FY26 Light Off Detector (LOD) Congressional Ad
This sources sought seeks contractors with engineering and test capability to develop and validate improvements to a Navy F414 engine light-off detector, including producibility, obsolescence mitigation, prototype maturation, and technical data delivery.
⚑ Sources sought only; informational market research, not a solicitation or promise of award. · No set-aside stated; all small business set-aside categories will be considered. · Site visit required. · Response is a capabilities statement, not a proposal; page and formatting limits apply.
This is a defense-engineering sourcing notice for a solid-state flame sensor / engine component redesign, centered on materials, manufacturability, and TRL maturation. The team’s work is mainly social-behavioral research on risk perception, communication, and public response to climate, weather, energy, and defense issues, not hardware development or engineering R&D.
JUDGED AGAINST THE ROSTER'S PUBLICATION DOSSIER · GPT-5.4-MINI · 2026-07-07
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 90 strong | technical depth: central; funds applied research |
| IPPRA | 45 partial | portfolio topics: national_security_defense, energy; social/behavioral work is none; funds applied research; capped at 45 (limited social-science role) |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 45 partial | funds applied research; prototyping/demonstration stage; deep-tech content |
Description
DISCLAIMER THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT OFFERS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY. THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT OBLIGATED TO AND WILL NOT PAY FOR ANY INFORMATION RECEIVED AS A RESULT OF THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE. INTRODUCTION This Sources Sought notice is being posted to satisfy the requirement of Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement PGI 206.103-170. The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), PMA-265 EW Division is conducting market research to identify potential sources with the expertise, capabilities, and experience for non-recurring engineering for an improved and/or more producible technologically advanced design of the light off detector (LOD) for use on the F414 engine, (PN 5107T13P03 / NSN 2840-01-443-4202). The purpose of this effort is to develop, design, and validate technology improvements to mitigate obsolescence concerns and improve producibility. The design of the LOD is proprietary to Meggitt Defense Systems, Inc. (MDSI); the LOD is mounted within the engine augmenter (afterburner) section of the F414-GE-400 engine. Phase II of this program will initially mature two solutions identified in Phase I from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 to TRL 5. Following a down-selection process, a single chosen technology will then be matured to TRL 6 via prototype testing. The contractor will perform research and development of the producibility and manufacturing of the current design of the LOD solid-state flame sensing technology, remote electronics package in support of the United States Navy (USN) F414-GE-400 engines. THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. The results of this Sources Sought will be utilized to determine if the required product exists in the marketplace and if any Small Business Set-Aside opportunities exist. All Small Business Set-Aside categories will be considered. A site visit is required to determine a suitable source. Eligibility The Product Service Code (PSC) for this requirement is AC13. The NAICS code is 541715. REQUIRED CAPABILITIES Supplies and/or services to be procured under this potential effort may include, but are not limited to: Engineering Design and Development: Developing, designing, and validating technology improvements to mitigate obsolescence and improve producibility. Research and Trade Studies: Evaluating materials, sensor performance, and electronic components suited for high-temperature afterburner environments. Technical Data: Generation and delivery of engineering drawings, test reports, and validation data. SUBMISSION DETAILS Interested business shall submit a brief capabilities statement package (no more than ten 8.5 x 11 inch pages, font no smaller than 12 point, 1.5 spaced) demonstrating their ability to provide the supplies or services listed in the required capabilities described herein. Documentation should be in bullet format. All responses shall include Company Name, Company Address, Company Business Size, and Points-of-Contact (POC) including name, phone number, fax number and email address. The documentation must address, at a minimum, the following: Provide the type of work your company has performed in the past 3 years in support of same/similar requirement(s), Cage Code and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Include information such as contract number, organization supported, indication of whether a prime or subcontractor, contract value, Government point of contact and current telephone number, and a brief description of how the contract referenced relates to the required capabilities described herein. Describe the specific technical capabilities and experience which your company possesses which will ensure capability to perform requirements as outlined in the required capabilities described herein. The capability statement package shall be sent by e-mail to camryn.l.howard.civ@us.navy.mil. The Government will acknowledge receipt of responses received. It is the contractor’s responsibility to follow-up with the Government in the event that an acknowledgement of receipt is not received. As you may be transmitting proprietary data, you are cautioned that NAVAIR has an unclassified e-mail network. If this constraint precludes e-mail submittal, contact Camryn Howard to make alternative arrangements for submittal. Submissions must be received at the office cited no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on 10 July 2026. Questions or comments regarding this notice may be addressed to Camryn Howard at camryn.l.howard.civ@us.navy.mil. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT OFFERS, AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMNT. ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY.
Eligibility
Applicant restrictions (federal contract). Set-aside: No Set aside used. Notice type: Sources Sought. Organization: DEPT OF DEFENSE / DEPT OF THE NAVY / NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND.
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