A02 - Justification and Approval _Under SAT_EST II_USAARL_redacted.docx

Memorandum for Record – Limiting Competition at or below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold

1. Contracting Activity: The US Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA), 820 Chandler Street, Fort Detrick, MD 21702

2. Description of Action:

Nature of Requirement

☒ New Requirement ☒ Purchase Order : 0012152167

· Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA)

· Order against BPA # Click or tap here to enter text.

· Order against Multiple Award IDIQ Contract # Click or tap here to enter text.

· Order against Single Award IDIQ Contract # Click or tap here to enter text.

· Order against FSS Contract # Click or tap here to enter text.

· Follow-on Requirement to Contract/Order # Click or tap here to enter text.

· Modification against existing Contract/Order #Click or tap here to enter text.

Contract Type

☒ Fixed Price

· Time & Materials/Labor Hours

· Cost Reimbursable

· Hybrid Click or tap here to enter text.

Funding

· Operations & Maintenance (O&M) ☒ Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E)

· Other - Click or tap here to enter text.

Fiscal Year: FY23

Name of Proposed Contractor(s) and Address

CUI

Control Number: JA-24-08-1640

XXXX

Source Selection Information - See FAR 2.101 and 3.104-4

JAN 2024

3. Description of Services or Supplies:

The Engagement Skills Trainer (EST) is the Army's virtual training system program of record and comes fully set up with courseware from the Army's training doctrine TC 3-20.40 with approved rifle and pistol zeroing and qualification standards. The EST Rack-B is the only virtual training system to comply with the Army standards of a 2mm accuracy rating for screen-based training and evaluations. The training modes include 3D marksmanship, Collective training, and judgmental HD video scenarios. The whole system must include: EST-Rack-B EST II hardware and software in Rack B configuration, Virtual Battle Space software (VBS software), two (2) BLUEFIRE® Silent Recoil Spring (SRS) Carbine Rifle Simulators (M4A1), two (2) BLUEFIRE® fill station magazines for M4A1, two (2) BLUEFIRE®M17 Pistol Simulators, two (2) BLUEFIRE® fill station magazines for M17, one (1) high-pressure SCUBA compressor, and warranty.

Delivery Date: 90 to 180 days ARO Total Estimated Value: XXXX

4. Authority:

☒ FAR 13.106-1(b)(1): For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name, or industrial mobilization).

Or

· FAR 16.505(a)(4) Items Peculiar to One Manufacturer

· FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(A) Urgency

· FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B) Only One Awardee is Capable

· FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(C) Logical Follow-on

· FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(D) Minimum Guarantee

5. Reasons for Authority Cited:

The U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL) was established to accomplish research in support of Army Aviation, vehicle mounted, and dismounted activities. The Laboratory's research focuses on blunt, blast, and accelerative injury and protection; crew survival in military helicopters and combat vehicles; enroute care environment; human operator health and performance in complex systems; and sensory performance, injury, and protection.

USAARL’s Injury Biomechanics and Protection Group (IBPG) executes a variety of human volunteer research experiments that require the use of various performance metrics. Often, a human volunteer will complete a task before and after a test to determine if the test fatigued the volunteer to the point of performance decrement. Some of these performance tasks are standard across injury biomechanics disciplines; however, USAARL incorporates military specific tasks, such as marksmanship. USAARL’s IBPG has borrowed an EST 3000 firearm training simulator to collect marksmanship performance data in the past. It is important for IBPG to use the EST-II to collect marksmanship performance data for integrity of data collected as well as the ability to directly compare data within a study. USAARL’s IBPG will use the EST-11 with Bluefire M4 Rifle and M17 Pistol simulators to simulate military operational tasks before and after an exposure to inform researchers of potential performance decrements due to the exposure.

The EST is the Army's virtual training system program of record and come fully set up with courseware from the Army's training doctrine TC 3-20.40 with approved rifle and pistol zeroing and qualification standards. The EST Rack-B is the only virtual training system to comply with the Army standards of a 2mm accuracy rating for screen-based training and evaluations.

6. Publicizing Contract Actions:

The public display and synopsis requirements of FAR 5.101 and FAR 5.203:

☒ Apply and will be followed.

· Do not apply due to the contract action falling below the threshold in FAR 5.101(a)(1).

· Do not apply due to the following exception:

Brand-Name justifications in accordance with FAR 13.105(c), or FAR 16.505(a)(4)(iii)(A):

· Not applicable ☒ Brand-name justification will be posted with the solicitation

· Action is a brand-name restriction in accordance with FAR 16.505 and under $30K, no posting required.

7. Market Research: Market research conducted in accordance with FAR Part 10 was multifaceted and was undertaken to ascertain 1) if the requirement meets the FAR definition of a Commercial Supply; 2) if two or more small businesses exist that can meet the Government’s requirement; and, 3) if there is more than one source capable of meeting the governments requirement.

Market research examined if the requirement meets the FAR definition of a commercial product, as specified in FAR Part 2, which is a product, other than real property, that is of a type customarily used by the general public or by nongovernmental entities for purposes other than governmental purposes and (i) has been sold, leased, or licensed to the general public; or (ii) has been offered for sale, lease or license to the general public. Market research determined that the requirement does meet this definition and is commercially available; thus, commercial terms and conditions will apply.

Market research does support that a minimum of two or more capable small businesses could potentially satisfy this requirement. Therefore, this requirement is determined appropriate for a small business set-aside.

Market research performed during the July 2024 timeframe indicates that there are a minimum of two (2) potential sources that can satisfy this brand name only requirement, as follows:

XXXX

XXXX

Of the firearms training simulators researched, only one of the systems meets all of the minimum specifications, EST-II firearms training simulator. The EST-II firearms training simulator is available for procurement by a minimum of two (small business) entities.

8. Other Facts:

a. Procurement history: N/A

b. Other facts: N/A

9. Technical/Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signature:

Typed Name:

Title: Logistics Specialist, USAARL Organization: US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory

10. Contracting Officer Certification/Approval:

I hereby determine that the anticipated cost or price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable based upon price analysis comparison to similar and identical items as well as comparison to the independent Government Estimate. In accordance with FAR 15.403-1(b)(3) and (b)(5), the Contracting Officer shall not require certified cost and pricing data to support any action when a commercial product or services is being acquired.

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief, and that completing this purchase as a result of limited competition is in the best interest of the Government. Additionally, I approve this justification to limit competition subject to the availability of funds and provided that the services or supplies herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

Approval

Typed Name:

Title: Contracting Officer, USAMRAA image2.png image3.png image4.png image1.png