Fourth Gen Rocket Motor Semitrailer (RMS4)

-------- ATTENTION // OPENING UP FOR ROUND #3 OF RFI in BOLD below // RESPONSE REQUESTED. ---------  3/9/2026

AGENCY/ORGANIZATION:

Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFNWC/NIMT

WEAPON SYSTEM:

Minuteman III (MMIII) Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)

IPT:

Ground Mechanical 

RFI PURPOSE:

This RFI provides notice that the RMS4 program team is currently evaluating the availability and manufacturability of a form, fit, and function replacement.  The form, fit, function RMS4 replacement must meet the requirements in Attachment 1. General Requirements RMS4. 

NOTICE:

This notification is for market research purposes only to identify potential contractors who have the skills, experience, and knowledge required to successfully complete this effort for the RMS4 effort and is not to be construed as a solicitation.  The issuance of this RFI and responses thereto do not imply a commitment to release a solicitation.  A determination by the Government not to compete any or all portions of the work discussed in this RFI rests solely within the discretion of the Government.  The Government will not pay for time, effort, materials, or any other costs that arise as a consequence of responding or providing information related to this RFI.

The purpose of this Sources Sought Synopsis is to conduct market research to determine if responsible sources exist and if this effort can be competitive and/or a total Small Business Set-Aside.  The proposed North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) Code is intended to be 336212 or 336999 which have a corresponding size standard of 1,000 or fewer employees.  The Government will use this information to determine the best acquisition strategy for this procurement.  The Government is interested in all small business, to include 8(a), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, historically underutilized business zone (Hubzone), and Women-Owned small business concerns.

BACKGROUND:

The Air Force’s (AF) fleet of RMS must support the MMIII LGM-30G ICBM until the end of its operational life.  However, the existing challenge of parts obsolescence poses a significant obstacle to providing seamless support.  Additionally, a scarcity of spare parts, some entirely unobtainable, coupled with substantial engineering updates required by the Technical Data Package (TDP), further complicates the situation.  Given these considerations, the AF aims to develop a new design, create a new TDP, and ultimately increase the RMS fleet.  Procurement of 16 RMS4, including one to two RMS4 during the Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development (EMD) phase, will be required.  During Production, the AF expects to procure the remaining 14 or 15 RMS4 for a total of 16.

RMS DESCRIPTION:

The RMS provides transportation of MMIII Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 3 solid boosters or select combinations of individual stages, herein referred to as the Boosters, loaded into the Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 3 Operational Rocket Motor Carriages.  The RMS provides a transportation platform that limits excessive shock and vibration to the Boosters.  It also provides a temperature-controlled environment designed to keep the Boosters within their required temperature range during transportation.  The Environmental Control Unit provides the required temperature control by use of an on-board diesel fueled generator and a closed loop Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning unit. 

/////////////////////////// RFI # 3 BELOW ////////////////////

INFORMATION SOUGHT:

1. Provide a detailed overview of your company's sub-contractor management plan. This plan should address, at a minimum, your procedures for:
   
   1. Requirement Compliance: How do you ensure sub-contractors adhere to all contractual and project-specific requirements?
   2. Performance Management: What metrics and processes do you use to monitor and evaluate sub-contractor performance in meeting cost, schedule, and technical requirements?
   3. Specialized Processes: How do you oversee and ensure the quality of specialized work, such as welding, performed by sub-contractors?
   4. Integration: How do you plan to ensure comprehension of technical requirements and configuration management is performed uniformly across sub-contractors. 
2. If planning to sub-contract more than 20% of the work, please describe your company's position on including a clause in the Statement of Work (SOW) that provides the government with full rights to communicate with sub-contractors, audit sub-contractor records, visit sub-contractor facilities, and ultimately serve as oversight and approval of all sub-contractor events (e.g., Preliminary Design Review). 

RESPONSES:
Responsible and capable sources may identify their interest by providing a white-paper capability statement (limited to 2 pages) with sufficient information to substantiate that respondents can successfully perform all requirements.  Interested parties should make an earnest effort to thoroughly answer the Government’s questions.  Please see the RFI question set.  Government will consider responses to one or all purposes depending on company’s capability.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT:

Distribution of the RMS4’s Statement of Work and SRD are limited to contractors with a DD 2345 certified by the Defense Logistics Information Service, Joint Certification Program (1-877-352-2255) who have a legitimate business purpose.  As such, these Attachments cannot be provided to a contractor without a certification.  Contractors who would like to become certified can find the form and instructions at:

https://public.logisticsinformationservice.dla.mil/PublicHome/jcp/default.aspx.

Interested parties are advised that certification of a DD Form 2345 may take time, so completion and submission of that form as soon as possible is highly recommended.

This RFI is issued solely for informational and planning purposes.  No funds are available to fund the information requested.  The information in this notice is current as of the publication date but is subject to change and is not binding to the Government.  Oral submissions of information are not acceptable. For access to the attachments, your responses, and all questions related to the above please email to the following addresses: kyle.andersen@us.af.mil and torrey.boggs.2@us.af.mil

Submit the following information:

• Company Name and Address
• Cage Code
• Unique Identifier
• Company business size by North American Industry Classification (NAIC) code
• Small Business Type (s), if applicable
• Provide a response, including any recommendations and/or comments
• Point of Contact for questions and/or clarification
• Telephone Number and email address
• Web Page URL
• Teaming Partners (if applicable)
• Determination of Adequacy of your accounting system by DCMA and/or DCAA for Cost Type Contracts.

edit: limit adjusted to 10 pages

ATTACHMENTS / LINKS:

• Attachment 1. General Requirements RMS4
• RMS4 Response Template
• RMS4 Statement of Work