Sources Sought
AMXG Aircraft Painters Follow-On
Dept of Defense · Dept of the Air Force · Sol. 82189
Due in 12 days8(a)
AI summary Beta
The Air Force's 402d Aircraft Maintenance Group at Robins AFB (Warner Robins, GA) is doing market research for a follow-on contract for aircraft painters and painter supervisors. The contractor would supply the labor for depot paint and de-paint work on C-5, C-17, C-130, F-15 and Global Hawk aircraft, working on site alongside government civilian employees. This is a Sources Sought notice (a request for company capability information, not a request for bids), and the contract length is not stated.
Watch out for
- Secret clearance required. Every painter and supervisor needs a valid Secret clearance, which is slow and costly for a small firm to arrange and keep.
This requirement does require a Secret
- Very tight staffing and fill-rate rules. You must keep at least 95% of every position filled each month and replace vacancies, with clearances done, within 30 days, so a thin bench is risky.
The Contractor shall maintain a minimum monthly staffing fill rate of 95%
- Set-aside status conflicts. SAM.gov shows an 8(a) set-aside, but the Sources Sought document says no set-aside decision has been made, so check your eligibility before investing time.
No set aside decision has been made; however, the Government will determine the final strategy after thorough analysis of the small business responses
- Fast ramp-up with an unpaid phase-in. You must match the incumbent's workforce within 14 days and reach full staffing in 90 days, and the 14-day phase-in cannot be billed.
The phase-in period shall not be billed to the Government.
- Paid only for filled positions. Invoices cover only positions actually filled and hours actually worked, so vacancies cost you revenue.
Invoices will only be accepted for the actual number of filled
- Contractor pays for PPE, physicals and respirator fit tests. Initial and annual physicals, respirator fit tests and much of the protective gear are your cost, which adds overhead and delays onboarding.
annual Physicals and Respirator Fit Tests. The scheduling and associated costs
- DCAA-auditable accounting system. A small business without a DFARS-compliant accounting system may need to build one before it can bid.
the criteria set forth in DFARS 252.242-7006, Accounting System Administration.
- Strict safety record. The PWS tolerates no Class A or B mishaps and at most two Class C mishaps per year, and violations can be grounds for termination.
two Class C mishaps per contract year and Zero Class A or B mishaps will be tolerated.
- Shift work and overtime. Normal hours are 6 AM to 2 PM, but swing shift, owl shift and overtime may be required with 48 hours notice of schedule changes.
typical work hours/shift will be 0600-1400, Monday through Friday.
- Market research only, draft PWS. This is a Sources Sought, not a solicitation, and the PWS is a draft, so requirements, set-aside and contract structure can still change.
This market survey is being conducted to identify potential sources
Read from the notice and 2 attachments.
- DRAFT - 82189 - PWS - 2 Oct 26.pdf
- Sources Sought - AMXG Aircraft Painters.docx
Full brief
What they want
- Aircraft Painters (government equivalent WG-4102-9) to prepare, prime, paint, mark and strip (de-paint) aircraft
- Contractor Supervisors (WG-4102-10), with a stated 1:20 supervisor-to-employee ratio, who take daily work assignments and keep crews compliant
- Related shop work: internal fuel tank servicing, sealant removal, fuel cell brace removal, chemical decontamination and parts cleaning help
- Staff up fast: match the current incumbent workforce within 14 days of award and reach 100% of authorized staffing within 90 days
- Keep at least a 95% monthly fill rate per position, and replace vacancies within 30 days (including any clearances)
- Monthly Status Report (due the 10th), Funds and Man-Hours Expenditure Report (every 28 days), and daily labor tracking in Government systems
- Complete Government-mandated training (new employee orientation, PAC certification, OJT within 120 days of hire)
- Post-award plans and forms: Safety Plan in 10 days, Quality Control Plan in 30 days, NDAs within 5 business days
- Place of performance
- Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex, Robins AFB, GA: hangars 50, 54, 59D, 59P, 89, 131, 137 and 2390, plus flight line ramp/industrial areas and other buildings as required
- Offers due
- 11:00 am Eastern Time on 21 October 2026 (SAM.gov lists 2026-10-21 11:00 AM, UTC-04:00)
- How to submit
- Email to Erika Dennard (Erika.Dennard@us.af.mil) and Kerri Fox (Kerri.Fox@us.af.mil); attachments not to exceed 10 MB per email, multiple emails are acceptable
What to include when you submit
- Capability Survey Part I: company name, address, point of contact, CAGE code, phone, email, web page, and small business status for NAICS 488190 (small, woman-owned, small disadvantaged, 8(a), HUBZone, veteran-owned, service-disabled veteran)
- Say whether you are registered in SAM and whether the company is domestically or foreign owned
- Capability Survey Part II: describe similar past projects (contract numbers, work performed, period of performance, agency, point of contact), your quality program (ISO 9001, AS9100, etc.), your painter recruiting and retention strategy, and your ability to scale to 2nd and 3rd shifts
- Provide documentation supporting your capability; teaming or joint venture evidence (emails, letters stating each member's role) is encouraged but not required
- If you only want to be a subcontractor, state the portion of the work you can do; also identify any work that should be set aside exclusively for small business
- Use a readable electronic format that can pass through a firewall
You must have
- Secret security clearance for contractor personnel, with Government-required background checks and base access
This requirement does require a Secret
- Journeyman-level aircraft painters with at least 2 years of hands-on experience (new hires may qualify after a 90-day supervised training period)
possess a minimum of Journeyman-level proficiency as defined by the
- Timekeeping and accounting system that meets DFARS 252.242-7006 and can be audited by DCAA
the criteria set forth in DFARS 252.242-7006, Accounting System Administration.
