Cockpit Voice Recorder Kits and Installations for the MV-22 Aircraft

The Naval Air Systems Command’s V-22 Joint Program Office awarded Delivery Order N0001926F0003 under Basic Ordering Agreement N0001922G0002 to the Bell Boeing Joint Program Office on a sole-source basis for the procurement and installation of Cockpit Voice Recorder kits on MV-22 aircraft, with performance primarily located in Florida and administrative oversight based in Patuxent River, Maryland. This non-competitive award is justified under FAR 6.302-1, as Bell Boeing is the only responsible source due to its exclusive ownership of technical data, unparalleled engineering expertise, and prior integration of foundational systems, making competition impractical and potentially disruptive to ongoing sustainment efforts. The Cockpit Voice Recorder retrofit is a prerequisite for other previously contracted modifications, and the government lacks the rights to the underlying technical data necessary to enable broader competition. The order is part of a larger $1.273 billion Basic Ordering Agreement spanning Fiscal Years 2022 through 2027, encompassing engineering change proposals, software upgrades, logistics support, obsolescence mitigation, and production transition activities. No competitive evaluation factors, line-item pricing, or detailed inspection criteria were specified in the documentation, and the award relies entirely on the contractor’s unique capabilities rather than trade-off or lowest-price technically acceptable methodologies. Packaging, marking, and preservation requirements are presumed to follow MIL-STD-31000A for technical data and product identification, while bar-coding aligns with standard defense logistics protocols. The contracting office, point of contact, and invoicing systems are not fully detailed, but administration is managed by NAVAIR PMA-275 with funding anticipated from multi-year appropriated accounts. Bell Boeing’s status as a large business and the absence of any small business set-aside confirm the non-competitive nature of the acquisition.