Pre-Solicitation - Notice of Intent to Sole Source for XRL Integration

The F-35 Joint Program Office is pursuing a sole-source acquisition under FAR 6.103-1 to establish secure connectivity and deploy the necessary hardware, software, and network infrastructure between the Mission Data development site at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and the Mission Data Validation & Verification site at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth, Texas. This effort, known as XRL Integration, is critical to enabling Foreign Military Sales customers to generate, validate, and transfer F-35 Mission Data Files, ensuring operational interoperability across international platforms. The contractor is responsible for procuring, delivering, and installing all systems required to support this mission, with performance activities centered in Goulds, Florida, and extending to both Eglin AFB and Fort Worth. The acquisition is limited to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics due to its unique, proprietary expertise as the sole designer and integrator of the F-35 system, which includes exclusive access to proprietary tools, technical data, and institutional knowledge essential for mission data development and reprogramming. All offerors must possess either a Secret or Top Secret security clearance, and the government will issue a DD-254 form to facilitate classified information handling. No formal evaluation factors, inspection criteria, or delivery schedules are specified in the pre-solicitation, consistent with the non-competitive nature of the procurement under FAR 6.103-1. The contract does not include options, specified payment details, or detailed packaging and marking requirements. The NAICS code 334511 is cited, with the size standard at 1,350 employees, though the dual application of NAICS 541512 suggests the effort may involve both manufacturing and systems design components. The acquisition is subject to Free Trade Agreements, and while no socioeconomic set-asides apply, capability statements must demonstrate compliance with clearance requirements and the technical proficiency to execute the integrated network solution. The response deadline for proposals is May 21, 2026, with submissions directed to the contracting office in Patuxent River, Maryland, and no contract value or pricing information is currently available as this remains a pre-solicitation notice.