November 11, 2025

Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD) seeks innovative proposals to deploy a passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-enabled work-in-progress (WIP) tracking system that integrates with existing maintenance management platforms. The initiative aims to enhance operational efficiency, accuracy, and readiness through automated, real-time tracking of parts, tools, and equipment. The solution supports dynamic material flow tracking across multiple buildings, high-traffic corridors, and staging areas, including items delayed due to engineering holds, part shortages, or discrepancies. The proposed system will reduce downtime, minimize manual errors, and provide predictive insights to optimize workflow performance across aircraft maintenance and sustainment operations. This effort will serve as a scalable, replicable model for modernization across both the Department of War (DoW) and the commercial aerospace industry.

Background

The CCAD plays a critical role in maintaining the readiness and reliability of Army aviation assets through the overhaul, repair, modification, and modernization of aircraft systems and components. Current manual WIP tracking processes create inefficiencies, causing delays in locating critical components, increasing labor costs, and reducing throughput. The lack of real-time visibility into asset location and status hampers decision-making and maintenance cycle optimization. To address these challenges, CCAD is pursuing the integration of passive RFID technology to automate WIP tracking management, enable predictive maintenance analytics, and enhance traceability and auditability across operations. This initiative aligns with DoW modernization priorities and supports broader industrial base innovation.

Objectives

The objective of this initiative is to implement a sustainable, secure, Army-compliant passive RFID-based tracking solution that transforms maintenance and sustainment operations by providing end-to-end visibility, automation, and data-driven insights of materials as they move from inception (e.g. induction) through various production stages, addressing how RFID tracking enhances visibility, mitigates schedule disruptions, and improves traceability throughout non-linear workflows within the facility. Specific goals include:

  • Demonstrating a scalable, replicable model for enabling real-time asset tracking modernization to reduce delays in locating parts, tools, and equipment that supports DoW operations and commercial industry adoption.
  • Automating data collection of WIP material flow to improve accuracy, minimize human error, and enhance audit readiness. Demonstrating RFID-enabled WIP coverage that applies passive tags at induction, tracks transitions and staging via automated scans. Solution should improve traceability, reduces manual input, and accelerates cycle times based on current manual WIP transaction data—estimated at 2 million manual scan-ins and scan-outs annually across 50 distinct production zones spanning multiple buildings.
  • Leveraging predictive analytics to optimize resource allocation, reduce cycle times, and lower lifecycle costs.
  • Incorporating wearable devices (e.g., gloves, wristbands) to enable hands-free scanning and sorting of materials during material movement, enhancing worker mobility and operational efficiency. Solution should ensure devices integrate seamlessly with existing maintenance management platforms and provide real-time data insights to support workflow optimization.
  • Incorporating modernized access solutions for kiosk authentication featuring intuitive user interfaces and centralized visibility to streamline task management. This capability should enable users to visualize data-driven insights from RFID tag scans and work queues providing actionable information to enhance decision-making and workflow optimization. Solution should balance security and usability by providing secure authentication methods without the physical presence of a CAC (Common Access Card) at the kiosk, ensuring seamless function without compromising security.
  • Leveraging RFID printing/tagging and labeling solutions that enable passive UHF tag encoding via in-house printers positioned near induction points, supporting streamlined workflows and reduced external dependencies. Solution should support adhesive and hang-tag formats and ensure compliance with military standards when required, enhancing traceability and operational efficiency.
  • Configuring RFID, hardware and software components into the government Army network ensuring cybersecurity compliance with DoW cybersecurity standards, including secure data transmission, storage, and access controls. Solution should ensure the system is secure, compliant, and authorized to operate within the government Army network, reducing risks and delays.
  • Providing solutions for device management that manages vulnerabilities, mitigates risks, and ensures security through tools for vulnerability scanning, patch management, and secure device configuration. Solution must support scalable management to efficiently handle large numbers of devices while maintaining compliance with cybersecurity standards.
  • Data storage and preprocessing ensuring secure, scalable data storage with encryption, access controls, and hybrid architecture (local on prem storage for shop floor operations and cloud storage for long-term retention). Solution should preprocess RFID data to filter, validate, and organize it before transmission, ensuring accuracy and compatibility with ERP systems. Include metadata tagging (e.g., timestamp, location, reader ID) for actionable insights.
  • Conducting thorough testing to ensure the solution meets operational requirements and does not compromise security or efficiency. Analysis should document the detailed plan for achieving cyber accreditation and the detailed plan for achieving ATO, including compliance steps, documentation and timeline.
  • Supporting sustainability and workforce empowerment through improved efficiency, reduced waste, and enhanced operational agility. Solution should leverage CCAD’s internal IT and developer talent to build RFID software tools, manage hardware, and reduce reliance on external services, avoiding vendor lock-in.
  • Future proofing and enabling expansion to integrate emerging technologies (e.g., AI) and adaptation to future depot requirements such as updates to, or replacement of, older ERP systems with modern solutions like SAP S/4HANA or EBS-C.

