How to Show Your Strengths: U.S. Army TACOM FSS

Do you have significant experience in Field Sustainment Support (FSS) activities for the Abrams vehicle platform?  The U.S. Army Tank-automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) seeks these services under a new single award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with an undetermined value. The award is estimated to be announced in late 2025 or early 2016.  

TACOM FSS At-a-Glance

On March 27, 2025, the Government released a request for information (RFI) and announced an upcoming Industry Day in May. A revised draft request for proposal (RFP) was released on April 2, 2025. Tracking and solicitation information details are outlined in Tables 1 and 2 below.  

Table 1: Tracking Information

Item	Identification Number
Solicitation Number	W56HZV24R0035
GovWin Opportunity ID Number	238578
Sam.gov Notice ID	W56HZV24R0035-2
NAICS Code	336992 (Military Armored Vehicle, Tank, and Tank Component Manufacturing)
Place of Performance	Fort Cavazos, TX
Competition Type	Full and Open/Unrestricted

Table 2: Solicitation Information

Date	Description
March 27, 2025	Request for Information (RFI)  Excel Attachment 0015 – Abrams ILS Government Format Pricing Model (GFPM)Excel Attachment 0016 – Abrams ILS Government Format Pricing Model (GFPM) – SubsExcel Attachment 0017 – Small Business Participation Workbook Instructions Adobe PDF Attachment 0018 – Small Business Participation Workbook InstructionsExcel Attachment 0019 – Experience Matrix
April 2, 2025	Revised DRAFT RFP W56HZV-24-R-0035
April 16, 2025, 4:00 PM ET	RFI Response Due
April 16, 2025, 4:00 PM ET	Questions Due
May 2025	Industry Day – Selfridge National Air Guard Base, Michigan NOTE: There will be a 30-day notice prior to Industry Day
May 2025	The final solicitation will be released

Draft Section C: Performance Work Statement (PWS)

Offerors will provide maintenance, repair, and installation support to ensure machines and vehicles work properly. Key services include:

• Analysis of Field Problems
• Field Service Representatives
• Vehicle Maintenance
• Vehicle Modifications
• Total Package Fielding
• New Equipment Training
• Special Tools and Support Equipment Maintenance
• Supply Support
• Outside Continental United States (OCONUS) Report

Draft Section L: Instructions to Offerors

Table 3: Draft Instructions

Volume	Requirement
Volume 1 – Experience Factor	Offerors will submit a completed Experience Matrix and narratives on the four considerations.
Volume 2 – Cost/Price Factor	Offerors will submit Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) Level of Effort (LOE) Fully Burdened Labor Rates (FBLR) and pricing matrices provided by the government.
Volume 3 – Small Business Participation Factor	All Offerors, including offerors who are small businesses, will submit attachment 0017 – Small Business Participation Factor Workbook.
Volume 4 – Administrative Volume	In addition to the signed Standard Form 33 (SF 33), proposal acceptance period, agreement to all terms and conditions, and disclosure of any Organization Conflict of Interest (OCI), Offerors will need to submit the following: A Property Management Plan that’s aligned with the solicitation requirements.Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) or Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) evidence of an adequate cost accounting system. Documentation of Facility Clearance (FCL)
Proposal Executive Summary or Transmittal Letter	Offerors are not required to submit an executive summary or transmittal letter. If they choose to do so, the information will not be evaluated.

Volume 1 – Experience Factor: Prime Offeror

Offerors must address each Statement of Work (SOW) consideration. Each consideration encompasses a section of the SOW. The requirements for each consideration are provided in Table 4.

Table 4: Consideration Table

Consideration #	Requirement
Consideration #1: Performance of Total Package Fielding and De-Processing Activities	Offerors must have required experience in two or more fielding missions for military ground combat or tactical vehicles, conducted simultaneously at different locations over a consecutive 12-month period.
Consideration #2: Performance of Net Equipment Training (NET)	Offerors must have conducted operations on military combat or tactical vehicles at two or more locations concurrently, involving a minimum of 100 vehicles in total or training at least 300 users collectively over a consecutive 12-month period.
Consideration #3: General Maintenance (Scheduled and Unscheduled)	Offerors must demonstrate the knowledge and utilization of technical manuals or Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (IETMS) for at least a combined total of 350 military ground combat or tactical vehicles. This service must have been performed at four or more locations concurrently, both within the United States and internationally, across a consecutive 12-month period.
Consideration #4: Performance of Modification Work Order (MWO) Installation Process IAW AR 750-10	The MWO must have been applied to at least 100 military ground combat or tactical vehicles over a consecutive 12-month period, requiring a minimum installation time of 80 man-hours per vehicle. The installation process must have included hardware installation and pre-installation inspection.

Volume 1 – Experience Factor for Proposed Key Subcontractors

Offerors are permitted to submit only one experience example where a key subcontractor acted as the prime contractor. A maximum of two experience submissions for key subcontractors are allowed across the entire Experience Factor. Each key subcontractor must meet the specified dollar threshold for each consideration in which they are proposed.  Table 5 provides the minimum threshold requirements.

