Aircraft Shelter Inspections

The 147th Air Tanker Wing of the Texas Air National Guard is seeking to sole source inspection services for its currently owned aircraft shelters, specifically those manufactured by Rubb Inc. The contract requires the contractor to provide all necessary management, tools, supplies, equipment, and labor to perform maintenance inspections on these structures. These inspections are designed to be bi-annual or triggered after exposure to significant wind or snow loads near the design limits. Key inspection activities include checking the fabric tension around the perimeter, tension rods along the foundations, shackles, PVC covering, corrosion status, bolt tightness, and the condition of wind bracing and node restraint cables. The contractor must also inspect steel components for any damage, with repairs or replacements carried out as needed. The sole source approach is justified because the aircraft shelters’ warranty is contingent on services being performed by Rubb Inc., the original manufacturer. Engaging any other supplier would void the warranty, a risk the Texas Air National Guard is unwilling to accept. The work will be conducted in Houston, Texas, and the solicitation has a deadline for responses by March 5, 2026. MSgt Buddy Ciemiengo is the primary point of contact for this procurement under the Department of Defense, and no set-aside preferences are applied. The NAICS code for this contract is 332311, indicating a focus on steel product manufacturing and inspection, and all requirements must adhere to specified standards, such as those outlined in the AISC steel manual for bolt tensioning.