Memorandum for Record Brand Name Only Under SAT for Autonomous Mobile Manipulator Robots.docx

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control

FROM: Cole Mullis, Contract Specialist, CDC/OCOO/OFR/OAS

DATE: August 27, 2026

SUBJECT: Determination to Restrict Competition to igus Products and Exclude "Equal" Products for an Acquisition Below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT)

Purpose: This Memorandum for Record (MFR) documents the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) decision to restrict competition to igus products and not permit the submission of "equal" products for the referenced acquisition. This determination is made in accordance with RFO 12.102(a), which requires documentation of the decision that only one source is available and the basis for that decision for acquisitions valued at or below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT).

Background CDC has a requirement for two robotic platforms to support two funded research projects focused on human-robot interaction. These robots are essential tools required to conduct controlled experimental studies that evaluate operator behavior, safety, and performance when interacting with robotic systems.

This is a procurement of two robotic platforms to support two funded research projects focused on human-robot interaction for the Robotics Laboratory in NIOSH, Morgantown, WV. Two funded NORA projects “Improving safety of human-robot interaction” and “Investigation on safety and trust when working alongside industrial mobile robots” require two mobile robot arms to conduct the human subject study. The human subject will interact with these mobile robot platforms and evaluate the trust level as well as the contact avoidance interaction. The Robotics Laboratory already has Freight Robots with similar specifications, which have passed the software update periods. Purchasing additional mobile robots is necessary to fulfill the experiment requirement.

The robot must be compatible with Robot Operating System 2 (ROS2) as its standardization and integration allow for reproducible human-robot interaction data. In a multi-robot-multi-user workspace, ROS2 compatibility is necessary to enable communication and coordination among individual robots.

These robots are essential tools required to conduct controlled experimental studies that evaluate operator behavior, safety, and performance when interacting with robotic systems. The requested platforms will be used exclusively within the Isolated Secure Local Environment (ISLE) to simulate real-world operational scenarios and to generate scientific data necessary to meet project objectives.

To comply with CDC/NIOSH IT security policies, the systems will operate within a closed network environment and will not be connected to the CDC enterprise network or the internet at any time during operation. All experimental activities will be conducted locally, ensuring data security and system isolation.

These robotic platforms are necessary to fulfill the technical requirements of the funded studies and to enable rigorous evaluation of human-robot interaction in a safe and controlled setting.

In accordance with RFO 12.102(a), the Government determined that only one source is available to satisfy the requirement. Purchase shall be restricted to igus ReBeL EduMove: Mobile Robot for Education Purposes (Part number: RBTX-IGUS-0243). The program requires a robot that has a camera and LIDAR, that can be independently verified as ROS 2 compatible, and that can integrate into existing laboratory systems without issue.

Additionally, the igus robot enables researchers to perform path planning and task scheduling locally through direct communication. In contrast, many other products require vendor involvement for programming and rely on remote network connections for management and operation. This does not meet the need because the device will be deployed within the ISLE environment, which does not allow direct connection to the enterprise network. Additionally, allowing vendors to remotely access CDC devices would violate IT security policies.

Additionally, CDC has determined that user-friendly programmability, readily-accessible documentation, and effective customer support are integral to project success.

Based on the foregoing, it has been determined that only the igus ReBeL EduMove product will be considered acceptable for this requirement.

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