The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is conducting a Market Survey to solicit statements of interest and capabilities from vendors for an Engineering Design Software Tool. This tool is intended to assist FAA design teams in preparing project manuals that bundle procurement requirements, materials, and performance specifications, while ensuring compliance with American Institute of Architects (AIA) Standards. The FAA seeks a construction specification writing tool that provides access to a large collection of AIA-approved specifications, allows for targeted customization, and includes periodic industry-standard updates, among other requirements. Interested parties must submit their capability statements by email to Timothy Thannisch at timothy.g.thannisch@faa.gov by July 31, 2025, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time, with responses limited to 10 pages and adhering to specified formatting guidelines.

In accordance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acquisition Management System (AMS) Policy 3.2.1.2.1 Market Analysis, this is a Market Survey / Sources Sought announcement for the purpose of soliciting statements of interest and capabilities from interested vendors. Responses to this announcement will be used for informational purposes only to support the development of an acquisition strategy for a contemplated procurement for an Engineering Design Software Tool. The information received will not be released, except as required under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Proprietary information will be protected if appropriately marked.

This is not a Screening Information Request or Request for Proposal.

The FAA’s Air Traffic Control Facilities and Engineering Services (AJW-2) group has a requirement for an engineering specification writing tool that will enable FAA design teams to prepare the Project Manual (commonly referred to as the specification).  The Project Manual (or specification) is a bundling of procurement requirements, materials, and performance requirements into a single project document.

The required tool must enable FAA design teams to tailor standardized specifications to specific projects in compliance with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Standards.

The engineering specification writing tool must meet the following minimum requirements:

1. The tool must be a construction specification writing tool that will provide the Engineering Services (ES) engineers with access to a large collection of AIA approved specifications (50,000 or more) that enable the user to create, modify, standardize, and maintain specific versions of construction specifications.

2. The tool must enable the Engineering Services (ES) engineers to perform targeted customization, so users may delete unneeded sections while modifying specifications for specific materials, methods, or project type in compliance with the AIA Standards.

3. The tool must allow the Engineering Services (ES) engineers to merge updated/added requirements and specification sections to existing specifications in its native format. 

4. The tool must provide periodic industry standard specification updates.  All content is to be written by licensed design professionals and vetted by AIA-sponsored architectural and engineering review committees. 

5. The tool provided specifications must adhere to regulations, best practices, and the most recent versions of standards published by industry standard development organizations, all organized by practice-specific libraries in accordance with AIA guidelines.

6. The tool must provide a rotational users-based system.  The FAA must be able to administer its own users.

7. The tool must provide web-based instructions and ‘how to’ guides for new and advanced users.  The tool must provide a user manual.

8. If the tool utilizes Software as a Service (SaaS) delivery model, the system must meet the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) requirements and show a current certification.

The FAA requests responses from industry to include the following:

a. Capability Statement:

1.  Provide a description of your software tool and address your company’s ability to support this tool as a Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) solution. Explain how your software tool will meet all, or the majority of the requirements listed in this market survey.  If there are certain requirements that your firm cannot meet, your firm’s capability statement must identify these specific requirements.

b. Interested Party Information.

Interested parties' responses must be submitted by email to the Contracting Officer listed below no later than July 31, 2025 at 5:00 PM eastern time.  Responses to this Market Survey are limited to 10 pages and must be in writing, on company letterhead, and must include respondent point of contact information including name, SAM UEI, telephone number, e-mail address, and mailing address. The Capability Statement must be written in Times New Roman font, size 12, with 1.0-inch top, bottom, and side margins. Any proprietary information submitted must be properly identified. Information from vendor submissions may be used in future acquisition activities on a non-vendor specific basis.

This Market Survey is also being conducted in order to obtain the information necessary to determine whether adequate competition exists to set aside any competition among the small business socioeconomic categories. The NAICS code for this requirement has not been determined at this time. Responses to this Market Survey will assist the FAA in making decisions about any acquisition that may follow.

This Market Survey must not be construed as an obligation on the part of the FAA to acquire these items. Since this is not a Screening Information Request or Request for Proposal, no results will be issued to the responding firms. No solicitation for these items exists at this time. If a solicitation is issued, it will be announced on the SAM.gov website. It is the vendor’s responsibility to monitor the website for release of the solicitation. The FAA will not entertain or accept unsolicited proposals for this work.

The FAA will not be liable for any costs associated with the preparation of responses to this Market Survey, nor reimburse or otherwise pay any costs incurred by any party responding to this announcement. Any costs associated with the Market Survey submissions will be solely at the interested party’s expense. The FAA may request that one, some, all, or none of the respondents to the Market Survey provide additional information. Additional responses are strictly voluntary, and any costs associated with providing additional information will be solely at the respondent’s expense.  Vendor participation in any informational session is not a promise for future business with the FAA.

Note: The FAR references cited in SAM.gov are not applicable to the FAA as the FAA has its own policies and guidance referenced in the AMS.

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