COMBAT REFUELING & OPERATIONS NETWORKED UNIVERSAL SYSTEMS (CRONUS)_JOINT KC-135 ELECTRIFIED BOOM LAB_(RFI)

The Air Force Research Laboratory issued this Request for Information under the Combat Refueling and Operations Networked Universal Systems (CRONUS) initiative to identify industry partners for the installation of a KC-135 Electrified Boom Automation Lab. Located at the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, the lab is designed to bridge the gap between laboratory research, prototyping, and platform integration. The scope of work encompasses the design, engineering, fabrication, integration, installation, and testing of a fully functional lab. Key technical requirements include a structural support system for the tail section and boom, an overhead actuation system for full refueling envelope movement, a digital hardware interface for command and status reporting, and necessary facility modifications. Performance specifications require the boom to travel laterally and vertically at adjustable speeds of 0.25 to 3.0 degrees per second and retract or extend at speeds of 0.25 to 1.0 foot per second. The anticipated contract structure is a Cost Plus Fixed Fee arrangement consisting of a 12-month design and installation base period followed by a 12-month maintenance and support option period. Required deliverables include a project management plan, certified engineering drawings, monthly status reports, an acceptance test plan, and a system safety program plan adhering to MIL-STD-882. As this is an RFI for informational and budgetary planning purposes, the government is requesting a Rough Order of Magnitude cost estimate from interested parties. Responses must be submitted by September 6, 2026, and must include specific company metadata, such as CAGE codes and UEI numbers, while adhering to a six-page limit. All submissions must comply with Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) marking and export control restrictions under the Arms Export Control Act.