25-SIMACQ-D30-0005_BN-JA_02052025_JA_Final_020525_Redacted.pdf

Brand Name Justification under $250K

PID Number: D30-0005

Department: D34

Company Name/Brand: Sealevel Systems Inc

Description of Product, Supplies or Services required to meet the agency’s needs:

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme is seeking to procure, on a Brand Name basis, 16 Sealevel Systems Inc. branded 7404 RS-422 Interface Cards to support

The following requirements for each of the units include:

- Four field configurable RS-232, RS-422, or RS-485 ports

- Asynchronous compatible

- 3.3V or 5V Bus compatible

- Standard height

- PCI

Identification of Justification Rationale:

The Material or service must be compatible will aspects (Form, Fit, and Function) with existing systems presently installed.

A patent, copyright, proprietary data, or licensing agreement limits competition.

These are “direct replacement(s)” parts/components for existing equipment.

Urgency.

Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition

10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) ,Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will agency requirements.

Identification of the Justification Rationale Explained: **If using form, fit, and function, describe the current equipment and how the new item/service must coordinate or interface.

Current equipment uses Sealevel 7404 RS-422 Interface Cards to tap into and record messages to verify contents and timing of Tomahawk messages. Specifically, interface cards are used to simplify, by automation, the transmission and/or receiving of messages. These messages are formatted based on a standardized set of rules for formatting and sending/receiving data called a protocol. In this case, the Sealevel 7404 RS-422 Interface Cards are used to receive messages sent using the RS-232, RS-422, or RS-485 protocols for the equipment to verify the contents and timing. Capturing these messages from various sources and then converting them to something human readable is the function of and allows the operators to analyze and verify the health of the network and connected systems. Different PTU configurations with different interface cards, based on the target network and systems, make up a suite. Multiple new suites are required to provide this capability to new clients and refurbish old suites.

Specific Characteristics of the Item or Service required that Limit the Availability to a Sole Source or Brand Name:

Sealevel’s 7404 interface card is currently used and required within the equipment specifically within the Passive Tap Units (PTUs). The Sealevel 7404 cards is required by the SOP and Build Guides to enable critical flexibility for supporting the variety of platforms and labs used by , and other allied customers. In fact, since Sealevel’s driver set, the code used to facilitate communication between the card hardware and the rest of the PTU is the only driver set compatible with the current hardware and software configuration. Drivers are specific to the chipset on the card, and the hardware and software on the PTU. Since the driver set is not universal and can only be functional with and use Sealevel’s 7404 interface card, only the Sealevel 7404 interface card can be used within the

In other words, using different components such as a different driver kit (and subsequently a different interface card) would require a change to the PTU’s configuration such as internal hardware and software changes and ultimately re-development and recertification.

A different card, even if it has the same feature set, would still require our engineers to re-write the firmware, recoding core functions of the PTU, as well as modifying configurations at the BIOS level. Different brands of interface cards are designed differently and utilize unique drivers requiring our engineers to use different code to interact with the different cards.

Therefore, as previously referenced, since the Sealevel 7404 interface is currently the only interface card configured and coded to the Sealevel driver within the the Sealevel 7404 is the only interface card that can meet our requirements without extensive reconfiguration and recoding. Furthermore, even after reconfiguration and recoding, the use of another brand would require recertification of the equipment for functionality and durability. This effort would require extensive endurance testing over several months to verify the system will continue to function without errors.

The effort to utilize a different brand would result in a delay of a minimum of 300 work hours including 20 - 80 work hours of re-engineering, 80 – 120 work hours of Software reconfiguration, and 160 - 240 work hours of testing and recertifying the equipment. Testing and recertification would be required for each platform type and laboratory, , where this equipment is used. Finally, there will be an estimated amount of approximately 40 work hours for administrative tasks per platform or equipment suite. At $100- 150 per hour, and accounting for the dozens of platforms and labs for US assets alone, the cost of testing and recertification is expected to exceed . This substantial duplication of cost is not expected to be recovered through competition and a delay of at least 300 hours would be unreasonable since it poses a risk to the timeline of frontline platforms of both

Market Research Conducted:

Requirement generator performed market research via mandatory sources; GSA, UNICOR, OneTouch, AbilityOne and GSA Advantage which did not provide available opportunities.

Pricing was obtained from the manufacturer Sealevel Systems, Inc. in addition they have one authorized reseller (SIRC) which has been a verified as an authorized reseller. An additional search was done through commercial databases for part number and model number. The DoD databases for part, model, and NIIN/NSN number did not yield usable results.

In addition, listed in the SAP are alternate authorizedvendors: New Tech Solutions, Sterling, Bahfed and Zones that did not provide pricing during market research but, are authozied resellers.

Statement of Actions, if any to Remove Barriers to Competition in the Future:

NSWC PHD Contracts Office will continue to conduct market research as warranted to provide a broader vendor base as applicable for the types of supplies/services covered by this document. If another potential source emerges, NSWC PHD will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.

CERTIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL

TECHNICAL/REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION (FAR 6.303-2(c))

I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance, which are included in this justification and its supporting acquisition planning data, except as noted herein, are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Technical Cognizance:

Legal Counsel:

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Contracting Officer:

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Keith Shaner, Code 027, 805-330-0395 Date

SHANER.KEITH.A.

1231706379

Digitally signed by

SHANER.KEITH.A.1231706379

Date: 2025.02.06 07:20:21 -08'00'