- Active SAM registration (the capability survey asks whether you are registered)
System for Award Management (SAM) (Yes / No)
- Employees must have base ID, vehicle pass, CAC, Controlled Area Access Card and airfield driving certificate, all arranged by the contractor through the COR
contractor shall obtain base identification and vehicle passes, if required, for
- Set-aside status is unclear: SAM.gov lists an 8(a) set-aside, but the Sources Sought document says no set-aside decision has been made
No set aside decision has been made; however, the Government will determine the final strategy after thorough analysis of the small business responses
Current contractor
The title says 'Follow-On' and the PWS refers to the 'current incumbent workforce', but no incumbent company or contract number is named.
Not in the notice text
- Contract type, contract vehicle and whether work will be ordered through task orders (the PWS mentions task orders and CLINs but does not say how they are structured)
- Length of the period of performance, including any option years
- Estimated contract value, number of painter and supervisor positions, and contract production hours
- Final set-aside decision (SAM.gov says 8(a); the Sources Sought document says no decision has been made)
- Evaluation method and factors for any future solicitation
- Whether the draft PWS will change, and the details of the CDRLs, Appendix C safety requirements and wage determination, which are referenced but not provided
- Name of the current contractor and prior contract number
Is this a fit for your business?
Create a free accountFedReady checks notices like this against your business profile, tracks deadlines, and alerts you to new matches. Creating an account is free.
Key facts
- Response due
- Oct 21, 2026, 3:00 PM UTC
- Posted
- Oct 7, 2026
- Notice type
- Sources Sought
- Solicitation
- 82189
- Agency
- Dept of Defense · Dept of the Air Force
- Office
- FA8571 Maint Contracting Afsc Pzim
- Set-aside
- 8(a) Set-Aside (FAR 19.8)
- NAICS
- 488190
- Business type
- Transportation, logistics & vehicles
- Place of performance
- Warner Robins, GA, 31098
- Contracting contact
- Kerri Foxkerri.fox@us.af.mil4789268899
- Versions
- 2 (amended since first posted)
Full notice text from SAM.gov
The Contractor shall provide all labor and technical services for depot on-site paint and de-paint operations at Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex (WR-ALC), 402d Aircraft Maintenance Group (AMXG), Robins Air Force Base (AFB), Georgia in support of daily operations in relation to current and incoming workload for the C-5, C-17, C-130, F-15, and Global Hawk, weapon systems to include future paint and de-paint workload as necessary. (See PWS for full details)
Similar open opportunities
- SCARNG Regional Aviation Phase Support Center for AH-64E Aircraft Maintenance SupportThe South Carolina Army National Guard plans an 8(a) small business set-aside for non-personal maintenance services on AH-64E Apache helicopters at Eastover, SC. This is a…
- NSN 1680014262704; COVER,SPINNER ASSY; WSDC CXNDLA Aviation plans to buy 30 spinner cover assemblies (NSN 1680014262704) under a firm fixed price contract.
- Aircraft Maintenance Fixture for KC-135 Spoiler ActuatorThe Air Force (AFSC PZAAC, Warner Robins, GA) is doing market research for an aircraft maintenance fixture used to test the KC-135 spoiler actuator.
- Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Aircraft Program for the Purchase of Four Air Refueling Aircraft, Three-to-Five-Year Sustainment Package, Contractor Logistic Support (CLS), and Training.The Air Force (AFLCMC at Wright-Patterson AFB) is doing market research for a Foreign Military Sales program to prepare up to four KC-10 Extender tanker aircraft, transferred as…
- NOAA P-3 Rolls-Royce Maintenance & Support Service