Sources Sought

Sources Sought: F-16 Transparencies

Department of Defense · Department of the Air Force

AI summarySources Sought FD20202700027 (F-16 Transparencies): the Air Force (AFSC OLH PZABA) is looking for new manufacturers to qualify to make F-16 canopy transparencies. These are cockpit canopies, in six part numbers (NSNs). This is a market survey, not a request for offers. A follow-on multiple-award IDIQ (a contract that lets the Government order as needed) is expected to start around September 2027, for 5 years. 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

A newer version of this notice was posted Oct 22, 2026. See the latest version.

AI summary Beta

Written by AI from the notice text. Check dates on SAM.gov. Updated Oct 27, 2026 after the AI read the notice again (first written Oct 24, 2026).

Summary of another version of this notice: check what changed on SAM.gov. This summary may miss requirements: 3 of 12 attachments weren't read (16ZK002_81755_Specification_G.pdf, 200733803_98747_2D Drawing_D.pdf and 1 more). Check the attachments on SAM.gov.

Sources Sought FD20202700027 (F-16 Transparencies): the Air Force (AFSC OLH PZABA) is looking for new manufacturers to qualify to make F-16 canopy transparencies. These are cockpit canopies, in six part numbers (NSNs). This is a market survey, not a request for offers. A follow-on multiple-award IDIQ (a contract that lets the Government order as needed) is expected to start around September 2027, for 5 years.

Who can bid

Become a qualified source by meeting the MQR: certify facilities and test equipment, verify a complete data package, show UID compliance, submit a qualification test plan and report, and provide a qualification article at your own expense
Hold a master tool agreement with Lockheed Martin; transparencies are master tooled and drilled, and critical safety item (CSI) requirements must be met
Have a JCP certification or DD Form 2345 (military critical technical data agreement) to receive the controlled drawings

How to submit: Not stated. Requests for technical data go through the points of contact named in the notice. What to include is under Full summary below. Check the solicitation's instructions on SAM.gov.

Things to watch (4)

From the version posted Oct 22, 2026.

Serious: Qualification takes about a year and about $329,000 of your own money. The MQR estimates 365 days and $329000 in testing and evaluation costs for a new source, and passing does not guarantee a contract.
Serious: Lockheed Martin master tool agreement required. A new source needs an agreement with Lockheed Martin because the transparencies are master tooled and drilled, which a small firm may find hard to get.
Worth checking: Drawings and specification are controlled. The specification and two drawings are attached on SAM.gov but need an access request, and the requester must be named on a DD 2345 or JCP printout.

Show all 4Show fewer

Minor: Planned follow-on is subject to change. The IDIQ strategy and September 2027 timeframe are only anticipated and the notice says they may change.

Read from the notice and 9 attachments. 3 of 12 not read. Show which files.

EDL_2040v5.pdf (read)
Engineering Data Requirements.pdf (read)
NSN 1560-01-497-6599 Item Description.pdf (read)
NSN 1560-01-462-2040 Item Description.pdf (read)
NSN 1560-01-462-4551 Item Description.pdf (read)
NSN 1560-01-497-5956 Item Description.pdf (read)
NSN 1560-01-497-5959 Item Description.pdf (read)
NSN 1560-01-497-5078 Item Description.pdf (read)
MQR_Transparencies.pdf (read)
16ZK002_81755_Specification_G.pdf: not read (access is restricted): request it on SAM.gov
200733803_98747_2D Drawing_D.pdf: not read (access is restricted): request it on SAM.gov
16VK100001_81755_2D Drawing_R.pdf: not read (access is restricted): request it on SAM.gov

All attachments on SAM.gov

Full summary

What they want

Find additional manufacturers able and interested in becoming qualified to build F-16 canopy transparencies (NSNs 1560-01-462-2040, 1560-01-462-4551, 1560-01-497-5078, 1560-01-497-5956, 1560-01-497-5959, 1560-01-497-6599)
Qualify new sources under the Manufacturing Qualification Requirements (MQR) and Engineering Data List (EDL), which are the same engineering instructions for all 6 NSNs
Supply a pre-award qualification article and a qualification test plan and report, at the bidder's own expense
Plan for a follow-on multiple-award IDIQ with a 5-year ordering period for U.S. Air Force and Foreign Military Sales (FMS, sales to allied countries) needs, with demand of about 40 to 50 quantities a month
Parts need Item Unique Identification (IUID) marking: human-readable text plus a 2D matrix code, per MIL-STD-130

Contract type: Sources Sought (market research). The planned follow-on is a multiple-award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract
Period of performance: Planned follow-on: 5-year ordering period, anticipated award around September 2027
Estimated value: Not stated
Contract vehicle: Planned follow-on multiple-award IDIQ with on-ramping (newly qualified firms can be added after award)
Offers due: February 16, 2027, 10:00 AM Mountain
How to submit: Not stated. Requests for technical data go through the points of contact named in the notice

What to include when you submit

Tell the contracting officer or the small business office you intend to qualify (the MQR's prequalification notice)
To get technical data, send a request through the points of contact with a copy of your Joint Certification Program (JCP) printout or DD Form 2345
The person requesting data must be named on the DD 2345 or JCP printout, or the request is rejected
Foreign parties must tell the contracting officers so the foreign disclosure office can clear access to the drawings

Current contractor

PPG Aerospace is the sole qualified manufacturing source today. The follow-on is expected to be a multiple-award IDIQ with on-ramping for newly qualified firms. No sources-sought response counts or Government estimate are given.

