How to respond to the Air Force’s DAMES IDIQ RFI

What the Air Force is seeking

The Department of the Air Force is gathering market information for a potential Data & AI Mission Expert Services (DAMES) IDIQ. It wants capability statements describing vendors’ technical approach, relevant past performance, and staffing and transition timelines.

This is an early-stage Request for Information, not a request for proposals. The Air Force will use responses for acquisition planning, and it also seeks industry feedback on its proposed Highest Technically Rated Offeror selection approach and the requirements.

Deadline and what happens next

The RFI was published October 23, 2026. Responses are due November 2, 2026, at 10:00 AM ET. Submit your response to the primary point of contact listed in the announcement by that deadline.

The Air Force may hold one-on-one discussions with respondents to clarify their capabilities. It will not pay response or administrative costs, and submitted information will not be returned.

Who this opportunity may suit

This RFI may suit professional-services firms with experience relevant to the attached Performance Work Statement, including firms able to describe their technical approach, relevant contract work, and plans to obtain the needed skills and transition to contract award.

The announcement requests contract numbers, periods of performance, whether each effort was performed as a prime or subcontractor, and summaries of services provided.

How to access the opportunity and respond

Use “View original source” on the portal to open the opportunity. If the first click takes you to the portal homepage, click it again to go straight to the bid. A free account may be needed to view documents, though many bids do not require one.

Prepare a capability statement of no more than 15 pages, single spaced, in 12-point font, accessible in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat. Include your company’s CAGE, Unique Entity ID, and Size Standard, then send the response to the primary point of contact listed in the announcement. Large submissions may need to be split across multiple emails; the Government recommends contacting the point of contact to verify receipt.

Prepare a focused, useful response

Use the attached Performance Work Statement to organize your technical approach around the work the Air Force describes. Keep the response within the stated page and formatting limits, and make it easy to find each requested item.

Choose past-performance examples that clearly relate to the stated scope and provide all requested details. Make the staffing and transition timeline concrete, including time for applicable transition activities and clearances if required.

Give specific, constructive feedback on the proposed selection approach and requirements. Explain what you see as benefits or drawbacks of the approach and identify requirement language that could be clarified to improve the resulting service.