GOVERNMENT FIRST ARTICLE TEST

The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency awarded Contract SPE4A726P7993 to THOMAS INSTRUMENT, INCORPORATED (CAGE 5H860) for $209,469.00 on March 25, 2026, under Solicitation SPE4A7-26-T-4666, to provide a single line item: a Control Surface Aircraft Kit (NSN/Part 0001S00000052), with no option quantities or additional pricing tiers. Performance is to occur at the contractor’s facility in Brookshire, Texas, with inspection and acceptance also conducted at origin under FOB Origin terms, meaning the Government assumes transportation costs and risk upon shipment. The delivery schedule requires fulfillment within 415 days of the order date. Compliance with stringent packaging and marking standards is mandated, including MIL-STD-129 for labeling and barcoding, FED-STD-313 or TQ IP025 for hazardous material handling, and specific exterior markings for test samples that must prominently state “Product Verification Test Samples - Do Not Post to Stock” alongside the contract and lot number. The contract requires adherence to AS9100D certification and uses government-directed sampling criteria, including Critical, Major, and Minor inspection levels with corresponding Acceptable Quality Levels of 0.1%, 1.0%, and 4.0% respectively. Cybersecurity is heavily emphasized, with mandatory compliance to NIST SP 800-171 for protecting Covered Defense Information, CMMC Level 2 certification, and flow-down requirements to subcontractors. The contractor must report cyber incidents within 72 hours, maintain a System Security Plan, and submit performance data to the Supplier Performance Risk System. Additional regulatory compliance includes prohibitions on sourcing equipment or services from Kaspersky, ByteDance, or certain Chinese telecommunications entities, as well as adherence to Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act Orders. The contract incorporates numerous FAR and DFARS clauses covering Equal Opportunity, Small Business Utilization, Whistleblower Rights, Antiterrorism Training, and Safeguarding of Information Systems. Payment is processed exclusively through the Wide Area WorkFlow system using electronic invoicing, with remittance directed to the U.S. Army Financial Center in Columbus, Ohio. Oversight is managed by the DLA Aviation office in Richmond, Virginia, with contract administration handled by DCMA South in Madison