Sources Sought
Simulator Common Architecture Requirements and Standards (SCARS)
Department of Defense · Department of the Air Force
AI summaryThe Air Force (AFLCMC, Advanced Training Capabilities) is doing market research for the Simulator Common Architecture Requirements and Standards (SCARS) program, performed in Dayton, OH. This is a sources sought: a request for information (RFI) to decide whether the later contract will be open to all or set aside for small businesses. Responses are due December 10, 2026, 3:00 PM EST by email. 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 (AFLCMC, Advanced Training Capabilities) is doing market research for the Simulator Common Architecture Requirements and Standards (SCARS) program, performed in Dayton, OH. This is a sources sought: a request for information (RFI) to decide whether the later contract will be open to all or set aside for small businesses. Responses are due December 10, 2026, 3:00 PM EST by email.
How to submit: Email to Contracting Officer Anne Torian (anne.torian@us.af.mil) and Program Manager Daniel Douglass (daniel.douglass.2@us.af.mil). What to include is under Full summary below. Check the solicitation's instructions on SAM.gov.
Things to watch
From the version posted Oct 29, 2026.
- Worth checking: Market research only, no contract yet. This sources sought won't lead to an award by itself; it helps the Air Force decide whether to set the later contract aside for small businesses.
- Worth checking: Broad cybersecurity and engineering scope. A small business would need to show capability across 11 areas, from a security operations center to logistics and fielding, or plan to team with others.
- Minor: Work starts in CY2030. The contract is years out and all dates and structures are notional, so plans and requirements may change before any solicitation.
Read from the notice text only.
Full summary
What they want
- Security Operations Center (SOC) operations and remote assessment and authorization (approval to run on Government networks)
- Software patching and baseline integrity, and maintaining a SCARS library
- Edge virtualization and modern deployment on SCARS On-Premise Equipment (OPE)
- Network integration and management
- Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE): engineering run from shared system models
- Governance of architecture standards
- Enterprise logistics and fielding, data requirements and security requirements
- A capability response showing your firm can do this work
- Contract type
- Planned mix: firm-fixed-price (FFP) contract line item numbers (CLINs) for services, cost-reimbursable CLINs for travel and studies/analysis tasks, other CLINs of any authorized type
- Period of performance
- Planned 4-year base period with six 1-year option periods and an optional 6-month extension; work would start in CY2030 with up to six months of transition and full performance in CY 2031 (all notional)
- Place of performance
- Dayton, OH, USA
- Estimated value
- Not stated
- Offers due
- December 10, 2026, 3:00 PM EST
- How to submit
- Email to Contracting Officer Anne Torian (anne.torian@us.af.mil) and Program Manager Daniel Douglass (daniel.douglass.2@us.af.mil)
What to include when you submit
- Send your response to both Anne Torian and Daniel Douglass
- Show your capability for the 11 SCARS requirement areas listed in the notice
- Send questions by email to Steve Godby, Anne Torian or Daniel Douglass
Not in the notice text
- Whether the later contract will be a small business set-aside or open to all
- The estimated value of the contract
- Any page limit or required format for the response
- Whether there is a current contractor doing this work
- What "C-Type contract" means for this buy; ask the contracting officer
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 29, 2026
- Notice type
- Sources Sought
- Office
- FA8635 Adv TRNG Cpbltes AFLCMC WNRK, Wright Patterson AFB, OH
- Product/service code
- DA01 · IT and Telecom – Business Application/Application Development Support Services (labor)
- Business type
- IT, software & telecom (FedReady's grouping, from NAICS 541511)
- 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
The Sources Sought results will assist the Air Force in determining whether this solicitation will be unrestricted competition or a small business set-aside for C-Type contract to fulfill Simulator Common Architecture Requirements and Standards (SCARS) requirements. The Government is assessing the capability of companies that may possess the expertise to competently and competitively respond to the following requirements for the SCARS program: For the SCARS Program, the contractor shall possess the capabilities to fulfill 1) Security Operations Center (SOC) Operations, 2) Remote Assessment & Authorization, 3) Software Patching Baseline Integrity, 4) Maintain a SCARS Library, 5) Edge Virtualization & Modern Deployment on SCARS On-Premise Equipment (OPE), 6) Network Integration & Management, 7) Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), 8) Governance of Architecture Standards, 9) Enterprise Logistics & Fielding, 10) Data Requirements and 11) Security Requirements. The contract will commence CY2030 with an anticipated transition period up to six (6) months leading to full operational performance in CY 2031. The anticipated structure includes a 4-year base period with six 1-year option periods and an optional 6-month extension of services (RFO 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services). All projected dates and contact structures are notional and subject to change based on market research and acquisition strategy approval. The Government anticipates the use of: Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Contract Line-item Numbers (CLINs): Services Cost Reimbursable CLINs: Travel and studies/analysis tasks Other: CLIN may be of any type authorized Further questions may be e-mailed to Contracting Officer, Steve Godby, steven.godby@us.af.mil, Contracting Officer, Anne Torian, anne.torian@us.af.mil, and Program Manager, Daniel Douglass, daniel.douglass.2@us.af.mil. Responses must be submitted via email to Contracting Officer, Anne Torian, anne.torian@us.af.mil and Program Manager, Daniel Douglass, daniel.douglass.2@us.af.mil and are due NLT 3:00 PM EST, 10 December 2026. The Government may converse with respondents regarding this RFI. Such conversations are solely intended to clarify potential capability to perform the requirements.
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