Exception to Fair Opportunity - F-15

This contract is a sole-source bridge task order issued under the GSA OASIS+ Small Business MAC IDIQ vehicle to provide continuous Acquisition and Assistance Services (A&AS) for the U.S. Air Force F-15 program under the EPASS initiative. The contract, identified by solicitation number FA8622-26-F-B004, was awarded without competition to Astron Group, LLC (formerly Oasis Systems, LLC), based on a justified exception to fair opportunity under FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B) due to the uniquely specialized nature of the services and the contractor’s irreplaceable institutional knowledge, security clearances, and existing infrastructure. The base performance period runs from June 1, 2026, to August 31, 2026, with a one-year option extending through August 31, 2027, and a potential six-month extension under FAR 52.217-8 to February 29, 2028, to ensure uninterrupted support during an ongoing GAO protest of the follow-on procurement. The work is performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, under cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursable CLINs covering labor, travel, other direct costs, and contractor acquisition fees, with no specific contract value disclosed. Personnel must maintain appropriate security clearances, and performance is governed by strict continuity requirements to prevent mission disruption. The award is contingent on the outcome of the GAO protest, with a re-competition mandated if the protest is sustained. The contracting office is AFLCMC/AZS, and the action was certified by program management, contracting, and legal officials, with all justifications tied to maintaining mission-critical support for F-15 research, development, and sustainment activities under mandatory EPASS program guidelines.