Acquisition of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) for U.S. Embassy Quito, Ecuador

This Statement of Work details a federal procurement by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) to acquire an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) for the Ecuadorian Navy and Coast Guard (ECUNAV/COGUAR). The primary objective is to strengthen Ecuador's maritime security, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities to combat drug trafficking, transnational crime, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF) in high-priority coastal areas, the high seas, and the Galapagos Islands. Under the contract, the selected vendor must manufacture, test, and deliver one National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) compliant Group-3 UAS consisting of three vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) fixed-wing unmanned aircraft, two ground control stations, and integrated payload sensors (including EO/IR and wide-area search radar capabilities). The systems must be fully marinized for maritime operations, capable of launch and recovery from moving naval vessels without external deck equipment, and utilize heavy fuel. Additionally, the contractor is required to provide comprehensive maintenance and spare parts kits supporting up to 2,000 operational hours, deliver all technical documentation in Spanish, and conduct a "Train the Trainer" basic operations course in Ecuador for up to 12 Ecuadorian Navy personnel. All testing, including initial flight trials at the contractor's facility and final acceptance testing in Manta, Ecuador, must be completed and approved prior to final payment. Delivery is required within 180 calendar days of purchase order issuance.

This government document details Amendment 0001 for Solicitation No. 19GE5026Q0131, issued by the U.S. Embassy in Quito, Ecuador, for the acquisition of a Group 3 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). The amendment provides clarification on technical, operational, and financial requirements through a comprehensive Questions and Answers (Q&A) section. Key clarifications include: - **Financial and Delivery Terms:** Deliveries must be made under F.o.b. Destination terms to Manta, Ecuador. The U.S. Government will assist with customs clearance and tax exemptions, but there is no blanket VAT exemption in place; VAT applicability depends on the contractor's legal registration. - **Technical & Payload Specifications:** The aircraft must be a Group 3 VTOL-capable system with a minimum 25-pound payload capacity and a service ceiling of 15,000 feet MSL. It must support modular, swappable payloads, including electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors and wide-area search (WAS) or Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) capabilities. Functionally equivalent payloads to the baseline Overwatch PT-6 are acceptable. - **Maritime Operations:** The UAS must support vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) from designated Ecuadorian Navy and Coast Guard vessels underway at speeds up to 25 knots in Sea State 3 conditions. - **Logistics & Maintenance:** The propulsion system must utilize a heavy-fuel engine compatible with JP-5, JP-8, and Jet A. Operational and maintenance training must be conducted in Spanish for at least 12 personnel. The U.S. Government maintains that these requirements are capability- and risk-based to support maritime counter-drug operations in the region.

This document is Amendment 0002 for solicitation 19GE5026Q0131, issued by the American Consulate General Frankfurt (RPSO Frankfurt). The purpose of this amendment is to provide answers to submitted questions, which are detailed in an attached Q&A document. Additionally, it updates the original Statement of Work (SOW) with an attached revised version containing changes highlighted in red. Due to these changes, the proposal submission deadline has been extended to September 20, 2026, at 3:00 PM Central European Time (CET). Offerors must acknowledge receipt of this amendment when submitting their proposals. All other terms and conditions of the solicitation remain unchanged.

This document is Amendment 0001 to Solicitation Number 19GE5026Q0131, issued by the American Consulate General Frankfurt, Regional Procurement Support Office (RPSO). The primary purpose of this amendment is to extend the proposal submission deadline to no later than 15:00 hours Central European Time (CET) on September 16, 2026. This extension is granted to allow the government sufficient time to compile and provide answers to questions submitted by prospective offerors. To be considered for the award, all offerors are required to submit a signed copy of this amendment along with their proposal packages. All other terms and conditions of the original solicitation remain unchanged and in full force.