Submission Requirements

Interested parties should provide a white paper response between 4 and 15 pages, using the format below.

The white paper must:

  1. Describe a general approach including phases to accomplish the objective.
  2. Describe assumptions
  3. Provide a detailed approach to the objective (engineering approach)
    • Proposals must include a high-level project schedule with specific milestones and deliverables for each phase of the implementation.
  4. Establish a high-level project schedule and estimated timing
  5. Describe rough order of magnitude cost broken down into requirement categories of Hardware/Software/Training & Workforce enablement/Implementation Services/Data Storage/Warranty Services/Recurring sustainment cost
    • A more detailed cost analysis will be expected later in the process

Deadline

Responses should be submitted to opportunities@ncms.org by COB December 5, 2025. All submissions should be in the form of a PDF file that is titled: SourcesSought.RFID.CompanyName.

*** The intention of this Sources Sought is to contract the initiative through the Commercial Technologies for Maintenance Activities (CTMA) contract vehicle. It is important to note that this contract vehicle is a Cooperative Agreement, requiring an in-kind contribution and a CTMA final report. The program also does not allow fixed fee/profit. Please reach out to opportunities@ncms.org for any questions or concerns regarding these items.

Evaluation Criteria

  • Technical Feasibility. How technically feasible is the proposed solution, given the present state of the technology? Solutions with a lower technological risk profile are favored.
  • Period of performance
    • Solutions with realistic and well-defined Periods of Performance that align with CCAD’s operational needs are favored.
  • Phased Deployment Strategy: A structured, scalable phased deployment framework demonstrating improvements in traceability, cycle time, and readiness for future tech integration favored.
  • Cybersecurity Compliance: Solutions that demonstrate a clear and achievable plan for achieving ATO/cybersecurity compliance favored.
  • Responsiveness. How responsive is the proposed solution? Solutions responsive to the problem identified, without creating new problems, are favored.
  • Viability. How viable is the proposed solution, given existing organizational and regulatory environments? Solutions compatible with existing DLA, DoW, and federal policies, processes, and procedures are favored.
  • Desirability. How desirable is the proposed solution to the eventual end-user? Solutions easily adaptable, useful, and implementable are favored.
  • Funding. Does funding reasonably exist to fund the proposed solution? Solutions with lower prices are favored.
  • Sustainment. Solutions designed for internal sustainment to limit external dependencies and recurring expenditures favored.

Disclaimer and Other Legal Information
NCMS encourages the participation of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs), including Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and Women’s Business Enterprises (WBEs).

Responding to a Sources Sought, RFI, or Survey does not guarantee that a CTMA Program initiative will result. By submitting a response, you are agreeing to allow NCMS to share your information with the United States government. All submissions containing proprietary information shall be marked accordingly.

Any industry or academia participant awarded a contract by a participating government sponsor pursuant to a Sources Sought, RFI, or Survey will be compensated, under the agreement, on a cost-reimbursable basis. Each project participant will be expected to share in the total project cost by contributing cash or in-kind resources.

Under the CTMA Program, the parties shall limit participation on the project to (1) U.S. citizens, (2) lawful permanent residents as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20), (3) other protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), and (4) Canadian citizens (pursuant to the principles underlying the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement), if such participation will involve visual inspection of the Technology, Intellectual Property or Technical Information, or oral exchanges of information about the foregoing. We also require the project participants to furnish NCMS, upon request, with proof of the citizenship status of its personnel participating on the project, including (1) U.S. citizens; (2) legal permanent residents; and (3) foreign nationals who are not permanent residents. In instances where it is necessary to involve foreign national employees in the visual inspection of the Technology, Intellectual Property, or Technical Information, or oral exchanges of information about the foregoing, the parties will be required to furnish to NCMS proof of appropriate valid export license, or technical assistance agreement, or exemption from licensing requirements (e.g. Canadian exemption) to the extent required by the International Traffic In Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). A copy of such license or agreement shall be furnished to NCMS before any disclosure of information to such foreign person. In the event a party believes that the subject matter of the project agreement is not covered by ITAR, that party may request a written waiver of the requirements of foreign national provision in the CTMA Agreement, which may be granted if the NCMS contracting officer agrees that ITAR does not cover the subject matter. These requirements also apply to individuals who have dual citizenship status.