FA4419-26-Q-0017
C-SUAS Equipment
DEPT OF DEFENSE > DEPT OF THE AIR FORCE > AIR EDUCATION AND TRAINING COMMAND > FA4419 97 CONF CC
Quick analysis
USAF AETC Altus AFB RFQ for brand-name-or-equal DroneShield C-sUAS equipment (funded 1 kit + unfunded option for a second).
100% Total Small Business Set-Aside under NAICS 334511 (size standard 1,350 employees) — Trace appears eligible by size, but this is a commodity LPTA supply buy with no documented Trace differentiator or OEM authorization.
Very small quantity/likely low dollar, price-driven competition; minimal strategic value and no clear technical advantage for Trace.
Scope summary
- Provide DroneShield brand or equal items per Attachment 1: DS-119 Immediate Response Kit; DS-146 Magnetic Antenna Kit Wideband; DS-121 Rugged Tablet for C2 Tactical; DS-121A C2 Tactical Configuration (funded qty 1 each; identical unfunded option qty 1 each).
- Submit pricing on page 3 of the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation; Total Evaluated Price must include both funded and unfunded CLINs.
- Provide a separate technical submission clearly demonstrating compliance with Attachment 1 salient characteristics.
- 100% Small Business Set-Aside under NAICS 334511 (size standard 1,350 employees).
- FOB Destination delivery to Altus AFB, OK (Bldg 130); follow WAWF invoicing and standard FAR/DFARS clauses (e.g., 252.204-7018, Buy American, Xinjiang/Maduro prohibitions).
- Email submission to Jarrod.Ford@us.af.mil and 97CONF.PKA.Contracting@us.af.mil by 2026-05-06 11:00 AM CST.
Dimension scores
Requirement is a brand-name-or-equal DroneShield C-sUAS equipment supply buy. Trace has adjacent C5ISR/SE&I and hardware integration capabilities, but no documented DroneShield reseller status or specific C-sUAS product line expertise in the company profile. Technical need is commodity supply with minimal integration scope (Attachment 1).
Trace holds USAF past performance (e.g., USAFCENT Comms & IT; ABMS IDIQ). Same agency family (USAF) but different mission/vehicle and commodity nature makes it indirect; per guidance this aligns with the 10–15 band for same agency/different mechanism.
Open RFQ under a 100% small business set-aside; not restricted to a vehicle Trace must hold. No prime vehicle advantage applies. Scored in the 4–7 band for open competition.
Evaluation is technically acceptable + lowest price (Attachment 4). Items are brand-name-or-equal DroneShield SKUs with many potential small-business resellers; Trace lacks stated OEM authorization or differentiator. Commodity, price-driven landscape with likely numerous qualified vendors.
Low performance complexity (FOB Destination delivery; standard commercial clauses). Moderate risks: sourcing/lead time and potential need for OEM authorization to ensure compliance with brand-name-or-equal expectations; inclusion of unfunded CLIN in TEP. Overall low-to-moderate risk.
Small, one-off C-sUAS equipment buy for a local Security Forces unit. Minimal strategic expansion; does not materially advance Trace’s core Starshield/CDS/MPE/JADC2 lanes.
Set-aside is Total Small Business under NAICS 334511 with size standard 1,350 employees; Trace (~330 employees) appears eligible by size. No special certifications required beyond standard FAR/DFARS clauses. Brand-name-or-equal compliance hinges on meeting salient characteristics, which is achievable but may require OEM alignment.
Concerns
- Potential lack of DroneShield OEM authorization could affect pricing, availability, or warranty support.
- Supply chain/lead-time constraints could jeopardize delivery timelines (not specified in detail).
- LPTA dynamics increase price pressure; minimal room to differentiate.
- Ambiguity from limited salient detail (parts-only list) could create acceptability risk for 'equal' items.
- Evaluation includes unfunded CLIN in TEP; funding for option uncertain but price still evaluated.
- Minor address ZIP discrepancy in the solicitation may require confirmation prior to shipping.
Teaming opportunities
- OEM/authorized reseller relationship with DroneShield or a compliant equivalent C-sUAS vendor.
- Supply channel partner to ensure stock availability and compliant sourcing/documentation (e.g., Buy American, electronic parts sourcing).
Competitive position
- Commit to rapid, compliant delivery with OEM-backed warranty and documentation meeting Buy American and supply-chain clauses.
- Provide clear, line-by-line technical crosswalk proving brand-name-or-equal compliance to minimize acceptability risk.
