Sources SoughtPosted Sep 22, 2026·Responses due Oct 22, 2026

Next Generation Operational Control System (NGOCS)

Air Force and Space Force · FA8629 AFLCMC WISK SOF/PR

Stage
Early notice (sources sought, presolicitation or special notice)
NAICS
541512
Value
Not stated
Solicitation
FA8629-26-R-5017
Set-aside
None stated
PSC
Not stated
Place
Wright Patterson AFB, OH, USA
Contact
Capt Shaun Wheldon (shaun.wheldon@us.af.mil)
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CSV Email

Capture briefs (a one-page, shareable copy of this page) are part of Pro. The CSV here holds the notice, its timeline and past awards.

Where this opportunity stands

Every notice posted under solicitation FA8629-26-R-5017 in this department, oldest first.

Early notice
  • Sep 22, 2026 · this notice
    Sources Sought
Solicitation
None posted
Award
Not yet. Typical award: Nov 17, 2026 to Mar 20, 2027, middle of the range Dec 29, 2026.
Measured from 253 past early notices at Dept of the Air Force that later posted an award (middle half of cases, counted from Sep 22, 2026).

Next steps for this stage

Standard steps for the notice type; not advice about this buyer.

  • Answer the notice: this is when the requirement can still be shaped.
  • Contact the contracting officer named on the notice.
  • Check who won similar work; they are the likely bidders.

What the notice says

FROM: AFLCMC/WISK Special Warfare Contracting Office 1895 Fifth Street Wright Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7200 SUBJECT: Request for Information (RFI) � Next Generation Operational Control System (NGOCS) NOTICE This Sources Sought Synopsis (SSS)/Request for Information (RFI) is issued for informational purposes and market research only; it does not constitute a solicitation. The Government will not reimburse any company or individual for any expenses associated with preparing/submitting information in response to this posting. The information provided may be used by the Government in developing its… (show all)

acquisition strategy, statement of work/statement of objectives, and/or performance specifications. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained within their response as instructed later in this posting. BACKGROUND AND SCOPE The United States (US) Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance & Special Operations Forces (ISR & SOF) Directorate, Special Warfare (SW) Program Office (AFLCMC/WISN) is conducting market research to identify possible sources capable of providing the NGOCS. CAPABILITY GAP Operators currently lack a lightweight, ruggedized, modular body-worn power, data, and edge-compute architecture capable of providing distributed processing capacity beyond the End User Device (EUD) for concurrent high-demand tactical workloads. Fielded systems rely on aging architecture, proprietary cabling, and limited processing capabilities at the edge. Consequently, the EUD is forced to absorb the entirety of application processing, edge-server hosting, message routing, video data links, and peripheral management. During high-tempo combat operations, this overreliance creates latency, power depletion, and reliability bottlenecks that can jeopardize the mission. INSTRUCTION TO POTENTIAL RESPONDENTS Interested parties who desire to participate in this SSS/RFI are encouraged to submit responses that demonstrate they presently have the technology and qualifications to provide the system described above. Responses shall also include the following information: Respondent Data: Company/Institute Name Address Point of Contact (to include phone number and email address) CAGE Code Web Page URL Pursuant to NAICS Code 541512, Computer Systems Design Services, state whether the company is: Small Business (Yes / No) Self-Certified or Third Party Certified Women-Owned Small Business (Yes / No) Self-Certified or Third Party Certified Economically Disadvantaged Women- Owned Small Business (Yes / No) Self-Certified or Third Party Certified HUBZone Certified (Yes / No) Self-Certified or Third Party Certified Veteran Owned Small Business (Yes / No) Self-Certified or Third Party Certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (Yes / No) Self-Certified or Third Party Certified 8(a) Certified (Yes / No) Self-Certified or Third Party Certified SBA Certification Date: SBA Graduation Date: State whether the company is domestically or foreign-owned (if foreign, indicate the country of ownership). State whether the respondent is interested in being a prime or subcontractor for this requirement. Rough cost estimate (i.e. rough order of magnitude (ROM)) based on an optimum or varied pricing quantities (this is for Government budget planning purposes and will not be considered a bid or binding in any manner). If development and/or integration is required to meet the system requirements, the Government also needs an estimate of the development cost based on complexity (for planning purposes only) to include PHS&T, such as warranties, portable storage, special tooling required, and training. Indicate whether the company is currently performing this type of work/whether the capability can be obtained under an existing Government contract. Provide the contract number(s) and Government points of contact accordingly. Indicate whether the company currently provides this type of work as a commercial solution. In this instance, �commercial item� means an item that is of a type customarily used by the general public or non-Governmental entities for purposes other than Governmental purposes. Please indicate if this item has been sold, leased, or licensed to the general public; or has been offered for sale, lease, or license to the general public. Indicate whether all materials used are in compliance with the Buy American Act or Berry Amendment (10 U.S.C. 2533a), as applicable. Describe any risks associated with the fulfillment of this projected requirement. This can include technical or schedule risks associated with development, key performance parameters, etc. Please provide specific details and rationale as to how compliance with FAR 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting, and FAR 52.219-33, Non-Manufacturer Rule, would be achieved in the event the Government sets this requirement aside for small business. Include specific details regarding teaming arrangements, etc. If subcontracts are to be used, provide the anticipated percentage of effort to be subcontracted and whether small or large businesses, including foreign, will be used. If this effort is not set aside for small business, small business utilization will be considered. Large and small businesses should provide a reasonable expectation for small business utilization as a percent of total contract value as well as supporting rationale for the recommended percentage. Please complete Attachment 1, Next Gen OCS Questionnaire, and Attachment 2, Next Gen OCS Requirements Compliance, and submit it with your package. RESPONSES, COMMUNICATIONS, AND ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS: The Government may contact respondents to obtain additional information or clarification in order to fully understand a company's response. This may include discussions, site visits, demonstrations, etc. to further the Government's understanding of a proposed solution, as well as a company's understanding of the Government's requirements. Responses shall not exceed 35 pages (including cover page). Include technical and descriptive text and photographs/illustrations to provide sufficient detail. The submitted documentation becomes the property of the United States Government and will not be returned. Respondents shall clearly mark proprietary data with the appropriate markings. Any proprietary information received in response to this request will be properly protected from any unauthorized disclosure. Any material that is not marked will be considered publicly releasable. Government-contracted contractor support personnel may handle proprietary data submitted in response to this RFI. These support personnel will have signed the same Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) as Government personnel. Broad industry participation for this RFI is encouraged. U.S. and non-U.S. firms are permitted to respond. Please note that prospective contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database to be awarded a DOD contract; the NAICS code for this requirement, if applicable to the company�s capabilities, should be included in the company�s NAICS code listing in SAM. To learn more about this SAM requirement and how to register, please visit the SAM website at: https://www.sam.gov/portal/SAM Responses are due electronically by 12:00PM Eastern time on 22 October 2026 via email to: Capt Shaun Wheldon AFLCMC/WISN Contracting Officer shaun.wheldon@us.af.mil Mr. Matt Mangen AFLCMC/WISN Program Manager matthew.mangen.1@us.af.mil Mr. Joe Durham AFLCMC/WISN Systems Engineer joseph.durham.1.ctr@us.af.mil This notice may be updated as additional information becomes available. Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by email to the Contracting Officer identified above, with the other individuals identified above copied as a courtesy. This is a Request for Information (RFI) only to identify potential sources for the solution. Th

