Unmanned Threat Emitter (UMTE), Common Electronic Attack Receiver (CEAR)

THIS SYNOPSIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NOTIFICATION OF THE GOVERNMENT’S INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT.

The United States Air Force intends to award a sole-source contract to SRC, Inc, Cage Code 28541, Authority FAR 6.302-1 – 10 USC 3204(a)(1), Only One Responsible Source – No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

This is a new requirement for an SRC, Inc., Unmanned Threat Emitter (UMTE), Common Electronic Attack Receiver (CEAR). The CEAR is the receiver and data processing portion of the overall threat emitter system and is a multi-channel receiver/signal processor capable of detecting and parameterizing radiated Radio Frequency (RF) countermeasures from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) operated aircraft. The 517 SWES is on track to receive the UMTE Engineering Software Support Station (ESSS) and final testing is being completed. To complete the ESSS Final Acceptance Test, a CEAR is required as stated in the Statement of Work (SOW) between the System Program Office (SPO) and the contractor.

The CEAR being procured is a very specialized part associated with higher assembly end item, the UTME that includes proprietary information from the Original Equipment Manufacturer. This requirement is being submitted as a sole source, firm-fixed price contract due the proprietary nature of the CEAR that is not available through the use of resell-vendors (see section D, sub-section II). To try and solicit another Equipment Manufacturer to develop an equivalent product would require a reverse engineering of the CEAR and/or require redesign of the product that would result in a multi-million, multi-years effort.

Without the CEAR, contractor testing will be severely limited and incomplete once the ESSS arrives at the 517 SWES lab. Since the CEAR is such an integral piece of the ESSS, without it, the 517th will have limited capabilities to fully test the system and limit their ability to fully support their customers, which result in a negative impact on customer relations, funding and schedule support.