Bid/No bid factors
- Brand-name-or-equal requirement centered on DroneShield SKUs without documented Trace reseller status.
- Evaluation is technically acceptable plus lowest evaluated price (commodity LPTA).
- Very small quantity (1 funded + 1 unfunded), likely low dollar value and limited upside.
- Attachment 2 only partially reviewed due to size; remaining clause nuances unverified.
- Place of performance ZIP discrepancy within the combined synopsis/solicitation.
Documents
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Attachment 1 - Salient Characteristics.pdf
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One-page parts/kit list for C-SUAS equipment showing funded and identical unfunded line items. Each line item is quantity one and references part numbers for Immediate Response Kit, Magnetic Antenna Kit (wideband), Rugged Tablet for C2 Tactical, and C2 Tactical Configuration. The document contains no detailed technical specs, delivery schedule, place of performance, or pricing information.
- Lists funded items (1 each): Immediate Response Kit (Part# DS-119); Magnetic Antenna Kit Wideband (Part# DS-146); Rugged Tablet for C2 Tactical (Part# DS-121); C2 Tactical Configuration (Part# DS-121A).
- Lists identical unfunded items (1 each) — suggests optional/contingency buys or unfunded line items for the same four parts.
- All quantities shown as single units (1 Each) — minimal baseline quantities in solicitation attachments.
- Document is a parts/kit-level procurement specification; no technical performance parameters, testing, or sustainment details included.
- Hardware focus: C2 tactical tablet, antenna kit, and response kit indicate a tactical communications/terminal integration purchase relevant to SATCOM/tactical C2 work.
- No contract vehicle, place of performance, classification, or delivery timeline stated in this file — additional solicitation docs needed for those factors.
Attachment 2 - Provisions and Clauses - Drones.pdf
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Partially reviewed: Too large
Procurement provisions and FAR/DFARS clauses for solicitation FA441926Q0017; file was only partially reviewed (selected sections 1 and 2 of 3) due to size, so the record reflects those extracted sections. Sections show incorporated-by-reference clauses (FAR/DFARS) including supply-chain/telecom prohibitions, Buy American, labor/trafficking, security prohibitions, SAM/WAWF requirements, and full-text excerpts for 252.204-7017 and WAWF payment instructions. Limitation: remaining sections not extracted in this review (too_large).
- Document number: FA441926Q0017 (Air Force solicitation/provisions attachment).
- Set-aside clause present: 52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside.
- Multiple DFARS/FARS clauses incorporated by reference including 252.204-7018 (Prohibition on acquisition of covered defense telecommunications), 252.204-7017 (representation - full text included in extracted sections), and supply-chain/source clauses (252.246-7008 Sources of Electronic Parts).
- Prohibitions/requirements on Xinjiang and Maduro-regime business operations (252.225-7059/7060; 252.225-7055/7056) included.
- Security and exclusion clauses present (52.240-90/91 Security Prohibitions and Exclusions).
- WAWF / Wide Area Workflow payment instructions included with Routing Data Table: Pay Official DoDAAC 87700; Issue By DoDAAC FA4419; Admin DoDAAC FA4419; Inspect/Service Approver/Acceptor DoDAAC F1B3R2.
- SAM registration and representations referenced (52.204-7/52.204-13 deviations noted).
- Clause list indicates standard contract compliance requirements (trafficking, child labor, Buy American/FTA, electronic invoicing, transportation by sea).
- NAICS alignment: solicitation NAICS 334511 (matches opportunity context for small business set-aside in Unmanned Aerial Systems/electronic equipment).
Attachment 3 - Instructions to offerers.pdf
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Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 giving submission and evaluation instructions: price must be submitted on page 3 of the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation and include both Funded and Unfunded CLINs (evaluation uses total evaluated price of CLIN 0001 + CLIN 0002). Technical proposal must be a separate document, clearly addressing Attachment 1 (Salient Characteristics) and substantiating claims; assume the Government has no prior knowledge of the offeror. All documents must be submitted electronically via email to Jarrod.Ford@us.af.mil and 97CONF.PKA.Contracting@us.af.mil.
- Document is an addendum to FAR 52.212-1 (commercial item acquisition procedures).
- Price must be submitted on page 3 of the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation.
- Price must include both Funded and Unfunded CLINs; evaluation uses Total Evaluated Price = CLIN 0001 + CLIN 0002.
