How to bid on Navy helicopter software and sustainment support

What the Navy is seeking

The Department of the Navy is conducting market research for enterprise software and sustainment support for H-53, H-60, and Presidential helicopter fleets, including domestic and Foreign Military Sales fleets. The described work includes engineering, software development and sustainment, logistics, testing, repairs, training, and fleet support.

The Navy is exploring an IDIQ with an anticipated 10-year ordering period to consolidate work across platforms. This is a sources sought notice, not a request for proposals, and does not promise a future contract.

Key date and what the deadline means

The notice was published October 15, 2026. Capability statements are due October 30, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET, and are limited to 12 pages.

This deadline is for a market-research response, not a contract proposal. The notice says the Navy will not accept unsolicited proposals and that not responding does not prevent a business from participating in a future RFP, if one is issued.

Who this opportunity may suit

This notice is relevant to businesses with experience supporting rotary-wing aircraft, especially in aviation software, sustaining engineering, logistics, integration and testing, repairs, or fleet readiness. The listed platforms include CH-53 variants, H-60 variants, and Presidential helicopters.

Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to respond. The notice lists NAICS 336413, with a small-business size standard of 1,250 employees, and asks each respondent to identify its business size.

How to access the opportunity

Click “View original source” above to open the opportunity on the portal. If the first click takes you to the portal homepage, click it again to go directly to the bid.

A free account may be needed to view documents, though some bids can be viewed without one.

Prepare a focused capability statement

Use the 12-page limit carefully. Organize the statement around the capabilities the Navy identifies, such as aircraft engineering, software lifecycle support, logistics analysis, integration and flight testing, modification installation, and domestic and foreign fleet support.

Give concrete examples that show your firm’s relevant work and explain its role, especially for complex or multi-platform efforts. State your business size, as requested, and make clear which capabilities your firm provides directly and which it supports through others.

Treat this as market research rather than a price or technical proposal. The notice says response costs are the respondent’s responsibility and that the final requirement would be defined in a formal RFP. If a solicitation is released, the Navy says it will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website.