Light Attack Aircraft - FA8637-20-C-1000

The Development and Integration Division within the Fighters and Bombers Directorate (AFLCMC/WWB) intends to solicit a proposal and award a contract from one source, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), for the production and delivery of one to three A-29 aircraft, training, and sustainment. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has a specific requirement to provide Combat Aviation Advisors (CAA) to foreign partner nations operating A-29s. AFSOC requires a home station A-29 training capability to accomplish this mission. This training capability is currently a gap that the USAF will address with the acquisition of one to three LAA A-29 aircraft. The SNC A-29 is currently proliferated across Partner Nations (PNs) with additional PNs in the process of procuring more. AFSOC's current CAA mission includes training and qualifying AFSOC A-29 Instructor Pilots (IPs) who are then deployed to PNs operating A-29s to provide teaching, mentoring, consultation, and advice on employing the A-29. AFSOC pilots, after CAA training in CONUS, embed with PN air forces at their home locations, flying PN aircraft, and teaching PN pilots how to best employ the weapon system. The CAA objective is to enhance PNs' ability to effectively employ the A-29 as a weapon system. The result will be to enable PNs to better accomplish Counter Violent Extremist Operations mission requirements in support of their own Foreign Internal Defense strategies. Currently, AFSOC IPs train on foreign-owned A-29 aircraft. As these aircraft are delivered to foreign nations, AFSOC will lose the ability to train and certify IPs on the A-29 in the absence of US-owned aircraft. It is anticipated that a formal solicitation will be released in 1Q FY20 and a contract will be awarded in the 1Q FY20. The effort will be awarded using other than full and open competition to the successful offeror under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1 -Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) is the only firm that appears to possess the capability necessary to meet the requirement described above and within the Air Force's time frame without causing an unacceptable delay in meeting the needs of the warfighter. The small business size standard associated with NAICS 336411 (Aircraft Manufacturing) is 1,500 employees. The Government intends to solicit a proposal from the source identified above and award one contract under the authority of FAR 6.302-1(a)(2). Follow-on contracts within the scope of the individual Justification and Approval (J&A) may be awarded to the source identified above. This NOCA neither constitutes a Request for Proposal (RFP) nor an Invitation for Bid (IFB), nor does it restrict the Government to any specific acquisition approach. This NOCA is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment to a contract by the Government. An Ombudsman has been appointed to hear concerns from offerors or potential offerors. The Ombudsman does not diminish the authority of the program manager or contracting officer, but communicates contractor concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations to the appropriate Government personnel. When requested, the Ombudsman shall maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The Ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals or in the selection process. The Ombudsman is Lt Col Brian Miller, AFLCMC/AQ-AZ. He may be contacted at 937-255-5512 or email at brian.miller.15@us.af.mil. Matters of routing or administrative nature concerning this acquisition should not be addressed to the Ombudsman, but rather to the Contracting Point Of Contract identified below. Responsible or interested parties may contact the Contracting Point of Contact, Devon Aey, AFLCMC/WWB at e-mail devon.aey@us.af.mil on or before 12 NOV 2019, 11:59pm EST.