Special Notice (Request for Information (RFI)) for Modern Unmanned-warfare Systems Environment (MUSE)

UPDATED INTERESTED PARTIES LIST UPLOADED 19 MAR 2026.

Amendment No. 2 to Special Notice FA8750-25-R-B010:

Update on 05 MAR 2026:

NEW SPECIAL NOTICE:

AFRL/RIKD is conducting market research for a potential requirement. Please note this Request for Information (RFI) is for planning purposes only, see Attachment No. 1 for instructions on capability statements. The information obtained from responses to this notice may be used to inform a future acquisition strategy and solicitation, should one be issued. The general scope for this potential effort is to perform multiple activities necessary to achieve superiority in MUSE technology. Please refer to Attachment No. 2, Draft Statement of Work (SOW), for additional information. To fulfill this requirement, Contractor employees will need to obtain Common Access Cards (CACs). Performance may require Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) Facility and collateral secret safeguarding clearance identified on a task order basis.

The Government is considering establishing a Cost-Plus-Fixed- Fee (CPFF) Level of Effort (LOE)/Term Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with a performance period of 6-7 years. Anticipated funding types are Research Development Test & Evaluation (RDT&E), Procurement, and Operations & Maintenance (O&M). Please note that the contract type and duration are subject to change as the acquisition strategy is developed.

Responses to this RFI are requested from small businesses and will be used for market research purposes and possible set-aside. Should the determination be made to select this as a small business set-aside, another notice will be posted reflecting such.  Request large businesses also respond to all POCs listed below, only to express their interest in submitting a proposal, should this acquisition not be a small business set-aside.  Respondents to this announcement should indicate whether they are a small business, 8(a) concern, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, or women-owned small business. As discussed at FAR 19.104-1(a)(1) and (2), in making small business set-asides, there must be a reasonable expectation that offers will be obtained from at least two responsible small business concerns and, for R&D work, a reasonable expectation of obtaining from small businesses the best scientific and technological sources consistent with the demands of the proposed acquisition for the best mix of cost, performances, and schedules.

In addition please note that FAR 19.104-3(c) states that for small business set-asides, for supplies, services, and construction, if any portion of the requirement is to be set aside for small business and the contract amount is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, and in any solicitations and contracts that are set aside or awarded on a sole-source basis in accordance with sections 19.105, 19.106, 19.107, and 19.108, regardless of dollar value, and is required to comply as follows:

For a contract or order assigned a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for services (except construction), it will not pay more than 50 percent of the amount paid by the Government for contract performance to subcontractors that are not similarly situated entities. Any work that a similarly situated entity further subcontracts will count towards the concern’s 50 percent subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. Other direct costs may be excluded to the extent they are not the principal purpose of the acquisition and small business concerns do not provide the service, such as airline travel, cloud computing services, or mass media purchases according to 13 CFR §125.6. When a contract includes both services and supplies, the 50 percent limitation shall apply only to the service portion of the contract.

For a contract or order assigned a NAICS code for supplies or products (other than a procurement from a nonmanufacturer of such supplies or products), it will not pay more than 50 percent of the amount paid by the Government for contract performance, excluding the cost of materials, to subcontractors that are not similarly situated entities. Any work that a similarly situated entity further subcontracts will count towards the concern's 50 percent subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. When a contract includes both supplies and services, the 50 percent limitation shall apply only to the supply portion of the contract.

A similarly situated entity is defined as a small business subcontractor that is a participant of the same small business program as the prime contractor and is small for the NAICS code assigned by the prime contractor to the subcontract.  Only a first-tier subcontractor, however, can be counted as a similarly situated entity.

The period of time used to calculate compliance with the limitations on subcontracting will be the base term and then each subsequent option period.  For task orders issued under total or partial set-aside contracts, the contracting officer can also require the firm to comply with the limitations on subcontracting for each order.  For task orders set aside for small business under full-and-open contracts, the agency will use the period of performance for each order to determine compliance.

The 50 percent participation for supplies and services can be achieved by small businesses using a joint venture as long as the joint venture agrees that their combined effort meets the 50 percent requirement. If the joint venture involves a small business protégé and its mentor approved by the SBA, the small business protégé must perform at least 40 percent of the work performed by the joint venture. This work must be more than administrative functions.

It is important to note that this Request for Information (RFI) is not a Request for Proposal (RFP). This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. The notice's goal is to identify qualified sources and assess the market's technical capabilities. Any information provided to the Government as a result of this RFI is voluntary. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of submission of responses or the Government’s use of such information. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the review.

