Materials Compatibility Test and Evaluation Services in support of Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative (PAFI) and Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) programs

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation (697DCK-26-R-00186) is for Materials Compatibility Testing in support of the Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative (PAFI) and the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) programs. All laboratory testing services will be conducted in accordance with the project Statement of Work and supporting specifications. The effort is solicited through full and open competition.

• Conduct laboratory testing services related to materials compatibility.

• Provide quality technical, engineering, analytical, planning, and administrative support to the Alternative Fuels program mission.

• Furnish and make available necessary personnel, supplies, equipment, materials, data, and facilities.

• May require interface with other contractors, fuels providers, and various FAA organizations.

• Specific research CLINs are listed, including non-severable and severable research CLINs.

• Optional additional fuel testing labor support is included as an option line item.

• Period of Performance: July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2028.

• Contract type is not explicitly stated but implies firm-fixed prices and labor hour rates for testing.

• Questions Due: May 29, 2026, at 1500 hrs ET.

• Offers Due: June 18, 2026, at 1500 hrs ET.

• Award will be made to the lowest priced, technically acceptable offer.

• Proposals will be evaluated as acceptable or unacceptable.

• Evaluation factors include Past Experience, Past Performance (Customer Satisfaction Surveys), Key Personnel (Project Lead, Senior Researcher), and Price.

• Solicited through full and open competition.

• The Statement of Work is available as Attachment 1.

• A Pricing Template is available as Attachment 2.

• Past Performance Questionnaires are available as Attachment 3.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

To obtain materials compatibility laboratory test and evaluation services to support the FAA Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative (PAFI) and Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) programs. The goal is to identify and authorize unleaded fuel replacements for current 100 octane low lead (100LL) aviation gasoline, supporting the Congressional goal of transitioning to lead-free aviation fuels by the end of 2030.

The contractor will provide all necessary technical, engineering, operations, administrative support, facilities, equipment, materials, and supplies for materials compatibility test and evaluation of unleaded candidate fuels. This includes:

• Compatibility screening of various materials (metallic, non-metallic, aircraft paint systems, fuel tank sealants, elastomers, hoses, fuel bladder construction, filter elements, coalescer elements, housings, fuel tank coatings, vendor-supplied materials).

• Testing of fuels (Cold Flow Rig, Storage Stability Rig, Cold Storage Freezer, Dynamic Diaphragm, Sump Drain Valve).

• Support for EAGLE and PAFI meetings and conferences.

• The contractor must comply with specified test protocols, test plans, and standards referenced in the PAFI Test Matrix and other incorporated documents.

• Deliverables must meet specific electronic file format and resolution requirements.

• Reports must detail test procedures, dates, participants, results, exceptions, and conclusions on compliance with pass/fail criteria.

• Period of Performance: Thirty-six (36) months.

• Place of Performance: Continental United States (CONUS). OCONUS locations require pre-approval.

• Contractor must adhere to strict intellectual property requirements and execute Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs).

• Contractor must ensure proper handling, storage, and disposal of test fuels, complying with all local, state, and federal regulations.

• Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) must be used.

• The FAA will provide unleaded test fuels and certain Government Furnished Property (GFP).

• Contractor must provide a detailed Deliverable Tracking List and Program Schedule.

• Monthly status reports and test data must be submitted regularly.

• FAA representatives may participate in and inspect all aspects of the work.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is Attachment 2, a Pricing Spreadsheet, which details various materials testing CLINs (Contract Line Item Numbers) and labor CLINs. It outlines the specific tests to be performed, the materials involved (e.g., fuels, sealants, hoses), and the unit of measure for pricing.

• Materials Testing CLINs (001-021A): These CLINs cover a wide range of material tests, including fuel-wetted metallic and non-metallic materials, paint systems, sealants, fabric systems, O-rings, aircraft hoses, filters, fuel bladders, resin pre-screening, composite property testing, and various rig testing (e.g., cold flow, storage stability, dynamic diaphragm).
• Labor CLINs (022-027): These CLINs cover support roles such as Project Lead and Senior Researcher, with rates specified per hour for different contract periods (0-12 months, 13-24 months, 25-36 months).
• Pricing Structure: Each CLIN includes fields for Quantity (QTY), Fully Loaded Price Each Unit, and Extension. The spreadsheet also notes that for materials testing CLINs, the FAA anticipates awarding a maximum of one CLIN per test type/CLIN series, and one or more labor CLINs may be awarded at FAA discretion.
• Total Maximum Contract Price: The spreadsheet indicates a total maximum contract price of $0.00.

This pricing spreadsheet is crucial for bidders to understand the cost structure and potential pricing for the services offered. It details the specific types of materials testing and labor support required, allowing vendors to prepare accurate and competitive proposals. Bidders should pay close attention to the CLIN descriptions and the note regarding the maximum number of CLINs to be awarded per test type.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a Performance Questionnaire designed to gather feedback on a contractor's past performance. It is used to support source selection processes.

• Contractor Information: Fields for contractor name, address, contract number, initiation and completion dates, total contract value, and type of contract.
• Description of Contract Requirements: A section to briefly describe the work performed under the contract.
• Evaluator Information: Fields for the evaluator's name, position, organization, and phone number.
• Performance Monitoring Period: A field to indicate the number of months the evaluator monitored the contractor's performance.
• Evaluation Criteria: A rating scale (Exceptional, Very Good, Satisfactory, Marginal, Unsatisfactory, Not Observed) to assess the contractor's performance across seven categories:
  • Quality of Products and Services
  • Performance (as General Contractor or Architect/Engineer)
  • Technical Requirements
  • Schedule
  • Cost Control
  • Customer Satisfaction
  • Overall Assessment
• Comments: A section for detailed qualitative feedback.

Bidders may be required to provide this questionnaire to their past customers as part of their proposal submission. The responses will be used by the government to evaluate the bidder's past performance, a key factor in source selection. Understanding the categories and rating scale will help bidders prepare to solicit feedback from their clients.