Unofficial satire. Not government guidance. Memes are not legal review.
CMCoEContracting Memes Center of Excellence

Daily acquisition brief // September 7, 2026

CMCoE Meme Intel: September 7, 2026

Three fresh solicitation reversals: a notice that changed identities and changed back, 11 valves with an 860-day delivery, and a brand-name laser posted before funds were available.

3 storiesRSS feed
Notice history / solicitation integrity

An A-Wing renovation notice briefly became a UAS sources sought, then changed back.

The same W912HQ26S0071 notice chain shifted title, notice type, deadline, set-aside, and NAICS before returning to the renovation.

UNO Reverse Card meme with the setup A-Wing renovation becomes UAS and the payoff Next update: A-Wing renovation again.
A-Wing renovation becomes UAS. Next update: A-Wing renovation again.

What happened

The Army Corps of Engineers posted combined solicitation W912HQ26S0071 for an A-Wing interior renovation on August 28. Its public notice history records a September 2 version that changed the title to UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (UAS) FOR USACE, changed the notice type to Sources Sought, moved the response deadline to September 9, removed the small-business set-aside, and changed the NAICS code from 561210 to 334511.

The September 5 current version restored UMSB A-Wing Renovation, the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation type, the September 8 deadline, the total small-business set-aside, and NAICS 561210. The active scope again covers selective interior demolition, partitions, window infills, doors, finishes, and RF-shielding work in Alexandria, Virginia.

Why CMCoE cares

Opportunity identity is operational data. A title, notice-type, NAICS, set-aside, or deadline swap can change which vendors receive alerts, which capture teams qualify the opportunity, and how they plan a response. Version history and explicit amendment checks matter when multiple metadata fields move together.

Regulatory fine print

The public record shows the changes and reversals; it does not explain their cause. The meme does not claim an error, a UAS requirement, or misconduct. It satirizes the same solicitation identifier carrying two unrelated acquisition identities before returning to the renovation.

Sources

  1. SAM.gov - current W912HQ26S0071 A-Wing renovation notice (SAM.gov, )
  2. SAM Directory - W912HQ26S0071 notice history (SAM Directory, )
Long-lead item / DLA supply

DLA asked for 11 regulating valves with delivery 860 days after order.

The RFQ specifies a quantity of 11 and an 860-day ADO delivery to DLA Distribution San Joaquin.

Pablo Escobar Waiting meme with the setup 11 regulating valves and the payoff Delivery unregulated: 860 days.
11 regulating valves. Delivery unregulated: 860 days.

What happened

DLA Aviation posted RFQ SPE4A626Q1411 on September 6 for 11 regulating-fluid valves under NSN 4810-01-154-3200. The notice calls for delivery to DLA Distribution San Joaquin 860 days after order.

The notice identifies an approved source and part number, says specifications, plans, or drawings are not available, and allows responsible sources to submit electronic quotes. The 860-day figure is the delivery interval, not the quotation deadline.

Why CMCoE cares

A delivery interval longer than two years turns a small-quantity spare buy into a demand-planning and readiness problem. Buyers and program teams need to account for stock on hand, consumption, source qualification, repair options, and schedule risk well before the order can produce usable inventory.

Regulatory fine print

The notice does not state why 860 days is required, whether the interval is negotiable, or what the eventual price will be. The word 'unregulated' is a pun on the valve nomenclature; the solicitation does explicitly regulate delivery at 860 days after order and does not say the supplier is late.

Sources

  1. SAM.gov - SPE4A626Q1411 valve solicitation (SAM.gov, )
Conditional funding / laboratory equipment

USAFA specified a brand-name Q-Smart 850 laser before funds were available.

The solicitation says no award will be made until funds exist and reserves the right to cancel before or after closing.

Pawn Stars Best I Can Do meme with the setup Brand-name Q-Smart 850 laser and the payoff Best I can do: no funds.
Brand-name Q-Smart 850 laser. Best I can do: no funds.

What happened

The Air Force Academy posted solicitation FA700026Q0101 on September 6 for a firm-fixed-price purchase order covering a brand-name Quantel Q-Smart 850 excitation laser compatible with its existing spectroscopy system. Quotes are due September 14, with estimated delivery by January 29, 2027.

The notice says funds are not presently available, no award will be made until funds are available, and the government may cancel the solicitation before or after the closing date without reimbursing quotation-preparation costs.

Why CMCoE cares

A conditional solicitation can preserve acquisition lead time while transferring bid-and-proposal timing risk to vendors. The contracting team still needs a defensible brand-name basis, clear technical compatibility requirements, realistic funding timing, and prompt communication if the anticipated award cannot proceed.

Regulatory fine print

'No funds' compresses the notice's exact phrase 'funds are not presently available' for the meme. It does not mean Congress never appropriated money, that an award was made without funding, or that the brand-name requirement is improper. The solicitation expressly conditions any award on funds becoming available.

Sources

  1. SAM.gov - FA700026Q0101 Q-Smart 850 laser solicitation (SAM.gov, )