If you are a contractor looking for an opportunity to provide on-site maintenance support for various active weapon systems in the US Government inventory, you should pay attention to the Air Force’s Contract Field Teams (CFT) program. The CFT program is a multi-billion dollar contract vehicle that allows the Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC) to procure maintenance services from qualified contractors worldwide. In this blog post, we will explain what the CFT program is, what the current solicitation requires, and how GDI Consulting can help you prepare a winning proposal.
 

CFT Program Background

The previous version of the CFT program was awarded in December 2016 as a multiple-award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with a potential value of $11.4 billion and a period of performance of seven years. The previous CFT contract had eight awardees: AAR Government Services Inc., AECOM Management Services Inc., DynCorp International LLC, IAP Worldwide Services Inc., Kay and Associates Inc., M1 Support Services LP, Strategic Technology Institute Inc., and VSE Corporation.
 

What is the current CFT program?

The CFT program has been in existence since 1951, when it was established by the Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC). The program is a contract vehicle that allows the Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC) to procure on-site maintenance support for various active weapon systems, such as aircraft, missiles, ground support equipment and vehicles at various locations worldwide. Since then, the CFT program has evolved and expanded to cover other weapon systems and government agencies. The CFT program is currently managed by the AFSC Enterprise/Specialized Contracting Branch (PZIE).

The CFT contractors are expected to provide organization, intermediate, and depot level maintenance support for modification, maintenance, inspections, and repair of these weapon systems at operational government locations worldwide. The CFT program also includes the modification, maintenance, inspection, and repair of associated support equipment for any Federal Agency or authorized Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customer locations both in the Continental United States (CONUS), and Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS). All weapon systems supported under this contract must be non-commercial and have Government owned technical data.

CFT is designed to supplement the organic maintenance capabilities of the Air Force and other government agencies by providing rapid and flexible response to their maintenance needs. The CFT contractors are required to deploy qualified personnel and equipment within 72 hours of task order award. The CFT program also allows the government to leverage the expertise and experience of the private sector in maintaining complex and diverse weapon systems.
 

CFT Program Structure

The program covers three levels of maintenance: Organization, Intermediate, and Depot. Organization level maintenance is performed by the operating unit on a day-to-day basis to ensure that the weapon system is ready for its assigned mission. Intermediate level maintenance is performed by a designated unit that has more extensive repair capabilities and specialized equipment. Depot level maintenance is performed by a major repair facility that has the most advanced capabilities and resources to overhaul and rebuild the weapon system.

The CFT program is divided into two main components: core services and surge services. Core services are the minimum level of maintenance support that the Air Force requires on a regular basis. Surge services are additional or enhanced support that may be requested by the Air Force or other federal agencies on an as-needed basis. The surge services may include increased manpower, extended hours, expedited delivery, or additional locations.
The CFT program is divided into four functional areas:

  • Aircraft Maintenance: This includes organizational, intermediate and depot level maintenance of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, as well as unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
  • Missile Maintenance: This includes organizational, intermediate and depot level maintenance of air-to-air, air-to-ground, surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missiles, as well as launchers and related equipment.
  • Ground Support Equipment Maintenance: This includes organizational, intermediate and depot level maintenance of generators, air compressors, hydraulic test stands, fuel trucks, trailers and other equipment used to support aircraft and missile operations.
  • Vehicle Maintenance: This includes organizational, intermediate and depot level maintenance of wheeled and tracked vehicles, such as trucks, tanks, armored personnel carriers and humvees.

The program is managed by the AFSC Enterprise/Specialized Contracting Branch (PZIE), which is responsible for soliciting, awarding and administering the contracts. The CFT program operates under an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract structure, which means that the AFSC awards multiple contracts to different contractors under the same solicitation. The contractors then compete for individual task orders issued by the AFSC or other authorized ordering activities.
 