Per Attachment No. 1 the Response Date for the Capability Statement is 3PM (EST) MON 06 APR 2026

INTERESTED PARTIES LIST

An updated Interested Parties List is attached (Attachment No. 3). If you would like to be added to this list, or if your contact information or Small Business status needs to be updated, please email the Points of Contact (POCs) listed below.

POINT OF CONTACT (POC) for ALL RESPONSES:

Matthew Zawisza, MUSE Acquisition Program Manager

(315) 330-4922

matthew.zawisza@us.af.mil

Meghan Thomas, Contracting Officer

(315) 330-2177

Meghan.thomas.1@us.af.mil

Patrick Cerminaro, Contract Specialist

(315) 330-2361

patrick.cerminaro@us.af.mil

FOR FULL ANNOUNCEMENT DETAILS PLEASE SEE ATTACHMENTS.

Attachment No. 1: Instructions for Capability Statements _ 5 Mar 2026

Attachment No. 2: Draft SOW entitled MUSE dated 09 May 2025

Attachment No. 3: Updated Interested Parties List _ 05 Mar 2026

<END OF NEW SPECIAL NOTICE DATED 5 MAR 2026>

(OLD) Amendment No. 1 to Special Notice FA8750-25-R-B010:

Update on 22 Aug 2025, Posted Releasable Industry Day Slides, Industry Day Attendees List, Interested Parties List, & Questions & Answers from Industry Day*

Attachment No.1: Industry Day Slides

Attachment No.2: Industry Day Registrants/Attendees

Attachment No.3: Interested Parties List*

Attachment No.4: Question & Answers from Industry Day**

*The Interested Parties List will be utilized going forward (vs. the Attendees list) and posted with the Sources Sought Notice that is forthcoming.  Please email Meghan Thomas, Meghan.Thomas.1@us.af.mil, and Pat Cerminaro, patrick.cerminaro@us.af.mil, if you would like to be added to the Interested Parties List.

**Please note the Government intends to answer any additional questions during the first week of the Sources Sought Notice that is forthcoming.  

ORIGINAL POST:

DESCRIPTION:

AFRL/RIKD is conducting market research for a potential requirement. Please note this Request for Information (RFI) is for planning purposes only, see Attachment No. 1 for instructions on capability statements. The information obtained from responses to this notice may be used to inform a future acquisition strategy and solicitation, should one be issued. The general scope for this potential effort is to perform multiple activities necessary to achieve superiority in MUSE technology. Please refer to Attachment No. 2, Draft Statement of Work (SOW), for additional information. To fulfill this requirement, Contractor employees will need to obtain Common Access Cards (CACs). Performance may require Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) Facility and collateral secret safeguarding clearance identified on a task order basis.

The Government is considering establishing a Cost-Plus-Fixed- Fee (CPFF) Level of Effort (LOE)/Term Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with a performance period of 6-7 years. Anticipated funding types are Research Development Test & Evaluation (RDT&E), Procurement, and Operations & Maintenance (O&M). Please note that the contract type and duration are subject to change as the acquisition strategy is developed.

Evaluation of the initial capability package inquiry received in response to the attached Request for Information (RFI-RIKD-25-R-B010) will not yet result in a determination that a small business set-aside could be established.

A Sources Sought notice for this effort is anticipated to be released after Industry Day, during the last quarter of FY25.  The determination for a small business set-aside will be established based on the submissions to the Sources Sought.

RFI/SPECIAL NOTICE. This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or an indication that a contractual commitment will exist for this requirement.  The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this Request for Information.  No funds are available to fund the information requested.

INDUSTRY DAY:

AFRL will be conducting an Industry Day for the MUSE acquisition.  The purpose of this meeting is to provide interested companies/entities with an overview of the MUSE contract, promote an early exchange of information, and provide an opportunity for both the Government and Industry to gather more information prior to the Sources Sought, Draft RFP and RFP being issued.

A general session will be held the morning of 17 JUNE 2025 for interested parties to obtain information from the Government Program Management and Contracting team.  The team will also be hosting 20-minute private appointments the afternoon of 17 JUNE 2025 (1:00pm – 4:00pm EST).  When registering, please indicate if a 20-minute private appointment is desired.  Due to space constraints, attendance will be limited to two (2) individuals per company.  Representatives must be cleared through the company they are registered with.  Attendees must be US Citizens.

