MH-65 Temporary Sanding Space

All work including aircraft and parts surface preparation, such as sanding, grinding, and coating removal must be performed within existing hangar facilities using a temporary sanding space that mitigates hazardous airborne particulates and flammable dusts. The temporary sanding space must ensure personnel safety, asset protection, and environmental compliance, and be deployable on an as-needed basis throughout the hangar without impacting existing infrastructure or safety systems.

The Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center is seeking information regarding temporary sanding space solutions to support MH-65 fleet restoration efforts. The ideal solution would provide a contained environment for surface preparation activities including sanding, grinding, and coating removal within existing hangar facilities. Such a temporary sanding space would enhance restoration operations by improving personnel safety, protecting assets, and ensuring environmental compliance through effective containment of hazardous airborne particulates and flammable dusts.

The Coast Guard is interested in learning about available products, capabilities, and industry best practices that can facilitate efficient, high-quality restoration of MH-65 helicopters while maintaining safety and regulatory standards.

Company Information

Please respond to the following questions:

1. Organization name
2. Address
3. Website
4. Point of Contact name
5. Point of Contact email address
6. Point of Contact telephone number
7. Socioeconomic status:
   1. Is your business a large or small business?
   2. If small, does your firm qualify as a small, emergent business, or a small, disadvantaged business?
   3. If disadvantaged, specify under which disadvantaged group and if your firm certified under Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act.
   4. Is your firm a certified “Hub Zone firm”?
   5. Is your firm a women-owned or operated business?
   6. Is your firm a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned?
8. Unique Entity Identifier
9. Do you have other government agencies using the product, if so, which agencies, POC’s and contract numbers?
10. What information and/or resources would you typically need from the government to perform this effort?
11. Does your company currently have existing government-wide acquisition contracts (GWAC) (e.g. GSA) or other strategically sourced contracts for these types of requirements that the USCG can order off? If yes, please provide contract number, what agency it is with, and agency point of contact information.
12. What type of contract (e.g. firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursement, etc). have you been issued before this type of work? Do you recommend one type or perhaps a hybrid (i.e. a contract that allows several types)?
13. If possible, are there any POC’s for civilian users of the product for general usage questions?
14. Provide any general comments, thoughts, and feedback your company would like to share regarding this RFI.

After the review of the responses to this RFI announcement, and if the Government still plans to proceed with an acquisition, a solicitation announcement will be published in SAM.GOV. Responses to this RFI are not an adequate response to any future solicitation announcement. Again, this is not a request for proposals and in no way obligates the Government to award any contract. All companies that can meet the performance objectives are encouraged to provide a capability statement, company literature, brochures, or any other information that demonstrates that the objectives can be met. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Responses must be received no later than April 23, 2026, at 2 p.m. EDT. This notice is intended to provide qualified suppliers an opportunity to describe their product. All firms responding to this RFI are advised that their response to this notice is not a request to be considered for a contract award. All interested parties must respond to that solicitation announcement separately from the responses to this announcement. Responses to this RFI are NOT a request to be added to a prospective offerors list or to receive a copy of the solicitation. Reimbursement will not be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement and any follow-up information requests.

Point of Contact

The Coast Guard is publishing this RFI and will consider suggestions from qualified suppliers. Suggestions must be received at the following address no later than April 17, 2026, at 2 p.m. EDT.

Contracting Office Address:

Aviation Logistics Center

1664 Weeksville Road

Hangar 75, ATTN: Selmary Melendez

Elizabeth City, NC 27909

Electronic copies may be sent by email to [email protected], including the following in the subject line “MH-65 Temporary Sanding Space RFI Submission, Company Name”. Correspondence must include a company point of contact with address, phone number, and email address.

At the discretion of the Contracting Officer, the United States Coast Guard may quote all or part of any suggestions or questions received in future correspondence regarding a Temporary Sanding Space. The original author will not be identified.

The United States Coast Guard will consider the information provided by qualified suppliers in the acquisition planning for the Temporary Sanding Space.

Performance Objectives and Additional Details

1. Scope

The government is seeking information on portable enclosure systems (e.g., inflatable, modular fabric structures) designed for aircraft sanding and surface preparation. The system must create a controlled environment that meets or exceeds the requirements set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

2. Background

The U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center requires an 18-month solution to perform aircraft and parts surface preparation, including sanding, grinding, and coating removal within existing hangar facilities. These operations generate hazardous airborne particulates (e.g., hexavalent chromium, cadmium, isocyanates) and potentially flammable dusts.

To ensure personnel safety of those involved and not involved in this work, protect assets, and maintain environmental compliance, a portable and contained solution is required. The solution must be capable of being deployed on an as-needed basis to various locations within an aircraft hangar without compromising the facility’s existing infrastructure or safety systems.

3. Required Capabilities

See required capabilities detailed on Attachment 1 “Requirements for 70Z03826IB0000007”

4. Evaluation

After evaluation of the information received, the United States Coast Guard may issue a separate request for proposals.

It is critical that, prior to submitting an RFI, you review all attached enclosures. Therefore, submissions that do not meet the Required Capabilies for a temporary sanding space will not be considered.

If more than one qualified supplier is identified, the request for proposals will include an evaluation and source selection process. This process will be designed to consider each offeror’s capability to provide a technical solution that best aligns with the project objectives, is within the proposed schedule, and is affordably priced. An integrated assessment of the strengths, weaknesses, and risks of each offeror’s proposal, together with the cost proposed, will be used to determine which proposal offers the best overall value to the government.