enough to compete it.
- No set-aside applies, but the Government says the original equipment manufacturer, Collins Aerospace (formerly Universal Propulsion, CAGE 17610), is the only known source. Any other firm must show it can qualify for and produce the part without the Government's technical data.
How to submit: Email a capability statement to Komkit Seshompo (komkit.seshompo.1@us.af.mil), copying Carlos Renfroe (carlos.renfroe.1@us.af.mil) and Kinser George (kinser.george@us.af.mil). What to include is under Full summary below. Check the solicitation's instructions on SAM.gov.
Things to watch (5)
From the version posted Oct 13, 2026.
- Serious: Sole-source award intended to Collins Aerospace. The Air Force intends to award to Collins Aerospace without competition. Other firms may only send capability statements by November 13, 2026, and a later award to another firm is unlikely unless they prove they can qualify.
- Serious: Government has no technical data package. The Government does not own the drawings or technical data needed to build the part, so a new source would need its own data and a qualification process whose steps are not described.
- Worth checking: Flight Critical Safety Item. Any deviation from the original manufacturer's data, materials or tolerances could cause ejection system failure, so expect strict qualification.
Show all 5Show fewer
- Worth checking: No quantity or delivery terms. The notice gives no quantity or unit of issue, so a price cannot be estimated.
- Minor: Sources sought only. The synopsis says responses are not offers and that the Government has no obligation to award a contract.
Read from the notice and 1 attachment. Show which files.
- SSS for Load Arrestor Buy.pdf (read)
Full summary
What they want
- Capability statements from firms that think they can qualify for and produce the Cylinder Assembly (Load Arrestor), NSN 1680-01-181-4175MH, P/N 1171-3
- The item is a flight Critical Safety Item (CSI: a part whose failure could cause aircrew injury or loss of life) in the B-1B bomber ejection seat system
- The Government is doing market research; the notice says the Air Force intends a sole-source award to Collins Aerospace under FAR 6.302-1
- Contract type
- Sole-source (other than full and open competition) under FAR 6.302-1, only one responsible source; this notice is market research, not a request for proposal
- Place of performance
- Warner Robins, GA, USA (as the SAM.gov field gives it)
- Estimated value
- Not stated
- Offers due
- November 13, 2026, 3:30 PM Eastern
- How to submit
- Email a capability statement to Komkit Seshompo (komkit.seshompo.1@us.af.mil), copying Carlos Renfroe (carlos.renfroe.1@us.af.mil) and Kinser George (kinser.george@us.af.mil)
What to include when you submit
- Email your capability statement to the line manager (LM), Komkit Seshompo, and copy the procuring contracting officer (PCO), Carlos Renfroe, and the buyer, Kinser George.
- Show your expertise, capabilities and experience to meet the requirements for qualification and production of the item; the synopsis does not list required contents.
Current contractor
Collins Aerospace (formerly Universal Propulsion, CAGE 17610) is named as the original equipment manufacturer, which keeps configuration control by part number; no current contract is named.
Not in the notice text
- Quantity, unit of issue and delivery schedule for NSN 1680-01-181-4175MH are not stated.
- What the capability statement must contain, and what the qualification process for a new source involves, are not stated.
- The NAICS code is blank on SAM.gov.
- The synopsis was written for the 410th SCMS/GULB at Robins AFB, GA; the notice does not describe the requesting unit's role further.
- No estimated value, contract period or set-aside is given.
Eligibility and how to respond
- No set-aside. Any business can reply: this is market research, and no bid is being taken yet.
- To respond, send a short reply to the contracting contact near the top of this page. No price is needed.
Notice details
- Posted
- Oct 13, 2026
- Notice type
- Sources Sought
- Office
- FA8517 AFSC PZAAC, Robins AFB, GA
- Product/service code
- 1680 · Miscellaneous Aircraft Accessories and Components
- Business type
- Aircraft, ship & vehicle parts (FedReady's grouping, from product/service code 1680)
- Attachments
Past awards and competition
Who has won work like this before, the likely incumbent, and what similar contracts paid, from USAspending.gov.
Before you respond
Terms on this notice: Sources sought notice
Full notice text from SAM.gov
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