Note: Only those businesses who respond with an initial capability package to this notice will be eligible for a private appointment.

Note: This is NOT a “bidder’s conference” and this announcement is not a contract, request for proposal, a promise to contract, or a commitment of any kind.  The Government will not assume liability for costs incurred by any offeror for presentations, marketing efforts or data offered for examination; therefore the cost of preparing information in response to this notice is not considered an allowable direct charge to the Government.

Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Location: Griffiss Institute, 725 Daedalian Dr., Rome NY 13441, Auditorium; Time: Check-in 8:00am – 9:00am EST; General Session, 9:00am – 12:00pm EST.  Please arrive on time to ensure seating.

Contact Information:

Matthew Zawisza, MUSE Acquisition Program Manager

(315) 330-4922

matthew.zawisza@us.af.mil

Alternate POC:

Meghan Thomas, Contracting Officer

(315) 330-2177

meghan.thomas.1@us.af.mil

Attendees must register by Monday June 09, 2025, to gain access to the facility.  Requests after this date may not be accommodated.

Register by sending a plain text email to the following addresses: matthew.zawisza@us.af.mil, AFRL.CUAS.PMO@us.af.mil, and meghan.thomas.1@us.af.mil.  Please include the following information:

Full name: (FIRST, MIDDLE, LAST)

Company:

CAGE code:

Contact number:

Email address (unclass):

20-minute private appointment is desired: (YES/NO)

TECHNICAL LIBRARY (Export-Controlled Data): A technical library relating to the subject area of this acquisition is available for review by potential offerors at Air Force Research Laboratory/RIGD, Bldg. 3, 525 Brooks Rd, Rome, NY 13441.  *Appointments for access may be made by contacting Matthew Zawisza, 315-330-4922, e-mail matthew.zawisza@us.af.mil and AFRL.CUAS.PMO@us.af.mil at least forty-eight hours in advance. The library contains technical data subject to export control. Prior to review, potential offerors must submit a copy of an approved DD Form 2345, "Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement" (may be obtained at http://www.dlis.dla.mil,) along with a letter from the Data Custodian designated on that form, authorizing access by whomever will be reviewing the library, to ATTN: Matthew Zawisza, Air Force Research Laboratory/RIGD, 525 Brooks Rd, Rome, NY 13441, or emailed to matthew.zawisza@us.af.mil and AFRL.CUAS.PMO@us.af.mil.

*Appointments to review the Technical Library will be available during the week of 16 June 2025, excluding 17 June (Industry Day). 

FOREIGN PARTICIPATION EXCLUDED. Foreign participation is excluded at the prime contractor level.

OMBUDSMAN.  In accordance with DAFFARS 5301.91, an Ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition. Before consulting with an Ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the Contracting Officer, Meghan Thomas, (315) 330-(2177), Meghan.Thomas.1@us.af.mil, for resolution. DAFFARS Clause 5352.201-9101 Ombudsman, will be incorporated into the resultant contract. When requested, the Ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The existence of the Ombudsman does not affect the authority of the program manager, contracting officer, or source selection official.  Further, the Ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals, the source selection process, or the adjudication of protests or formal contract disputes. The Ombudsman may refer the party to another official who can resolve the concern. Consulting an Ombudsman does not alter or postpone the timelines for any other processes (e.g., agency level bid protests, GAO bid protests, requests for debriefings, employee-employer actions, contests of OMB Circular A-76 competition performance decisions).   If resolution cannot be made by the Contracting Officer, concerned parties may contact the following AFRL Ombudsman: AFRL/PK Technical Director; Alternate Ombudsman: AFRL/PK Deputy Director 1864 4th Street, WPAFB OH 45433; FAX (937) 656-7321; COM (937) 904-9700, afrl.pk.workflow@us.af.mil.  Concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations that cannot be resolved at the AFRL level, may be brought by the concerned party for further consideration to the Air Force Ombudsman, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary (ADAS) (Contracting), SAF/AQC, 1060 Air Force Pentagon, Washington DC 20330-1060, phone number (571) 256-2395, facsimile number (571) 256-2431.  The Ombudsman has no authority to render a decision that binds the agency. Do not contact the Ombudsman to request copies of the solicitation, verify offer due date, or clarify technical requirements.  Such inquiries shall be directed to the Contracting Officer.

FOR FULL ANNOUNCEMENT DETAILS PLEASE SEE ATTACHMENTS.