16--GUIDE,SHAFT,STEERING

The contract solicitation SPE4A7-26-R-0662 seeks a total small business set-aside for the procurement of one unit of the steering shaft guide, NSN 1620-00-299-1295, under a firm fixed-price contract with a delivery period of 660 days after order receipt. The item is subject to stringent export control requirements under ITAR or EAR, prohibiting any disclosure or transfer of associated technical data to foreign persons without prior authorization from the Department of State or Commerce; compliance with DFARS 252.225-7048 is mandatory, and access is restricted to contractors with approved US/Canada Joint Certification Program status, documented training on DOD export-controlled data, and formal approval from DLA. Packaging and marking must adhere to MIL-STD-129 and DLA-specific packaging requirements RP001, including bare item identification as specified in RQ017, with first article testing requiring detailed internal documentation such as contracts, test reports, material certifications, drawings, and a pre-paid return label, all enclosed in shipping containers prominently marked “First Article Exhibits - Do Not Post to Stock.” Delivery must be traceable via certified mail, UPS, or FedEx. Inspection and acceptance occur at the contractor’s facility, with quality standards requiring ISO 9001:2015 certification for both manufacturers and non-manufacturers and sampling conducted under MIL-STD-1916 or equivalent zero-based plans. The solicitation mandates strict compliance with cybersecurity maturity model certification level 2 via a certified third-party assessment organization, and all offerors must be registered in SAM with current, accurate representations including disclosures on foreign ownership and covered telecommunications equipment. Payment submissions must be made electronically via WAWF with specific documentation types required for cost-type, fixed-price deliverable, and service-only line items, and accelerated payments to small business subcontractors are incentivized. The evaluation will be based on best value, weighing past performance as significantly more important than other non-price factors using SPRS assessments, with the government’s first article testing cost of $7,990 added to each offer. The contractor must comply with DPAS priorities and cannot substitute surplus material unless it meets current contract requirements, and all subcontracting activities are governed by clauses addressing debarred entities, inverted domestic corporations, and state sponsors of terrorism. Offers must be submitted via DIBBS or email with a hard limit of 1