16th Air Force Commercial Solutions Opening
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The 16th Air Force has issued a Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO), authorized by 10 USC 3458 and DFARS 212.70, to acquire innovative commercial items, technologies, and services. This umbrella solicitation seeks solutions that fulfill requirements, close capability gaps, or provide technology advancements across 19 diverse areas of interest. While specific "Calls" for proposals will be issued later, the CSO itself is not currently accepting proposals. Potential offerors must monitor SAM.gov for future Calls. The overall availability for this CSO ends on September 30, 2026.
Purpose & Scope
The 16th Air Force aims to competitively award contracts for "innovative" solutions, defined as new technologies, processes, methods, or new applications of existing ones. The CSO covers a broad range of 19 "Areas of Interest," including:
- Electromagnetic Warfare (EW)
- Information Operations (IO)
- Electromagnetic Digital Communications
- Multi-Domain Innovation
- Weather and Climate Resources
- Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)
- Department of the Air Force Information Network (DAFIN)
- Geophysics and Seismology
- Air and Space
- Directed Energy Weapon (DEW)
- Nuclear and Nuclear-Related Materials Analysis
- Materials Modeling and Analysis
- Enterprise-Wide Integration and Architecture Modernization
- Enterprise Asset and Lifecycle Management Improvements
- High Performance and Secure Cloud Computing and Dev Ops Solutions
- Defense Cyberspace Operations (DCO) & Defense Cyberspace Operations-Internal Defense Measures (DCO-IDM)
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Common Tactical Picture (CTP)
- Battle Management and Command and Control (BMC2) of Non-Kinetic Effects and Kinetic Integration
Contract Details
Awards may result in FAR Part 12 contracts or Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs). The CSO remains open indefinitely with an annual update, and awards are subject to the availability of funds. Specific contract types and periods of performance will be detailed in individual Calls.
Submission & Evaluation
This CSO is an overarching framework and is not currently requesting proposals. Future "Calls" issued under this CSO will utilize a two-step submission process:
- Submission of a White Paper and Quad-Chart for initial evaluation.
- Full proposal submission by invited offerors from Step 1. Evaluation criteria will be specified in each Call. Unsolicited proposals will not be accepted.
Eligibility
Offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and possess a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Cybersecurity requirements, including CMMC levels, will be specified in each Call. Project Spectrum is available to assist small businesses with CMMC certification.
Notes
Potential offerors are responsible for monitoring SAM.gov for additional information and the posting of Open Call Periods. Proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should not be included in responses. The Government is not obligated to make any award.