Request for Information (RFI) for B-52 Advanced Wing Weapons Pylon (AWWP)_Amended

The U.S. Air Force is conducting market research through a Request for Information (RFI) to identify industry capabilities for the design, development, testing, and manufacturing of a B-52 Advanced Wing Weapons Pylon (AWWP) capable of carrying munitions up to 20,000 pounds. The pylon must be fully compatible with existing B-52 aircraft systems and meet MIL-STD-1760E interface standards, while also possessing dual conventional and nuclear certification to support the bomber’s strategic mission requirements. Proposals must demonstrate aerospace production expertise, digital engineering practices including 3D modeling traceability and common drawing trees, and adherence to airworthiness certification standards referenced in MIL-HDBK-516C. The effort includes the design and fabrication of ground support equipment for loading, unloading, and transporting the pylon, as well as delivering comprehensive technical documentation such as technical orders, schematic packages, and operations and maintenance manuals. Initial production is expected to include 20 to 24 pylons, with potential for follow-on production runs. All responses must come from companies with proven experience with fixed-wing military aircraft, especially the B-52, and must adhere to strict format requirements including 12-point Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins, a 20-page limit, and submission in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format with the project number and title included in the subject line. Respondents are required to provide detailed information on their organizational capacity, including company identification, CAGE and DUNS codes, business size under NAICS 336413 with a 1,500-employee size standard, and socioeconomic status such as Small Business, HUBZone, or SDVOSB designation. Compliance with security and cybersecurity requirements is mandatory, including demonstrating current CMMC levels or progress toward NIST SP 800-171 compliance, possessing a Facility Clearance level, confirming personnel with active Secret or TS/SCI clearances, and showing the ability to handle Controlled Unclassified Information. The proposed solution must include cybersecurity features such as encryption, hardware trust, and tamper resistance, and must be supported by a qualified quality assurance system compliant with ANSI/ASQ Q9001 and SAE AS9100. Contractors must also have a Counterfeit Prevention Plan compliant with SAE AS5553, a proactive DMSMS program, and must articulate their approach to mitigating supply chain risks, particularly regarding the