Market survey to determine whether adequate competition exists to conduct an unrestricted competition for continued system integration and sustainment of the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System(STARS) beyond the contract’s end date of 9/30/2030

Market Survey

This market survey is being conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to determine if adequate competition exists for the continued system integration and sustainment of the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) beyond September 30, 2030. The survey aims to gather information to decide whether an unrestricted competition can be held for these services.

The planned scope for STARS Sustainment includes:

• Equipment Procurement
• System Engineering and Design
• Specialty Engineering (Reliability, Maintainability, Availability, Human Factors)
• Information Systems Security
• Software Engineering, Development, and Integration
• Hardware Engineering
• Quality Assurance
• Configuration Management
• Program Management
• Test and Evaluation
• Integrated Logistics Support and Training
• Implementation
• Site Deployment
• Operational Support and Second-Level Engineering

STARS is a critical system used by Air Traffic controllers at over 800 FAA and Department of Defense (DoD) facilities for terminal radar Air Traffic Control (ATC) functions. The FAA previously conducted a market survey in 2018, which led to a determination of inadequate competition, resulting in a sole-source contract with Raytheon through September 30, 2030. This current survey seeks to re-evaluate competition for the period after that date.

Potential bidders should be aware of the following challenges:

• System Availability: STARS is a safety-critical system with stringent availability requirements (0.999995).
• Proprietary Software: The platform relies on proprietary software (AutoTrac™, ATCoach) for which data rights will be necessary.
• Third-Party Tools: The system utilizes various third-party vendor processes and tools, often obtained through Raytheon.
• Program Documentation: Significant documentation, some proprietary, is used to manage STARS.
• Hardware End-of-Life (EOL/EOS): Managing equipment procurement amidst budget constraints and EOL/EOS timelines is a challenge.
• Integration: The need to procure, ship, kit, and install equipment across hundreds of FAA and DoD sites, some with security clearance requirements and remote locations, presents integration complexities.
• Transition to BNATS/CAP: Potential modifications to support the Brand-New Air Traffic System (BNATS)/Common Automation Platform (CAP) transition.

Interested companies should submit a Capability Statement addressing:

• How they can overcome the identified challenges.

• Past experience with transitioning and sustaining complex, operational systems developed by others.

• Innovative solutions for sustainment, cost avoidance, and quality improvements.

• Strategies for addressing EOL parts and technology obsolescence.

• Methods for ensuring secure network connections and addressing bandwidth limitations.

• How they would obtain necessary data rights for Raytheon's proprietary software.

• Deadline: July 17, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT

• Submission Method: Email to Peter Dewald (peter.dewald@faa.gov)

• Page Limit: 40 pages (8.5"x11", 10pt font minimum)

• This is a market survey, not a solicitation or request for proposals.

• No contract award will be made based on this survey.

• All costs associated with responding are the vendor's responsibility.

• The FAA may ask follow-up questions.

System Specification Document (SSD)

This document, Revision F of FAA-E-2904, provides the system specification for the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS). It details the technical, performance, operational, and support characteristics of the STARS system, including requirements for terminal surveillance data processing, flight data processing, internal and external interfaces, system monitoring and control, system support, human factors, security, design and construction, transition, and system performance characteristics and capabilities.

• Introduction: Background, scope, purpose, identification, and sponsorship of the STARS system.
• Reference Documents: Lists FAA specifications, publications, orders, military and federal standards, and other relevant documents.
• STARS Requirements: Details states, service levels, modes, and capabilities for operational and support sites, including specific requirements for Full Service (FSL), Emergency Service Level (ESL), Emergency Full Service Level (EFSL), and STARS LITE.
• STARS Capabilities: Outlines the capabilities of STARS for operational sites, including ATC Surveillance, ATC Tracking, ATC Conflict Alert, ATC Final Monitor Aid, ATC Minimum Safe Altitude Warning, ATC Converging Runway Display Aid, ATC Controller Automated Spacing Aid, ATC Flight Data Processing, and interfaces with En Route and TFMS systems.
• Design and Construction Constraints: Covers architectural, hardware, software, firmware, electrical, mechanical, and human interface requirements.
• Qualification Provisions: Details quality assurance, test program, test strategy, and test methods.
• Notes: Includes acronyms and abbreviations, definitions, and traceability matrices.

This document is a foundational specification for the STARS system. Bidders involved in opportunities related to air traffic control systems, particularly those involving terminal automation, surveillance, flight data processing, or related software/hardware development, will find this document essential for understanding the technical requirements and context of the STARS system. It outlines the detailed functional and performance requirements that any proposed solution must meet or align with.