SAM #ACQ-26-R006

Custom Software Integration for Mission Termination System (MTS) to Support A-GRA Autonomous Flight Testing

The U.S. Air Force 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base is seeking specialized software development and integration services to upgrade its Mission Termination System (MTS) for advanced autonomous flight testing. - Government Buyer: - U.S. Air Force, 412th Test Wing / Experimental Test Force, 412 RANS/ENR - Air Force Test Center, Support Services Branch (AFTC/PZZ) - OEMs and Vendors: - Weather Gage Technologies, LLC (WGT) is identified as the sole capable vendor due to proprietary expertise with the TACE/MTS codebase - The MTS is based on the Testing Autonomy in Complex Environments (TACE) codebase, originally developed by Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU APL) - Products/Services Requested: - Custom software development and integration to add Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA) compatible interfaces and message processors to the MTS - Delivery of a certified Technology Readiness Level 9 (TRL 9) software product for Software-in-the-Loop (SITL), Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL), and live flight testing of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) - Documentation, training materials, and both factory and on-site acceptance testing - Unique or Notable Requirements: - Contractor must have prior engineering experience with the TACE/MTS safety watchdog codebase and A-GRA compliance - No specific commercial products or part numbers are listed; the requirement is for highly specialized software and integration services - Contractor personnel must comply with base security, training, and safety requirements - Government will provide MTS software code and hardware for testing - Period of Performance: - 6-month fixed-price contract, with deliverables including software, documentation, training, and acceptance testing

Description

The Department of the Air Force, Air Force Test Center (AFTC), Support Service Branch (PZZF) at Edwards Air Force Base, CA, intends to award a sole-source, standalone Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) contract for software development and systems integration services to modify the government-owned Mission Termination System (MTS).

The core objective is to design, integrate, and test an Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA) compatible interface service and message processor natively within the existing MTS flight-test safety watchdog architecture. This project will deliver a certified Technology Readiness Level 9 (TRL 9) product enabling Software-in-the-Loop (SITL), Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL), and live flight testing of autonomously controlled Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) at the 412 TENG Experimental Test Force (ETF).

2. SOLE SOURCE AUTHORITY The proposed acquisition will be conducted under the simplified acquisition procedures of Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) Subpart 13.1, as authorized by RFO 13.106-1(b)(1), Soliciting from a Single Source. The Government intends to award this requirement as a sole-source contract to:

Proposed Contractor: Weather Gage Technologies, LLC (WGT) CAGE Code: 7U9F7 Socioeconomic Status: Small Veteran-Owned Business Address: 2709 Thyme Dr, Edgewater, MD 21037

3. TECHNICAL JUSTIFICATION & MARKET RESEARCH FINDINGS Comprehensive market research conducted under RFO Part 10 has determined that Weather Gage Technologies is the only commercial source capable of satisfying this requirement without the Government incurring unacceptable technical, safety-of-flight, and schedule risks.

Unique Technical Expertise: The MTS is a highly specialized Run Time Assurance (RTA) safety watchdog built upon the Testing Autonomy in Complex Environments (TACE) codebase originally developed by Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU APL). WGT possesses proprietary codebases, custom interface design patterns, and certified testing experience on this exact architecture. Prior Proven Navy Performance: WGT successfully designed and integrated similar A-GRA interfaces on an MTS variant for U.S. Navy test partners under contract N68335-26-C-0206. WGT's existing design patterns cannot be replicated by other entities without a complete, bottom-up redesign of the safety software. GSA eBuy RFI Results: A formal Request for Information (RFI1825881) was issued on GSA eBuy to Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Category 54151S to assess broader market capability. Out of 30 qualified vendors, 28 submitted formal "No Bid" responses, one submitted a non-conforming capability statement at $0.00, and one vendor submitted an unviable, highly inflated estimate of $2,558,560.00 (more than 27 times the estimated program value). WGT did not submit a GSA eBuy bid and has confirmed they maintain no authorized third-party resellers or strategic schedule partners. Interagency Non-Viability: NAWCAD procurement officials have formally confirmed that the Navy's SBIR Phase II contract cannot be leveraged by outside agencies, requiring the Air Force to execute a standalone open-market purchase order directly to the sole source.

Any other developer attempting this integration would require a lengthy learning curve to master the TACE codebase, resulting in severe delays to active CCA test programs, estimated at several hundreds of thousands of dollars in redundant engineering and safety certification costs.

4. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE QUOTES This publication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quote (RFQ). No solicitation package is available. However, in accordance with RFO Part 5, any interested party that believes it possesses the technical capability to meet this requirement may submit a written capability statement.

Capability statements must provide clear, documented evidence of the vendor's prior engineering experience with the TACE/MTS safety watchdog codebase and A-GRA compliance. All submissions received within five (5) calendar days of the publication of this notice will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether a competitive procurement is in the best interest of the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Contracting Officer.

Points of Contact

Contract Specialist: Josiah L. Broadway Email: josiah.broadway@us.af.mil  Contracting Officer: Christina M. Day Email: christina.day.6@us.af.mil

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