Pre-Solicitation Notice / Intent to Sole Source - SNC PUMA DARTs

The U.S. Air Force is pursuing a sole-source acquisition under FAR 6.302-1 for the Puma DART communications system, a specialized, single-man-portable, multi-channel solution exclusively manufactured by Sierra Nevada Corporation and certified by the Joint Special Operations Command for use in Special Operations Aviation Regiment missions. The requirement calls for two new Puma Ground Kits and the refurbishment of nineteen existing Puma DART kits to ensure operational readiness, with delivery and performance centered at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, and primary contracting oversight managed by the 6th Contracting Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. This action is justified solely on the basis that the Puma DART system, equipped with 50 watts of RF power, integrated SATCOM, ICS, and LOS capabilities, along with a diplexer/combiner and low-noise amplifiers, is a unique, non-replaceable asset with no other responsible source capable of meeting the mission-critical performance standards. The procurement falls under PSC 5810 and NAICS 334290, with no set-aside provisions, and no competitive evaluation factors are applied due to the non-competitive nature of the acquisition. The pre-solicitation notice was published to fulfill FAR 5.101 requirements and remains open for an eight-day window to allow for public comment and potential future competition, though the government has determined no alternatives exist. Submission of responses was required by March 25, 2026, via email to the designated contracting specialist, and must include company information, SAM.gov registration, business size, distributor verification, and a narrative of technical experience limited to four pages. Although pricing, contract type, and exact delivery schedule are not disclosed, the acquisition is expected to be awarded as a firm-fixed-price contract based on fair and reasonable pricing certification and vendor compliance with SNC specifications. All deliverables must undergo on-site functional demonstration to confirm compliance with JSOC-certified technical requirements, and no formal inspection criteria, packaging standards, labeling, or CAGE/UEI details were explicitly provided, though vendor certification of authenticity is mandatory. No COR or COTR is identified, and payment, accounting, or invoicing mechanisms remain unspecified in the available documentation.