Sources Sought
LARICM Field Service Representative
Dept of Defense · Dept of the Air Force · Sol. DMF-001
Due in 21 days
AI summary Beta
The Air Force (AFLCMC, Wright-Patterson AFB) is doing market research to find companies that can supply a Field Service Representative (FSR) for the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) system on Japan's KC-46A aircraft, a Foreign Military Sales program. The work would be in-country in Japan, for a 12-month base period plus two 12-month options. This is a Sources Sought notice only, not a request for proposals, so no contract will be awarded from it.
Watch out for
- Conflicting response deadlines. The notice says responses are due 2026-10-30, but the signed Sources Sought letter says 15 OCT 2026, so confirm with the Contracting Officer and plan for the earlier date.
Response Deadline: 15 OCT 2026
- Sources Sought only, not a solicitation. Responding does not lead to an award and the Government will not pay for responses; a later solicitation is not promised.
This is not a solicitation for proposals, quotes, or other offers.
- Need LAIRCM-experienced people ready to work in Japan. Two key-personnel FSRs must have LAIRCM or similar experience, program-office approvals and host-nation access, which is hard for a company without that talent bench.
The FSR is designated as key personnel.
- Fast staffing and mobilization timeline. The primary FSR must be in place 30 days after award and the staffing package is due five business days after award, with no independent work until Government approvals are done.
ensure the primary FSR is in place no later than 30 calendar
- Key personnel substitution limits and payment risk. Replacing the primary FSR needs prior written approval, and failing to supply a qualified replacement can lead to withheld payment or options not exercised.
withholding payment for unperformed
- Annual hour cap with fixed monthly pay. Hours are capped at 2,080 per year and paid as a fixed monthly price, so extra work is unpaid unless the Contracting Officer approves a modification.
The Contractor shall not exceed 2,080 direct FSR labor hours during each 12-month base
- Draft documents with blanks. The draft PWS still has placeholders (minimum years of experience, surge quantity, task order number), and the letter says the full PWS could not be retrieved, so final requirements may change.
minimum of [INSERT NUMBER] years of relevant
- Possible access to the parent IDIQ required. The work is a task order under an existing IDIQ and the PWS mentions requirements of the parent IDIQ, so a company not on that IDIQ may not be able to get the order.
requirements of this PWS and the parent IDIQ.
- Place of performance mismatch. The notice lists Wright Patterson AFB, OH, but the work itself is in Japan; also the attachments cover Japan KC-46A while the letter speaks of various FMS aircraft programs.
Read from the notice and 2 attachments.
- Revised PWS LAIRCM Task Order.pdf
- FSR SOURCES SOUGHT CO Signed.pdf
Full brief
What they want
- One in-country LAIRCM System Field Service Representative (FSR), plus a named alternate FSR
- Organizational-level maintenance support, troubleshooting and fault isolation
- Help with removal and installation of Group B hardware and line replaceable units (LRUs)
- Review of Built-In Test logs before LRUs are removed
- Hands-on training, support for required system inspections, and monitoring of LRU spares
- Staffing package for both FSRs within five business days after task-order award
- Monthly FSR Activity Report and hour report, monthly status telecoms, risk management and configuration management
- Transition and Phase-Out Plan 60 calendar days before the final period ends
- Contract type
- Draft task order under an existing IDIQ (FA8638-19-D-0001) with monthly firm-fixed-price FSR CLINs; the notice itself is a Sources Sought (market research only)
- Period of performance
- 12-month base period + 2 option years of 12 months each (options exercised in sequence at Government discretion)
- Place of performance
- Japan (Miho Air Base per the draft PWS); the notice lists Wright Patterson AFB, OH as the place of performance
- Contract vehicle
- Planned task order under the LAIRCM IDIQ contract FA8638-19-D-0001 (the draft PWS refers to 'the parent IDIQ'); who is on that IDIQ is not stated
- Offers due
- Notice says 2026-10-30 5:00 PM Eastern (-04:00); the signed Sources Sought letter says 15 OCT 2026 (no time given). The two disagree.