Tips on how to prepare a winning proposal

 If you are interested in pursuing the CFT program, here are some tips on how to prepare your proposal and increase your chances of winning:

  • Review the draft RFP and provide feedback

    The draft RFP contains several attachments that describe the performance work statement (PWS), quality assurance surveillance plan (QASP), contract data requirements list (CDRLs), section L (instructions to offerors), section M (evaluation factors), and CFT ordering guide. You should review these documents carefully and identify any issues, questions or suggestions that you have. You should also check the website of the solicitation regularly for any updates or amendments to the draft RFP.

  • Understand the scope, requirements and expectations of the CFT program

    The next step to writing a successful proposal is to understand the scope and requirements of the CFT program. The CFT program is a performance-based contract that requires contractors to provide on-site maintenance support for various weapon systems at operational government locations worldwide, with various components and functional areas. To write a compelling proposal for the CFT program, you need to demonstrate that you have a thorough understanding of the scope and requirements of the program, and that you have the capability and capacity to provide all types of maintenance support at any location and for any weapon system.

  • Demonstrate your relevant experience and capabilities

    According to the Draft RFP, the AFSC will evaluate proposals based on three factors: technical capability, past performance and price. Among these factors, past performance is considered to be significantly more important than technical approach.The past performance factor will evaluate how well you performed on previous contracts that are relevant to the CFT program. You should provide references and documentation of your past contracts that demonstrate your customer satisfaction, quality of work, timeliness of delivery and problem resolution. You also need to emphasize how your past performance demonstrates your ability to meet or exceed the Air Force’s expectations and requirements for the CFT program. You need to highlight how you have successfully managed challenges such as changing priorities, surge requests, security clearances, technical data availability, environmental compliance, quality assurance, safety standards, customer satisfaction, etc.The technical capability factor will assess how well you meet or exceed the requirements of the PWS and QASP. You should provide evidence of your experience and qualifications in providing similar maintenance services for similar weapon systems in similar environments. You should also highlight your technical expertise, management approach, quality control measures, safety procedures and contingency plans.The price factor will compare your proposed prices with other offerors and with the government estimate. You should ensure that your prices are realistic, reasonable and consistent with your technical proposal.

  • Differentiate Yourself from Your Competitors

    The next step to writing a successful proposal is to differentiate yourself from your competitors by showcasing your unique value proposition and competitive advantages and demonstrating superior technical capabilities, experience, and responsiveness. The CFT program provides temporary and long-term labor support for various maintenance and repair needs for aircraft, vehicles, weapon systems and other equipment at operational government locations worldwide. To win a CFT task order, the contractor must be able to assemble the necessary personnel and deploy them to the directed site within a short time frame (generally 30 days from notification). The contractor must also have access to government-owned technical data and special tools and equipment. Therefore, a company that wants to participate in the CFT solicitation should highlight its strengths in these areas and show how it can meet or exceed the requirements of the draft RFP.

  • Follow the instructions and submit your proposal on time

    The AFSC will provide detailed instructions on how to prepare and submit your proposal in section L of the official RFP. You should follow these instructions carefully and adhere to the format, content and page limitations specified by the AFSC. You should also ensure that your proposal is complete, accurate and responsive to all aspects of the solicitation. You should submit your proposal electronically through a secure website by the deadline specified by the AFSC.

 

How can GDI Consulting help you?

As a federal government solicitation and proposal development expert, GDI Consulting has extensive experience in preparing proposals for the CFT program, as we have successfully supported our clients who won contracts under the previous solicitation. We have a team of expert consultants who can assist you with:

  • Developing a winning strategy that aligns with the AFSC’s objectives and priorities
  • Conducting market research and competitive analysis to identify your strengths and weaknesses
  • Writing clear and compelling technical narratives that demonstrate your capabilities and experience
  • Developing realistic and competitive cost estimates that comply with the pricing structure and instructions
  • Reviewing and editing your proposal developed in-house with recommendations on how to improve your presentation and chances to win a contract.

 

Conclusion

The CFT program is a major opportunity for contractors who can provide high-quality maintenance support for various weapon systems. By following these tips, you can increase your chances of winning this competitive contract and becoming a valued partner of the AFSC.