24Q0217_NONCOMP_REDACTED.pdf

IN REPLY REFER TO:

J&A Number: CR-24661

Code: 0234

P.R. TBD

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity.

The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane), Expeditionary Simplified Acquisition Contracting Branch (0234)

2. Description of the Action Being Approved.

The use of other than full and open competition to award of a firm-fixed price contract, on a brand name sole source basis for battery test hardware from National Instruments Corporation (NI) 11500 N Mopac Expressway, Austin Texas, 78759 and or authorized distributors. In accordance with 41 USC 1901, this action will utilize Federal Acquisition Regulation subpart 13.5 for the use of Simplified Procedures for certain commercial items.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

The Government�s minimum requirement is to procure quantity twenty one NI 4800 compact battery cyclers and twenty-one Compact Reconfigurable Input Output (cRIO) 9045 data acquisition and control units. The new battery test hardware will be utilized and integrated with current systems to replace undersized and outdated battery test hardware.

The hardware will be used to evaluate submarine VRLA batteries. These battery systems operate at high voltages up 40Vdc and require testers that provide 40 volts for charging and discharging to evaluate the batteries� performance and lifecycle capacity, and to acquire data at increasingly high rates.

The certifying technical and requirements personnel have verified the Government�s minimum needs. The total cost of this J&A is $700,000.00 as outlined in the below table.

Year Account Total

FY23 OPN

The above estimated costs are derived from current budgetary estimated provided by NI.

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition.

10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements as implemented by FAR 6.302-1(c).

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

CRANE DIVISION

NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER

300 HIGHWAY 361

CRANE INDIANA 47522-5001

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

The Power and Systems Energy Division (JXM) has the ability to cycle batteries at a range of voltages and rates and acquire the data and varying rates. This ability allows JXM to meet special test requirements such as meeting increased voltage batteries and acquiring higher rates of data. Over the course of twelve year JXM has procured over 43 battery test systems on various contract. A Government owned proprietary software was developed for a universal set of test procedures known as Valve regulated Battery Test Software (VBTS) which has a base from Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench (Labview) software. Labview is a system-design platform and development environment for a visual programming language developed by NI and is common amongst NSWC Crane personnel performing the tests which was the basis to utilize for the VBTS software.

JXM cycles batteries and collects the data using computer controlled battery test software in conjunction various pieces of hardware. VBTS is the customized battery test software that has been created and maintained to function as required for JXMs unique battery testing requirements. The commonality of VBTS allows multiple types of equipment to interface within the lab and output a consistent dataset. The information gained from battery testing using VBTS informs decisions made to support the Fleet through operational cycle life testing to verify performance, corrective actions to maintain ship schedule, and verification of manufacturing changes to improve service life.

If the Government were to compete and any vendor other than NI were awarded this effort, its battery test systems would not interface with the VBTS software rendering the universal set of test procedures inoperable. In order to keep the function of the universal set of test hardware and procedures, the Government would have develop a new set of universal test procedures based on that vendor�s software. In addition, the Government would have to replace the existing battery test systems to ensure all systems would be capable of utilizing the universal set of test procedures. The total cost in software development, hardware development, training, and documentation for all the current battery test systems is approximately $2M. As noted above JXM currently has 43 NI battery test stations and the replacement costs would total around $5.6M based off previous costs. Thus, awarding to a a vendor other than NI would cost the Government $7.6M.

6. Description of Efforts Made to Solicit Offers from as Many Offerors as Practicable.

NSWC Crane released a Request for Information (RFI) / Sources Sought on 22 July 2024 (closed 05 August 2024) announcing the Government�s intent to sole source the battery test equipment to NI. Only one response was received however, it provided interest in offering the NI products as noted in the RFI/Source Sought. No sources providing information to mitigate the sole source were received.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

The Contracting Officer will determine that the anticipated cost to the Government for the supplies covered by the J&A will be fair and reasonable.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition.

For the reasons set forth in Paragraph 5, NAVSYSCOM has no plans at this time to compete future contracts for the types of supplies/services covered by this document. If another potential source emerges, NAVSYSCOM will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.