- Technical submission must be a separate document and provide sufficient detail to substantiate claims.
- Technical response must explicitly address Attachment 1 - Salient Characteristics.
- Offerors must assume the Government has no prior knowledge of their experience (include supporting past performance/details in submission).
- All proposal documents must be submitted via email to Jarrod.Ford@us.af.mil and 97CONF.PKA.Contracting@us.af.mil.
Attachment 4 - Evaluation Factors.pdf
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Contains the solicitation's evaluation scheme based on FAR 52.212-2 with an addendum: awards will be made to the technically acceptable quote with the lowest evaluated price, using Price and Technical Acceptability as evaluation factors. Technical submissions must be provided as a separate document and will be rated Acceptable/Unacceptable against Attachment 1 (Salient Characteristics).
- Evaluation factors: Price and Technical Acceptability (FAR 52.212-2).
- Addendum: Best value expected from a technically acceptable quote with the lowest evaluated price.
- Price evaluation uses Total Evaluated Price of CLIN 0001 plus CLIN 0002 and includes Funded and Unfunded CLINs.
- Government reserves the right to award to other than the low quote for a higher quality item.
- Technical rating scale: 'Acceptable' or 'Unacceptable'.
- Technical acceptability is defined by meeting requirements in Attachment 1 - Salient Characteristics.
- Technical submission must be completed using a separate document and should be clear, concise, and self-contained.
- Offerors must assume the Government has no prior knowledge of the offeror’s experience; evaluation is based solely on information in the quote.
- Failure to conform to solicitation requirements may render a quote not awardable without further evaluation.
Combined_Synopsis_Solicitation - 21 Apr 26.pdf
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Combined synopsis/solicitation (commercial items, FAR Subpart 12.6) for C-SUAS equipment to support the 97th Security Forces; Solicitation FA4419-26-Q-0017. NAICS 334511, 100% Total Small Business Set-Aside; pricing schedule (CLINs funded/unfunded) and salient characteristics/clauses/evaluation attachments included. Place of performance: Bldg 130, Altus AFB, OK (zip shown as 73523); FOB: Destination; questions due 2026-05-01 11:00 AM CST; offers due 2026-05-06 11:00 AM CST; POC: Jarrod Ford (jarrod.ford@us.af.mil, 580-481-7085).
- Solicitation number: FA4419-26-Q-0017
- Requirement: Acquisition of C-SUAS capability for 97th Security Forces (equipment)
- NAICS: 334511 (Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical Systems)
- Set-aside: 100% Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)
- Due date/time: 2026-05-06 at 11:00 AM CST
- Questions due: 2026-05-01 at 11:00 AM CST
- Place of Performance: Bldg 130, Altus AFB, OK (document lists 73523); POC mailing address also shows Altus AFB with a different ZIP (72523) — potential address discrepancy in doc
- FOB: Destination; Delivery Address: Altus AFB, OK
- Pricing Schedule/CLINs present (funded CLIN 0001; unfunded CLIN 0002) — period of performance/delivery dates referenced in Pricing Schedule
- Contract format: Combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items (FAR 52.212-1, -3 w/ Alternate I, -4 incorporated by reference)
- SAM.gov registration required/checked (failure MAY result in exclusion)
- Submission validity: offers must remain valid at least 30 days after close
- Attachments listed: Salient Characteristics, Clauses and Provisions, Instructions to Offerors, Evaluation Factors
- Size standard listed: 1350 Em (employees)
- POC: Jarrod Ford, jarrod.ford@us.af.mil, 580-481-7085
- Default payment terms: NET 30
Technical details
Entry: sync
Review status: Up to date
Logical upstream opportunity: 46132
Notice lineage:
- 6b07c8f9ddbd47c1b85f3afd1e04db5e (posted 2026-04-21) - current
Last synced: 2026-04-21T18:45:02.730000+00:00
Last analyzed: 2026-04-21T18:47:07.238675+00:00
Latest package fingerprint: 8fdd061cd3e9d25a7e36f2e2f50b9db03c29d4b1289b8ee92a04d9e3a2d75614
Latest package notice: 6b07c8f9ddbd47c1b85f3afd1e04db5e
Latest package documents: 5
Evidence limitations- Attachment 2 - Provisions and Clauses - Drones.pdf: partially reviewed (too large)
- 2026-04-21T18:45:02.734248+00:00: 6b07c8f9ddbd47c1b85f3afd1e04db5e with 5 docs
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