Aircraft Defensive Electro-optical Protection Technologies (ADEPT)

What they want

• Technical Area 1, Hardware & Executable Analysis of Threats (HEAT): exploit foreign electro-optical-guided missiles, launch equipment and airborne threats such as high-speed loitering drones, to build threat understanding and high-fidelity modeling inputs
• Technical Area 2, Advanced Countermeasure Engineering (ACE): continuous specialized science and engineering support to characterize emerging threats, run complex laboratory and open-air testing, and build digital threat models
• Both areas: create and improve countermeasure technologies to increase aircraft and aircrew survivability, with collaboration between the technical areas expected
• Skills named: threat software and hardware exploitation, laser-based testing, open-air testing, missile aeronautics and aircraft and flare signature modeling, high-performance computing, and prototype countermeasure hardware
• Develop software (image and signal processing, interfaces, data processing, modeling and simulation) and deliver all hardware and non-consumed materials developed or acquired to the Government at the end
• Deliver data items listed in Attachment 4, the contract data requirements list (CDRL), which could not be read here
• Support Air Force Research Laboratory ground and flight tests and reviews; field and flight tests are anticipated
• Deliver a final technical report, and keep enough funds reserved to pay for it even if the contract ends early

What they'll judge offers on

• Technical Merit: (a) understanding of the scope of the technical effort, (b) soundness of the technical approach, including related experience and qualifications of technical personnel, (c) potential to advance technology and meet mission needs, (d) potential to transition the deliverables to future Government needs, with any proposed restriction on technical data or software considered
• Cost/Price: realism of the proposed cost; a substantial factor for each technical area, listed as second in priority

What to include when you submit

• Before proposing, email the contracting contacts with your company's CAGE code; they confirm your active Joint Certification Program status and send the DoD SAFE link and passphrase. The request is due November 6, 2026, 12:00 PM Eastern
• Attach a certified, current DD Form 2345 (Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement) when you request the statements of objectives (SOOs, the government task descriptions) and the DD254 security specification; submit a copy of the approved DD Form 2345 with your proposal
• Propose to at least one technical area; bidding on both takes a separate proposal for each, and each needs a technical and management proposal, a statement of work? answering that area's SOO, and a business proposal
• Send technical/management and cost/business volumes as separate volumes, valid for 180 days, referencing announcement number FA2377-26-R-B011 and the technical area(s)
• Technical/management proposal in Microsoft Word, 10-point Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri, double-spaced, 8.5 by 11 inches, with one-inch margins; add prior work, equipment, facilities and resumes as attachments
• Cost files in Microsoft Excel with the formulas for the cost element bases (such as G&A and overhead); break out direct labor hours by category, rates, materials, subcontractors, travel and a project funding profile by Government fiscal year
• Complete and return the Section K representations and certifications (Attachment 6) with the proposal, with data rights assertions included there
• Name any technical data that will be delivered with less than unlimited rights, and state any exceptions to the model contract terms with the reason
• Efforts above $900,000 need a subcontracting plan in the business proposal; small businesses are exempt
• Give the contracting officer complete information on previous or ongoing work associated with this acquisition (organizational conflict of interest disclosure)
• Keep all proposal materials unclassified; no classified submissions are accepted

After award, you must have

• Contractor employees who need access to Air Force bases, AFRL facilities or Government networks must be U.S. citizens, unless the contracting officer grants a written waiver From Attachment 3 - AFRL SOW -PWS Supplemental Requirements.pdf: …must be U.S. citizens.

Current contractor

No incumbent is named. The Air Force anticipates two cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts, one for each technical area, but may award one, all or none of the proposals; it also expects adequate price competition.

Not in the notice text

• The two technical-area statements of objectives (the task descriptions) and the DD254 security specification are controlled and sent only through DoD SAFE on request; their tasks and security terms are not in the posted text.
• The Q&A spreadsheets (ADEPT_Q and A_1.xlsx and ADEPT_Q and A_ 2.xlsx) are attached but not read.
• Attachment 3 (supplemental requirements) and Attachment 7 (model contract) were read only in part; a middle section of each was left out.
• The CDRL file (Attachment 4) did not display; check it on SAM.gov for the data deliverables.
• Which response due time applies (2:00 PM Eastern or 12:00 PM) is not settled by the documents.
• Where field and flight tests will take place is not stated.