MJU-76/B Flare, Countermeasure
DEPT OF DEFENSE.DEPT OF THE AIR FORCE.AIR FORCE MATERIEL COMMAND.AIR FORCE LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT CENTER.WEAPONS.FA8213 AFLCMC EBHK · Response deadline: Fri, 23 Oct 2026
What the government is buying
The U.S. Air Force is soliciting bids for the MJU-76/B Flare, Countermeasure, a defensive expendable used by military aircraft to defeat infrared-seeking threats. Flares of this type are pyrotechnic countermeasures ejected from aircraft to create false heat signatures, drawing enemy missiles away from their intended targets. The MJU designation indicates this is a standard Air Force nomenclature item in the expendables/defensive countermeasures family. The 1370 classification code corresponds to "Self-Destruct and Rocket Propulsion Components, Aircraft" in the federal supply classification system, which covers pyrotechnic cartridges and related propulsion items used in aerial defense.
Manufacturing flares involves specialized chemical formulation, precise payload assembly, and rigorous safety and quality controls for energetic materials. The work requires compliance with military specifications for performance, reliability, and shelf life under varied operational conditions.
Key facts
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Agency | Dept of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFLCMC/EBHK (Weapons Directorate) |
| Notice type | Solicitation |
| Solicitation number | FA821326RB005-Solicitation |
| NAICS | 325920 — Explosives Manufacturing |
| Set-aside | No Set aside used |
| Response deadline | October 23, 2026, 2:00 PM MDT |
| Place of performance | Utah |
Who can bid
This is unrestricted competition — the solicitation carries no small business set-aside. Any qualified entity may bid, including large defense contractors, mid-tier manufacturers, and small businesses with the technical and financial capacity to execute.
NAICS 325920 (Explosives Manufacturing) governs this procurement. Firms in this industry manufacture blasting caps, detonators, smokeless powder, and other explosive products. Bidders need experience with energetics manufacturing, Department of Defense contracting, and the security clearances and facility certifications typically associated with handling classified materials and storing bulk propellants or pyrotechnics.
Because no set-aside applies, small businesses competing against larger primes should emphasize specialized expertise, agility, or past performance on similar flare or countermeasure programs to differentiate their proposals.
How to put together a competitive bid
For explosives manufacturing, proposals are evaluated heavily on technical capability, production readiness, and risk mitigation. Focus areas include:
- Chemical formulation and lot consistency: Demonstrate validated processes for producing the flare's pyrotechnic composition with tight tolerance on burn characteristics, spectral output, and aerial trajectory.
- Safety and environmental compliance: Detail your Explosive Safety Quantity-Distance (ESQD) siting, OSHA and EPA compliance history, and any past DoD Inspector General or safety audit results.
- Secure supply chain for energetic raw materials: Magnesium, Teflon, and Viton are typical flare constituents; identify qualified vendors and contingency sources for specialty chemicals subject to fluctuating availability.
- Quality system credentials: ISO 9001 or AS9100 certification is expected; prior approval under the DoD Qualified Products List (QPL) or qualification to MIL-PRF standards strengthens your position substantially.
- Production surge capacity: The Air Force values ability to ramp output for contingency operations. Quantify your current throughput, second-shift potential, and any constraints on tooling or floor space.
- Pricing realism: Unrestricted competitions often come down to price-technical tradeoffs. Ensure your cost build includes realistic estimates for demilitarization, hazardous waste disposal, and government-furnished equipment integration if applicable.
See the solicitation for evaluation criteria weighting, data rights assertions, and any performance demonstration requirements.
Next steps
- Access the full solicitation on SAM.gov using solicitation number FA821326RB005-Solicitation to obtain the complete Statement of Work, contract clauses, and attachment files.
- Register in SAM.gov if you have not done so; active registration is mandatory for award.
- Note the deadline: Responses are due October 23, 2026, at 2:00 PM Mountain Time — just two weeks from posting. Accelerate internal reviews given this compressed timeline.
- Contact contracting officer early with any mandatory pre-bid clarifications; time for amendments is extremely limited.
View the official notice on SAM.gov →