A02 JA_Flex Assemblies Redacted.pdf

Control Number: JA-21-Toby-345 Contractor: Cirexx International, Inc.

Program/Equipment: Flexible Printed Wiring Boards for Black Hawk Helicopter

Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)

(Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104-4)

FAR Part 6 Justification and Approval for Other than Full and Open Competition

1. Contracting Activity: Army Contracting Command

Aberdeen Proving Ground Tobyhanna Division

ATTN: CCAP-CCT

11 Hap Arnold Boulevard Tobyhanna, PA 18466-5100

2. Description of Action: Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) requests approval for a new, firm-fixed-price, supply contract with Cirexx International, Inc., 791 Nuttman Street, Santa Clara, CA 95054. Army Working Capital Funds will be used. The Government projects award in December 2021. An acquisition plan is not required at this dollar threshold in accordance with (IAW) DFARS 207.103(d)(i)(B).

3. Description of Supplies/Services: This requirement is for the following quantities:

215 each Flexible Printed Wiring Board (Flex PWB) Assemblies, Part Number 10998D0105

274 each Flex PWB Assemblies, Part Number TRC-01977-106 274 each Flex PWB Assemblies, Part Number TRC-01977-107

Delivery requirements will be established at time of award. The Flex PWB assemblies are flexible printed circuit boards that feature a combination of several printed circuits, as well as components that are positioned on a flexible substrate. TYAD requires the Flex PWB assemblies to repair the C-10998D/A mode selector and C-10909E/A flight control panel on the Blackhawk. The mode selector controls the operation of the Blackhawk, and the flight control panel controls the automatic flight control system of the Blackhawk.

There are no options for additional quantities for this requirement. The estimated total value is

4. Authority Cited: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii)(A), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, (A) Substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition.

5. Reason for Authority Cited: The proposed source for this action is Cirexx International, Inc. Cirexx International, Inc. is the sole manufacturer of the Flex PWB assemblies and owns the propriety data, design details, parts list, and the specific procedures to manufacture and test the Flex PWB assemblies.

Technical data packages (TDP), specifications, engineering descriptions, statements of work and purchase descriptions suitable for full and open competition have not been developed and are not available. This is a result of the sustainment strategy of the material developer, U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command and the sustainment manager, U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM). The sustainment strategy chosen for this component was to remove and replace by depot repair. The Flex PWB’s are considered consumable. Therefore, replacement with the identical part is the only option available to repair the end item. All depot-level publications and technical data reflect this sustainment strategy. No actions are planned or will be taken to remedy this situation. The Blackhawk has transferred to sustainment and will be phased out of the inventory, as newer models are made available. The Government does not have the resources to purchase the proprietary data. Without a TDP, a competitive acquisition strategy is not feasible.

The Government is reliant upon the Flex PWB assemblies, as they are critical components of the Blackhawk. No capable Flex PWB assembly alternatives could be identified through market research or interaction with the CECOM Item Manager. By not purchasing the Flex PWB assemblies, the Government would have to redesign the mode selector and flight control panel for the Blackhawk. Redesign, testing and replacement of these parts would cost an estimated per helicopter. This dollar value was derived from the estimated cost for replacing the Flex PWB assemblies for each helicopter and the cost for qualification testing and publication revisions. Suspending operations is not an option. Without the Flex PWB assemblies, TYAD will not be able to repair and return the Blackhawk mode selector and flight control panel to serviceable stock, which would decrease supply availability. Inadequate supply of the Blackhawk mode selector and flight control panel will negatively impact the U.S. Army. The impact of not procuring the Flex PWB assemblies will cause a loss of mission critical equipment, which would degrade Warfighter capabilities and Department of Defense readiness.

Loss of this mission critical equipment could result in the loss of life or cause direct harm to the warfighter.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Every effort was made to seek competition for this requirement as described in paragraph a. below and in #8. TYAD technical experts will continue to monitor the marketplace to identify potential sources with the capability to provide the required parts. The Contracting Officer will publish the notices required by FAR 5.201 and any quotes or proposals received shall be considered.

a. Effective Competition: The Contract Specialist posted a Sources Sought

Announcement (SSA) to https://SAM.gov on 1 June 2021 for 10 calendar days. To date, only Cirexx International, Inc. has stated it can satisfy the requirement. No other sources expressed interest. Based on market research performed and the responses to the SSA, a competitive procurement strategy is not feasible. This effort did not yield any other sources that can meet the Government’s requirement. There is no competition anticipated for this acquisition.

b. Subcontracting Competition: The solicitation and subsequent contract will contain clauses FAR 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns and FAR 52.244-5, Competition in Subcontracting.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: There are currently no equivalent parts available that meet the existing requirement for the Flex PWB assemblies. TYAD Directorate of Production Engineering technical experts will continue to research the market to determine if other solutions and capabilities are available or if new parts have come to market. If other potential sources are identified, then every effort will be made to compete it to the maximum extent practicable.

8. Market Research: Market Research was conducted in accordance with FAR 10.002 during the period of September 2020 through July 2021 by TYAD technical experts from the Directorate of Production Engineering and Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG), Tobyhanna Division. TYAD technical experts performed market research by contacting the CECOM Item Manager and through internet searches.

No other sources could be found that have manufactured and qualified a product to substitute the Flex PWB assemblies for the Blackhawk helicopter mode selector and flight control panel. Market research could not identify any additional sources that could provide the Flex PWB assemblies.

On 1 June 2021, the Contract Specialist posted a SSA to https://SAM.gov for a period of 10 days with the intent to sole source the Flex PWB assemblies. Interested firms were requested to respond to the Government and submit a capability statement for the required Flex PWB assemblies. The SSA did not reveal any other manufacturers, other than Cirexx International, Inc., that could provide the Flex PWB assemblies that meet the Government’s requirement. Therefore, the Government concluded that Cirexx International, Inc. is the only source that can provide the Flex PWB assemblies required for repairs in the Blackhawk mode selector and flight control panel. Market research did not identify any other sources beyond Cirexx International, Inc. that can meet the Government’s requirement.

9. Interested Sources: Cirexx International, Inc. is the only known source capable of supplying the Flex PWB assemblies to TYAD and expressed interest by responding to the SSA. To date, no other sources have written to express interest in the acquisition.

Currently, there have not been any public requests made for this acquisition. See paragraph 6 above for the synopsis information.

10. Other Facts:

a. Procurement History

This is a first time purchase for ACC-APG, Tobyhanna Division. Past requirements have been procured through CECOM contract W15P7T-06-C-F404, as a sole source to TRC Corporation. TRC Corporation has since gone out of business and Cirexx International, Inc. now owns the propriety data.