Air Force Wants Help Running Fantasy Football League

This story has been updated with Thursday afternoon developments. 

The Air Force is looking into building a fantasy football league for personnel, even as deep budget cuts have thousands of its civilians bracing for furlough letters.

In a solicitation document posted Tuesday on FedBizOpps, the Air Force Personal Center Services Directorate sought information from contractors interested in providing a “Fantasy Football program” for “over 100 installations worldwide.” The request for information said the program would be accessible by all “Air Force airman, civilians and family members.” The document said it was “for planning purposes only” and “shall not be construed as a request for proposal.”

On Thursday afternoon, the Air Force updated the solicitation document to emphasize money for the program would not come from congressional appropriations or taxpayer dollars. The division that issued the RFI is funded "through user fees and charges at Air Force morale, welfare and recreation programs worldwide," the update said.   

The Air Force has been vocal about the impact that across-the-board budget cuts would have on its operations. It told lawmakers in February that it would have to cut back on flight hours by 18 percent, curtail orders on the F-35 combat jet and furlough 180,000 civilians.  The service has also begun cancelling its participation in Air Shows.

Representatives for the Air Force did not respond to Government Executive’s request for comment on the fantasy football solicitation document.

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