This Statement of Work outlines a procurement by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) to acquire a Group-3 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) for the Ecuadorian Navy and Coast Guard. The primary objective is to strengthen Ecuador’s maritime security, intelligence, and interdiction capabilities to combat drug trafficking, transnational crime, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. The contractor must deliver three vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), fixed-wing unmanned aircraft, two ground control stations, payload sensors, and enough consumables and spare parts to support at least 2,000 flight hours. Key technical requirements specify that the aircraft must be fully marinized for shipboard operations, run on heavy fuel, operate beyond visual line-of-sight using secure AES-256 encrypted SATCOM, and carry electro-optical/infrared and wide-area search payloads. Additionally, the contractor is responsible for conducting factory and in-country flight acceptance trials, and providing a comprehensive pilot and maintenance training course in Spanish for up to 12 Ecuadorian officials. All deliverables, including user manuals and warranties, must be provided in Spanish. The equipment must be NDAA-compliant, excluding major hardware or software from restricted countries, and must be delivered under Delivery Duty Paid terms to Manta, Ecuador, within 180 calendar days of the purchase order.

This document is Attachment 2 (Contract Information Sheet / Experience Listing) for Solicitation 19GE5026Q0131, issued by the U.S. Embassy in Quito, Ecuador, for the Acquisition of an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). The purpose of this form is to gather past performance and experience data from offerors. It requires bidding firms to submit details for past contracts to demonstrate their capability and relevancy to the current project. Key information requested on the form includes: - **Contract and Offeror Details:** Name of the firm, contract title, location, contract number, and the offeror's role (Prime Contractor or Joint Venture Partner, including the percentage of work responsible for). - **Client Contact Information:** Names, phone numbers, and email addresses for primary and alternate points of contact to evaluate past performance. - **Financial and Schedule Data:** Original and final contract amounts (with explanations for discrepancies), as well as original and actual start and completion dates. - **Project Description:** A detailed narrative section where the offeror must describe the past contract, highlighting features, challenges, and relevancy similar to the requirements of the current UAS acquisition solicitation.

This federal solicitation attachment (19GE5026Q0131, Attachment 3) outlines the required representations and certifications that offerors must complete to be eligible for contract award. It mandates disclosures regarding responsibility matters, tax compliance, security prohibitions, and overseas employee insurance. Key requirements include: - **Responsibility Matters (FAR 52.209-7):** Offerors with active federal contracts and grants exceeding $10,000,000 must certify that their integrity information in the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) is current and accurate regarding past criminal, civil, or administrative proceedings. - **Tax Matters (FAR 52.209-12):** For proposals exceeding $7,000,000, offerors must certify tax compliance, including filing required returns and having no outstanding, unsatisfied federal tax assessments or criminal tax convictions. - **Security Prohibitions (FAR 52.240-90):** Offerors must conduct reasonable inquiries to represent that they do not use or provide prohibited telecommunications equipment, services, or restricted articles barred by Federal Acquisition Security Council (FASC) orders. They must also certify they do not conduct restricted business operations in Sudan or export sensitive technology to Iran. Non-compliance requires formal disclosure within 72 hours. - **Defense Base Act (DBA) Insurance:** Offerors must declare the number of U.S. citizens, local nationals, and third-country nationals to be employed overseas to determine mandatory DBA workers' compensation insurance coverage. The document concludes with a mandatory certification section requiring the offeror’s signature, printed name, and date to verify the accuracy of all submitted information.

The U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt, Germany, has issued a combined synopsis/solicitation (Solicitation No. 19GE5026Q0131) as a Request for Quotation (RFQ) to procure a Group 3 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) for the U.S. Embassy in Quito, Ecuador. This full and open competition seeks a contractor to deliver a firm-fixed-price purchase order for three Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, integrated payload sensors, Ground Control Stations, transportation cases, spare parts, and pilot/maintainer training. Delivery must be made F.o.b. Destination to Manta, Ecuador, within 180 calendar days of the contract award. The solicitation utilizes FAR Part 12 commercial procedures, evaluating offers based on technical capability, past performance, and price via a comparative evaluation process. A critical component of this solicitation is the treatment of Ecuador's Value Added Tax (VAT). Locally registered contractors holding a valid Registro Único de Contribuyentes (RUC) must separate VAT as a standalone line item (CLIN 009) to allow the U.S. Government to seek host-country reimbursement. Non-registered foreign contractors must disclose their status, integrate all applicable Ecuadorian taxes into their pricing, and will be evaluated with the full VAT factored as a permanent, non-reimbursable cost. Additionally, Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance is mandatory for all contractor and subcontractor personnel. Questions are due by August 24, 2026, and final electronic quotations must be submitted via email to Hakim Dyane at DyaneA@state.gov no later than September 7, 2026, at 15:00 CET.