Who won similar work

15 award notices on SAM.gov in the last 24 months. Matched by: Same agency (Air Force and Space Force), same NAICS 541512.

Single-winner award sizes (15): middle half $119K to $6.6M, median $1.1M; range $27K to $5.6B.

WinnerAwardsValueLast
STELLAR INNOVATIONS & SOLUTIONS INC.2$144KSep 30, 2026
GENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC. · $GD · $42.3B1$5.6BNov 12, 2024
NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION · $NOC · $39.3B1$49.0MMay 21, 2026
CHENEGA AGILE REAL-TIME SOLUTIONS LLC1$35.8MJul 17, 2025
ALPHA TECHNOLOGIES USA, INC1$6.7MApr 16, 2026
CLUSTER TECHNOLOGY GROUP LLC1$6.6MApr 16, 2026
TECH TEN SOLUTIONS LLC1$5.5MApr 16, 2026
ENLIGHTEN IT CONSULTING LLC1$4.3MFeb 19, 2025
BETTER DIRECT, LLC1$1.1MSep 26, 2025
CURTISS-WRIGHT DS, INC.1$428KJun 9, 2026

Value counts single-winner awards. "Shared" awards are multiple-award contracts that list every winner with the same total ceiling; that ceiling is not one company's win, so it is not added in. Revenue next to a ticker is the company's last annual revenue from its 10-K.

Investor context
  • $GD reported $42.3B revenue in FY2025. The median single-winner award in these 15 past awards, $1.1M, is under 0.1% of that. 10-K
  • $NOC reported $39.3B revenue in FY2025. The median single-winner award in these 15 past awards, $1.1M, is under 0.1% of that. 10-K

One award's total value against one year of revenue; many awards are paid over several years.

Latest awards

Materiality: one award's value as a share of the winner's revenue over the latest 12 months in its SEC filings (or its last fiscal year, as noted when you point at it). Low under 1%, Medium 1 to 5%, High 5% or more. Many awards are paid over several years, so this overstates a single year's share.

Competitive landscape

For the 8 most frequent past winners above. Lobbying is matched by the company's exact name or exact ticker; agencies are as named on the filings.

  • 2 of these past winners lobbied Air Force, Dept of since 2024 (24 filings)
  • 0 of their lobbyists list a past Air Force, Dept of job
  • $840K from their corporate PACs since 2024 to members of House Committee on Appropriations, House Committee on Armed Services, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senate Committee on Armed Services
  • 0 foreign-agent (FARA) registrations
See who and the source records with Pro

Policy around it

Bills the past winners named while lobbying this agency's issues, rules from the department, and executive orders that name the agency, last 12 months.

  • 8 bills named on the past winners' lobbying filings
  • 32 rules from the department in the last 12 months
  • 0 executive orders naming the agency in the last 12 months
See who and the source records with Pro

Market

For past winners matched exactly to a listed company. Insider trades are open-market buys and sells (Form 4) in the last 90 days, shown as facts; our own study found insiders do not reliably buy ahead of awards. A sale marked 10b5-1 was made under a trading plan set up in advance.

  • 2 of the past winners are listed companies
  • 0 insider buys and 5 insider sells at them in the last 90 days
See who and the source records with Pro

Sources: SAM.gov notices and award notices; Senate LDA lobbying filings; FEC filings; FARA; Federal Register; congress.gov; SEC Form 4. Every row above links to its record.

Companies are matched to tickers by exact name only. A company we could not match shows no market rows; that is a miss, not a finding.