Extreme Loads Tire Force Machine

The U.S. Air Force, through the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) Acquisition Branch under the Department of Defense, is seeking market information for the design, fabrication, installation, and integration of an Extreme Loads Tire Force Machine (EL-TFM) to address a critical capability gap in aircraft tire testing. The solicitation, identified by FA9101ELTFM and posted on May 14, 2026, is a Request for Information (RFI) with a response deadline of May 4, 2026, and is aimed at gathering industry input to inform a potential future procurement. The EL-TFM must be capable of applying dynamic vertical, yaw, and roll loads up to 250,000 lbs on large aircraft tires at speeds up to 6 inches per second while measuring all six axes of force and moment data; the system will be installed and tested at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, with the contracting office located at Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee. Respondents must demonstrate the ability to deliver a fully integrated system including detailed program documentation, training manuals, and a Rough Order of Magnitude cost estimate by major component, all in compliance with the restricted Extreme Loads Tire Force Machine Specification (Tire/Wheel) dated September 17, 2025, which is accessible only upon request from the Contracting Officer. Proposals must be submitted electronically via email to [email hidden] and are strictly limited to 15 single-sided pages total, with Section 2 of the response capped at 10 pages. Offerors are required to be registered in SAM.gov, possess a valid Unique Entity ID (UEI), and certify their business size under NAICS code 334519, which has a $16.5 million annual receipts threshold. Submissions must clearly identify key personnel with relevant experience in force measurement systems or aerospace test equipment, detail subcontracting approaches, and mark any proprietary information appropriately, as all materials become Government property upon submission. The RFI does not include contract clauses, evaluation factors, pricing data, or award criteria since it is strictly a market research tool; formal contract terms, funding levels, and procurement strategy will be developed after reviewing responses. No physical deliveries, hard copies, or alternate submission methods are accepted, and no security clearance, organizational conflict of interest, or contract option requirements are currently specified.