- How to submit
- Email to james.bachinsky.1@us.af.mil, subject line "Sources Sought Response – Foreign Military Sales FSR"
- Page limits
- Maximum 6 pages, excluding cover page and appendices
What to include when you submit
- Submit a capability statement; this is a market-research response, not an offer
- Company info: name, CAGE code, UEI, business size/status, socioeconomic status, certifications, primary and secondary points of contact
- Relevant experience: FSR support for military aircraft or mission systems, LAIRCM or similar survivability systems, overseas/FMS work, and similar contracts
- Key personnel info: resume, qualifications, training and authorization records, deployment/access/host-nation proof, signed letters of commitment, mobilization timeline, contingency and backfill plan
- Deployment, installation-access and host-nation supportability
- Admin info: recommended NAICS and PSC, facility clearance level and expiration if applicable, ITAR/export compliance capability
- Include only information authorized for release by email; mark proprietary information clearly
- Contacts: David M. Federico (Contracting Officer, david.federico@us.af.mil); James R. Bachinsky (Branch Chief)
You must have
- No set-aside is used, so any size business can respond; the Government wants business size and status for planning
- Must supply both a primary FSR and an alternate FSR who meet the PWS qualifications and are treated as key personnel
The Contractor shall identify one primary FSR and one alternate FSR.
- FSRs need experience with LAIRCM or equivalent aircraft survivability equipment
Experience supporting LAIRCM or equivalent aircraft survivability equipment.
- FSRs must get and keep Government program-office approvals, system access, authorizations and installation-access credentials before working independently
Government-required
- Must be able to meet Japan deployment, access, business and host-nation requirements, and complete deployment documentation for travel to Japan
shall be capable of meeting applicable Japan
- FSRs must be able to communicate effectively in English
Ability to communicate effectively in English.
- Must follow security rules including DD Form 254, controlled unclassified information handling, foreign-disclosure and export-control rules
DD Form 254 requirements, installation-access
- Facility clearance level and ITAR/export compliance capability are requested if applicable
ITAR/export compliance capability, if applicable
Current contractor
No named incumbent. The draft PWS is for a new task order under existing IDIQ contract FA8638-19-D-0001 (task order number FA8638-26-F-BXXX not yet assigned).
Not in the notice text
- Estimated contract value or budget
- How the award would be evaluated (no evaluation factors are given)
- Minimum years of experience required for the primary and alternate FSR (left as [INSERT NUMBER])
- Surge support quantity (left as [INSERT])
- Whether a company must already hold a spot on the LAIRCM IDIQ to be considered
- Which response deadline is correct (2026-10-30 in the notice vs 15 OCT 2026 in the letter) and the time of day for the earlier date
- Facility clearance level requirements, if any
- Whether other FMS countries or aircraft will be added beyond the Japan KC-46A
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Key facts
- Response due
- Oct 30, 2026, 9:00 PM UTC
- Posted
- Sep 17, 2026
- Notice type
- Sources Sought
- Solicitation
- DMF-001
- Agency
- Dept of Defense · Dept of the Air Force
- Office
- FA8638 AFLCMC HBKD
- Set-aside
- No Set aside used
- NAICS
- 334419
- Product/service code
- J059
- Business type
- Electrical & electronic components
- Place of performance
- Wright Patterson AFB, OH
- Contracting contact
- David Federicodavid.federico@us.af.mil
Full notice text from SAM.gov
This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY for market research and planning purposes. The Department of War, through the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), Large Aircraft Survivability (LAS) Program Office (AFLCMC/ESYL), specifically the Large Aircraft Infrared Counter Measures (LAIRCM) office is conducting market research to identify potential sources capable of providing Field Service Representative (FSR) support for various Foreign Military Sales (FMS) aircraft programs. The associated draft Performance Work Statement identifies the requirement as support for the FMS aircraft and reflects AFLCMC/ESYL program involvement.
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