Table 5: Subcontractor Consideration Requirements

Consideration	Additional Requirements
Consideration #1: Performance of Total Package Fielding and De-processing Activities	Must represent a minimum of 25% of the total labor cost (no fee) per ordering period, for all five ordering periods, for the Heavy Equipment Mechanic, Material Handling Specialist, and Supply/Procurement Specialist labor categories
Consideration #2: Performance of Net Equipment Training (NET)	Must represent a minimum of 25% of the total labor cost (no fee) per ordering period, for all five ordering periods, for the Instructor-Supervisor and Instructor labor categories.
Consideration #3:            General Maintenance (Scheduled and Unscheduled)	Must represent a minimum of 25% of the total labor cost (no fee) per ordering period for the Heavy Equipment Mechanic labor category
Consideration #4: Performance of MWO Installation	Must represent a minimum of 25% of the total labor cost (no fee) per ordering period for the Welder and Software labor categories

Volume 2 – Cost/Price Factor

Offerors will not need to provide certified cost data as part of the submission; however, the Government reserves the right to request certified cost data if only one offeror is received.

Offerors will propose Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) Level of Effort (LOE) Fully Burdened Labor Rates (FBLR). Table 6 provides the requirements for the Cost/Price volume.  

Table 6: Section L Cost/Price Factor Requirements

Part	Required from	Requirement
Part One	Prime Offeror	Attachment 0015 – Government Format Pricing Model (GFPM)
Part Two	Subcontractors	Attachment 0016 – Government Format Pricing Model Subcontractors (GFPM-Subs)
Part Three	Prime Offeror and Subcontractors	Cost narrative including Basis of Estimate (BOE) for all proposed costs
Part Four	Prime Offeror	Offeror Format Pricing Model (OFPM). Offerors must also submit a roadmap tracking differences between the OFPM and the GFPM
Part Five	Prime Offeror and Subcontractors	DCAA and DCMA information.

Volume 3 – Small Business Participation Factor

All Offerors, including offerors who are small businesses, will submit Attachment 0017 – Small Business Participation Factor Workbook.

Volume 4 – Administrative

In addition to the signed SF 33, proposal acceptance period, agreement to all terms and conditions, and disclosure of any Organization Conflict of Interest (OCI), Offerors will need to submit the following:

• A Property Management Plan that’s aligned with the solicitation requirements
• DCMA or DCAA evidence of an adequate cost accounting system
• Documentation of Facility Clearance (FCL)

Draft Section M:  Evaluation Factors

There are three evaluation factors: Experience Factor, Cost/Price Factor, and Small Business Participation Factor. The government will make an award using best-value trade-off practices. The relative order of importance is:

• Experience Factor is more important than Cost/Price Factor
• The Cost/Price Factor is significantly more important than the Small Business Participation Factor
• The non-price factors, when combined, are significantly more important than the Cost/Price Factor

The Government has identified strengths in Table 7 that will increase an offeror’s ratings for Volume 1 – Experience Factor, Considerations 1-3.

Table 7: Consideration Strengths

Volume 1 – Experience Factor	Strengths That Increase Ratings
Consideration #1: Performance of Total Package Fielding and De-processing Activities	The deployment of personnel to work on military ground combat or tactical vehicles at locations in CENTCOM, EUCOM, PACOM, or AFRICOM for a minimum duration of six months.
Consideration #2: Performance of Net Equipment Training (NET)	NET activities on military combat or tactical vehicles on significantly more than 100 vehicles or 300 users, provided the excess provides additional benefit and risk reduction.
Consideration #3: General Maintenance (Scheduled and Unscheduled)	Substantially higher than 350 military ground combat or tactical vehicles and/or locations may be considered a strength if it is determined that such an excess offers additional benefits and risk reduction.
Consideration #4: Performance of Modification Work Order (MWO) Installation Process IAW AR 750-10	Although strength points for Consideration #4 aren’t part of the draft RFP, Offerors should consider using contracts that support the hardware and pre-installation of more than 100 military ground combat or tactical vehicles over a continuous 12-month period.

Hints to Offerors

Industry Day: Attend Industry Day with key team members such as your proposal manager and program manager. Use this time to gain insights into the customer and their expectations for this new program.

Draft RFP Review: Read the RFP and attachments carefully. Identify any discrepancies, ambiguities, or confusing requirements and draft questions for the contracting officer.

Experience Evaluation: Assess your experience examples and those of your subcontractors to identify the combination that will give you the most favorable evaluation.  Use samples that provide strengths that evaluators can easily identify.

Proposal Submission:  Allow ample time to upload the proposal into PIEE Solicitation. Become familiar with the solicitation tool prior to the submission date.

Conclusion

This is an opportunity to set the bar for Abrams vehicle maintenance. Take a good look at the competitive landscape and select teammates that give you an advantage.  Quantify your strengths and pay strict attention to compliance.  If you need additional support to submit a compliant winning proposal, contact Lohfeld Consulting.  We’re happy to help you win!

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By Dana Katalinas, Vice President, APMP Member, GPA Member

Lohfeld Consulting Group has proven results specializing in helping companies create winning captures and proposals. As the premier capture and proposal services consulting firm focused exclusively on government markets, we provide expert assistance to government contractors in Capture Planning and Strategy, Proposal Management and Writing, Capture and Proposal Process and Infrastructure, and Training. In the last 3 years, we’ve supported over 550 proposals winning more than $170B for our clients—including the Top 10 government contractors. Lohfeld Consulting Group is your “go-to” capture and proposal source! Start winning by contacting us at www.lohfeldconsulting.com and join us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube^(TM).