Sources SoughtPosted Sep 4, 2026·Original deadline passed (Oct 4). See latest amendment for current deadline.

Market Research for Specialized Flight Test and Evaluation Training Services

Air Force and Space Force · FA3002 338 ESS CC

Stage
Early notice (sources sought, presolicitation or special notice)
NAICS
611512
Value
Not stated
Solicitation
FA3002-26-R-0099
Set-aside
None stated
PSC
U006
Place
USA
Contact
Caroline Stouffer (caroline.stouffer.1@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 FA3002-26-R-0099 in this department, oldest first.

Early notice
  • Sep 4, 2026
    Sources Sought
    Open
  • Sep 4, 2026 · this notice
    Sources Sought
Solicitation
None posted
Award
Not yet. Typical award: Oct 30, 2026 to Mar 2, 2027, middle of the range Dec 11, 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 4, 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

1. Purpose The Department of War (DoW) is conducting market research to identify interested and capable businesses that can provide test pilot training in support of the US Air Force Security Assistance Training (AFSAT) squadron. This Sources Sought Notice is issued for market research and planning purposes only. It does not constitute a solicitation, request for proposal, request for quote, commitment by the Government, or promise to issue a solicitation in the future. The Government will not reimburse any costs associated with preparation or submission of a response. Responses will be used t… (show all)

o assess market capability, commercial availability, acquisition alternatives, and the availability of small-business concerns capable of performing the anticipated requirement as a prime contractor. 2. Anticipated Requirement and Preliminary Training Demand The Government is seeking information from firms capable of providing flight-training services that may include: Flight instruction for test pilot training Ground-school instruction and courseware; Instructor pilots and, if applicable, simulator instructors; Aircraft, simulators, training devices, facilities, equipment, and associated support; Student scheduling, training administration, and records management; Evaluation, qualification, proficiency, or recurrent-training events; Safety management, quality assurance, and accident/incident reporting processes; Training status, student performance, and completion reporting; and Other associated services that are necessary to deliver the required training outcomes. 3. Required Course Offerings and Course-Specific Response Requirements Interested parties must demonstrate the capability to provide the entirety of the following courses and specialized curricula: Category Course Title Duration / Certification Professional Traditional Professional Course (NATO STANAG 4578 / SETP-Compliant Flight Test Qualification; EASA Part-FCL.820 Approved Category 1 (Lead Flight Test) and Category 2 Flight Test Rating Training via an authorized EASA Approved Training Organization (ATO)) 50 Weeks Professional Standard EASA Cat 1 Certified 31 Weeks Professional Traditional EASA Category 2 Course 20 Weeks Professional Performance and Flying Qualities Professional Course 26 Weeks Professional System Professional Course 26 Weeks Unmanned Systems UAV Systems Testing Specialized Short & Specialized Pre-TPS Course Short Course Short & Specialized Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) and Night Vision Goggle (NVG) Testing Short Course Short & Specialized Introduction to Systems Testing Short Course Short & Specialized Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) Course Short Course Short & Specialized EASA Approved Training Organization Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) Short Course Short & Specialized Spin Training Course Short Course Short & Specialized Crew Resource Management for Flight Testers Short Course 4. Anticipated Mandatory Institutional Accreditations, Approvals, and Credentials The Government anticipates that a future solicitation may require the successful contractor to maintain the following institutional accreditations, approvals, and credentials. Respondents shall provide verifiable documentation of their current status, including the issuing organization, approval/accreditation number where applicable, scope, effective date, expiration date, and any pending renewal or limitation. Mandatory accreditations may be satisfied by the prime contractor, a joint venture partner, or a designated and formal subcontractor/teaming partner at time of proposal submission/prior to contract performance. 4.1 Collegiate Accreditation Accreditation as a degree-granting institution by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, such as the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), or another recognized accrediting agency. 4.2 Engineering-Program Accreditation Accreditation by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) for a relevant Master of Science program. Response requested: Identify the applicable graduate program, ABET-accreditation status, and relationship of that program to the flight-test curriculum. 4.3 European Union Aviation Safety Agency Approval Status as a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Approved Training Organization (ATO) approved to provide flight-test training for issuance of EASA Category 1 and Category 2 flight-test ratings, as applicable to the proposed courses. Response requested: Provide the ATO approval and scope of privileges and identify the specific courses that support EASA Category 1 and/or Category 2 flight-test ratings. EASA rules describe the authority of approved training organizations to provide training for Category 1 or 2 flight-test ratings, with potential extension for other flight-test categories and personnel under specified conditions. 4.4 Federal Aviation Administration Air Agency Certificate An active Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Agency Certificate under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Part 141 - Pilot Schools, including the applicable approval for pilot special preparation under Appendix K. Response requested: Provide the certificate number, current status, applicable approved courses, and any limitations relevant to the anticipated requirement. Preliminary training demand: Estimated students annually: 10-15 Estimated classes/training iterations annually: 10 Estimated flight hours, sorties, simulator hours, or other workload metric: Integrated live-fly, variable-stability, and synthetic simulation environment Anticipated period of performance: 5 years Anticipated start date: 1 Oct 2027 All quantities and dates are estimates for market research purposes and may change. For each course, respondents shall provide: A course description and current syllabus or curriculum summary; The basis for any stated certification, rating, or credential awarded upon course completion; Course duration, format, location, and maximum student capacity; Instructor qualifications and available aircraft, simulators, test assets, laboratories, and other instructional resources; Any prerequisites, minimum student qualifications, medical requirements, or flight-hour requirements; The number of times the course has been delivered within the preceding [insert timeframe]; and Any limitations, lead times, or dependencies affecting ability to provide the course. 5. Capability Statement Content Interested firms should submit a capability statement of no more than 10 pages, excluding cover page and attachments. The capability statement should include: Company information Legal business name UEI and CAGE code Business address Website, if available Primary business point of contact, using business contact information Proposed NAICS code(s) Business size and socioeconomic status under the proposed NAICS code Technical Capability and Past Performance Provide the course-specific capability information required by Section 3 and the accreditation, approval, and credential documentation required by Section 4. In addition, provide up to 3 examples of recent (last 3 years) and relevant (proven track record of similar work that demonstrates ability to deliver specified courses and services and possesses required accreditations) past performance including customer type, period of performance, scope, training volume, and complexity. Acquisition and Market Feedback Address whether the requirement is commercially available without material modification; recommended contract or ordering structure; principal cost, schedule, mobilization, and performance risks; and recommended outcome-based performance measures. Teaming and Subcontracting Identify whether the firm intends to perform as a prime contractor, subcontractor, or teaming partner, and identify the discrete functions it can perform. Structure capability submissions into functional tracks (e.g.) - Track A: Comprehensive Graduate TPS Curric