Not in the notice text

Three controlled files are attached but not read: the specification 16ZK002 (Rev G), drawing 200733803 (Rev D) and drawing 16VK100001 (Rev R); access must be requested on SAM.gov
Place of performance is not stated
How and where to send a capability response to this Sources Sought is not stated in the text provided; the points of contact are not named in the text
The Government's estimate and the quantity per NSN are not given (only a total demand of about 40 to 50 quantities a month)

Eligibility and how to respond

No set-aside. Any business can reply, and no bid is being taken yet, but the notice names requirements for the work:
- The notice mentions export-controlled data. You may need a Joint Certification Program (DD Form 2345) approval to see the drawings.
To respond, send a short reply to the contracting contact near the top of this page. No price is needed.

Notice details

Posted: Oct 21, 2026
Notice type: Sources Sought
Office: FA8212 AFSC OLH Pzaba, Hill AFB, UT
Product/service code: 1560 · Airframe Structural Components
Business type: Aircraft, ship & vehicle parts (FedReady's grouping, from NAICS 3364)
Versions: 4 versions have been posted, newest first.
Oct 22, 2026 · Amendment 0003Due Feb 16, 2027
Oct 21, 2026 · Amendment 0002Due Feb 16, 2027
Oct 21, 2026 · Amendment 0001 (this version)Due Feb 16, 2027 (changed)
Oct 20, 2026 · Sources SoughtDue Feb 16, 2026
Attachments: Files on SAM.gov:
EDL_2040v5.pdfRead by the AI summary
Engineering Data Requirements.pdfRead by the AI summary
NSN 1560-01-497-6599 Item Description.pdfRead by the AI summary
NSN 1560-01-462-2040 Item Description.pdfRead by the AI summary
NSN 1560-01-462-4551 Item Description.pdfRead by the AI summary
NSN 1560-01-497-5956 Item Description.pdfRead by the AI summary
NSN 1560-01-497-5959 Item Description.pdfRead by the AI summary
NSN 1560-01-497-5078 Item Description.pdfRead by the AI summary
MQR_Transparencies.pdfRead by the AI summary
16ZK002_81755_Specification_G.pdfNot read (access is restricted): request it on SAM.gov
200733803_98747_2D Drawing_D.pdfNot read (access is restricted): request it on SAM.gov
16VK100001_81755_2D Drawing_R.pdfNot read (access is restricted): request it on SAM.gov
See attachments on SAM.gov

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

How to answer a sources sought notice

Terms on this notice: Sources sought notice

Full notice text from SAM.gov

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE: This is not a solicitation but rather a Sources Sought to seek new qualified and responsible manufacturers to produce spare F-16 parts in support of the United States Air Force (USAF). This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) and does not construe as a commitment by the Government. Subject: F-16 Transparencies, NSN: 1560-01-462-2040, NSN: 1560-01-462-4551, NSN: 1560-01-497-5078, NSN: 1560-01-497-5956, NSN: 1560-01-497-5959, NSN: 1560-01-497-6599 The USAF is seeking out additional manufacturing sources capable of producing F-16 transparencies and interested in becoming qualified to do so. Currently PPG Aerospace is the sole qualified manufacturing source. The Government owns the specifications. New sources interested in becoming qualified must meet the requirements in the MQR and EDL that are attached. The EDL and Engineering Instructions are the same for all 6 NSNs. The Government's objective is to expand the qualified industrial manufacturing base by identifying and qualifiing additional sources. Anticipated Acquistion Strategy for the Follow-on Contract: The Government anticipates a follow-on Multiple Award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with an anticipated award timeframe of September 2027. The effort is planned for a 5-year ordering period supporting both USAF and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) requirements. The Government anticipates a monthly demand of approximately 40 to 50 quantities over the course of this timeframe. The acquistion is anticipated to include on-ramping provisions to allow newly qualified Contractors to be added to the multiple-award vehicle post-award once qualification requirements are satisfied. Keep in mind, this is subject to change... See the attached attachments attached to this Sources Sought for additional information concerning this Sources Sought. Requests for technical data must be requested through the points of contact below. Requests must include a copy of your JCP printout or DD 2345. If the POC requesting access is not identified on the DD 2345 or the JCP printout, it will be rejected. The requestor must be identified on the DD 2345 in order to be granted access. All interested foreign parties shall let the Contracting Officers (CO) know that they are a foreign party so that the COs can clear them access to the drawings through the foreign disclosure office (FDO).

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