Request for Whitepaper (RWP) for Afocal Relay Optics

Arnold Engineering Development Complex is soliciting whitepapers through an Other Transaction Agreement under 10 U.S.C. § 4022 to identify qualified performers for the design, fabrication, and installation of new afocal relay optics for antechambers at Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee. This solicitation, designated FA910126RWP_Afocal, is not subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation and is structured as a prototyping effort aimed at fostering innovative solutions from nontraditional defense contractors, small businesses, or entities meeting alternative funding criteria. Respondents must submit a whitepaper organized into five mandatory sections: Technical Competency, Execution Plan, Intellectual Property and Data Rights, Compliance with 10 U.S.C. § 4022(d), and Pricing, with the base phase requiring a Firm Fixed Price and option phases requiring a Rough Order of Magnitude estimate. Submission of the Statement of Objectives is due by May 14, 2026, and full whitepaper responses by May 20, 2026, at 1:00 PM Central Time. Access to critical technical documentation marked as Distribution D is contingent upon successful validation of the offeror’s NIST SP 800-171 compliance and active Joint Certification Program certification, requiring submission of the company’s CAGE code for vetting. Performance must adhere to CMMC Level 2 certification by November 10, 2026, with annual affirmations in SPRS, mandatory System Security Plans, and prompt reporting of any cyber incidents involving Controlled Unclassified Information within 72 hours. The Performer must also comply with stringent operational security protocols, including prior government approval for any public disclosure of work, prohibition of ByteDance-affiliated applications across all project IT systems, and adherence to nondiscrimination policies that flow down to subcontractors. Delivery and acceptance will occur at Arnold Air Force Base, with title transferring only upon formal government acceptance. Invoicing is exclusively through WAWF using DoDAAC F03000, and customs documentation must include Duty-Free Entry notation per Harmonized Tariff Schedule 9808.00.30 with coordination through DCMA. The government retains unrestricted audit rights through the Comptroller General for three years after final payment, and any option exercise requires bilateral written agreement with mutual consent on scope, schedule, and funding. The award will be made on a best-value trade-off basis evaluating technical merit against proposed