Who won similar work

9 award notices on SAM.gov in the last 24 months. Matched by: Same agency (Air Force and Space Force), same NAICS 611512.

Single-winner award sizes (9): middle half $15.3M to $65.9M, median $30.0M; range $20K to $84.6M.

WinnerAwardsValueLast
MilTrain JV II LLC1$84.6MJan 15, 2026
X-star Inc.1$78.0MMar 23, 2026
AVIX-BGI TECHNICAL SERVICES JV LLC1$65.9MJun 26, 2025
METRO ACCOUNTING & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, LLC1$32.8MJul 31, 2025
KWAAN TECH, LLC1$30.0MSep 9, 2026
CAE USA INC.1$18.4MFeb 10, 2025
MACAIR AVIATION LLC1$15.3MJan 24, 2025
SPEKTREWORKS, INC.1$22KFeb 20, 2026
REDBIRD FLIGHT SIMULATIONS, INC.1$20KApr 21, 2025

Value counts new single-winner awards. "Shared" awards are multiple-award contracts that list every winner with the same total ceiling (same contract, or the same office, day and amount); that ceiling is not one company's win, so it is not added in. Contract modifications are not new awards and are not added in either. Revenue next to a ticker is the company's revenue over the latest 12 months in its SEC filings.

Latest awards

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.

  • 0 of these past winners lobbied Air Force, Dept of since 2024 (0 filings)
  • 0 of their lobbyists list a past Air Force, Dept of job
  • No corporate PAC money from them to the overseeing committees since 2024
  • 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.

  • 0 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.

  • 0 of the past winners are listed companies
  • 0 insider buys and 0 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, including the subsidiaries a company lists in its SEC filings. A company we could not match shows no market rows; that is a miss, not a finding.