A15 - Sole Source Justification (SSJ) over SAT FAR Part 13 _ V2.1.pdf
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- Full Spectrum Imaging Systems
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- 15DDHQ26N00000015
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This is a Sole Source Justification (SSJ) document under FAR 13.501 for a commercial products acquisition by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The DEA's Office of Acquisitions, on behalf of the Financial Management Unit, intends to award a sole source, firm-fixed-price contract to Thomas Scientific, LLC for the procurement of six Full Spectrum Imaging Systems (FSIS) II Color Lab Systems for the new laboratory (New England Laboratory - SFL10) located in Londonderry, New Hampshire. The total estimated contract value is $493,846.14 (6 x $82,307.69), with a final delivery date of July 30, 2026. The acquisition identification number is D-26-SS-0005. The FSIS II Color Lab System is a custom-designed imaging system featuring Arrowhead proprietary software and algorithms that enables friction ridge examiners to view and capture 3D, textured, and round surfaces with integration for latent prints, along with image enhancement software and a hands-free capture device. The justification is based on proprietary intellectual property ownership, as Thomas Scientific, LLC owns the underlying U.S. Patent for the FSIS and is the sole licensor for this specific software and its algorithms. Market research confirmed that Thomas Scientific does not offer products to resellers and maintains all aspects internally. The document indicates that no competing sources have expressed interest or could express interest due to Arrowhead's patent ownership. The contracting officer has determined the anticipated cost to be fair and reasonable, and a special notice will be published on SAM.GOV in accordance with FAR 5.2.
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SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION (SSJ) UNDER SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR
CERTAIN COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES
GREATER THAN SAT BUT NOT EXCEEDING $7.5 MILLION
FAR 13.501
May 2025 1
Sole source procurements should only be used when competitive solicitation procedures are not applicable to the requirement or are impracticable. Please remember, that contracting without promoting competition to the maximum extent practicable cannot be justified due to a lack of advance planning by the requiring activity or concerns related to the amount of funds available.
This document shall not be used for Federal Supply Schedule acquisitions.
1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition.
Agency: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Contracting Activity Processing the Requirement:
Name of Organization Originating the Requirement:
Identification Number (purchase request/solicitation number):
2. The nature and description of the action being approved (e.g., new award, modification, follow-on to previous procurement, et.al.).
3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs.
Total estimated value inclusive of all options:
Period of performance or final delivery date:
May 2025 2
4. An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than competition to the maximum extent practicable.
The simplified acquisition threshold is defined in FAR 2.101. Per FAR 6.001, acquisitions of certain commercial items exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold and conducted using simplified acquisition procedures as authorized by FAR 13.501 are exempt from the requirement to promote full and open competition. Such acquisitions must promote competition to the maximum extent practicable as required by 41 U.S.C. 1901 and FAR 13.104. Because this acquisition will be conducted without promoting competition to the maximum extent practicable, this justification is prepared for review and approval in accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b)(2) and 13.501(a).
Check the appropriate box. Only one box may be checked.
41 U.S.C. 1901, FAR 13.501(a) exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold; or
41 U.S.C. 1903, FAR 13.501(a) emergency procurement (up to $750K within the United States and up to $1.5Million outside the United States)
5. A demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited.
6. A description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies.
https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-2#FAR_2_101 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-6#FAR_6_001 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-13#FAR_13_501 http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title41-section1901&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-13#FAR_13_104 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-13#FAR_13_106_1 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-13#FAR_13_501 http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title41-section1901&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-13#FAR_13_501 http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title41-section1903&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-13#FAR_13_501 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-5#FAR_Subpart_5_2 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-5#FAR_5_202
May 2025 3
7. A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.
8. A description of the market research conducted (see Part 10) and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.
9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than competition to the maximum extent practicable, such as:
i. Explanation of why technical data packages, specifications, engineering descriptions, statements of work, or purchase descriptions suitable for full and open competition have not been developed or are not available.
https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-10
GREATER THAN SAT BUT NOT EXCEEDING $7.5 MILLION
FAR 13.501
May 2025 4
ii. When the acquisition is a result in a follow-on acquisition for the continued development or production of a major system or highly specialized equipment, an estimate of the cost to the Government that would be duplicated and how the estimate was derived.
iii. When the justification is based on an urgent and compelling requirement, cite data, estimated cost, or other rationale as to the extent and nature of the harm to the Government.
iv. When the justification is for brand name, explain why the particular brand is the only brand that can satisfy the Government’s need. Include in the explanation why other brands do not meet the Government’s requirement.
10. A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.
11. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to the exception to fair opportunity before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services is made.
May 2025 5
Certifications
I hereby certify that I have no financial interests of the sort addressed in subpart D of 5 CFR § 2635 that may give the appearance of a conflict of interest in regards to this Justification.
I hereby certify that I have no personal or business relationships or interests of the sort addressed in 5 CFR §
2635.502 that may give the appearance of a conflict of interest in regards to this Justification.
Requesting Official ____________________________________ Date _______________
Signature & Title
“I hereby certify that the description of the requirement meets the Government’s minimum needs and that the technical data and supporting information, which form the basis for this Sole Source Justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.”
I hereby certify that I have no financial interests of the sort addressed in subpart D of 5 CFR § 2635 that may give the appearance of a conflict of interest in regards to this Justification.
I hereby certify that I have no personal or business relationships or interests of the sort addressed in 5 CFR §
2635.502 that may give the appearance of a conflict of interest in regards to this Justification.
Requesting Office Technical Point of Contact ____________________________________ Date _______________ Signature & Title
“I hereby certify that this Sole Source Justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.”
Contract Specialist ____________________________________ Date _______________ Signature
Contracting Officer ____________________________________ Date _______________ Signature https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-5/chapter-XVI/subchapter-B/part-2635/subpart-D?toc=1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-5/chapter-XVI/subchapter-B/part-2635/subpart-E/section-2635.502 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-5/chapter-XVI/subchapter-B/part-2635/subpart-E/section-2635.502 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-5/chapter-XVI/subchapter-B/part-2635/subpart-D?toc=1
May 2025 6
“I have reviewed the subject contract action and find it legally sufficient for award.
Chief Counsel Legal ____________________________________ Date _______________ (if over $750,000) Signature
Reviews and Approvals
FAC Section Chief ____________________________________ Date _______________
Bureau Procurement Chief ____________________________________ Date _______________ (if over $750,000 Signature per JAR 2806.304)
Competition Advocate ____________________________________ Date _______________
Head of the Contracting ____________________________________ Date _______________ Activity (if over $15M) Signature
DOJ Competition Advocate ____________________________________ Date _______________ (if over $75M) Signature
Senior Procurement ____________________________________ Date _______________ Executive (if over $75M) Signature https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=2a2e815080eb0d8886542a3d1645cf13&mc=true&node=pt48.6.2806&rgn=div5#se48.6.2806_1304
| 41 USC 1901 FAR 13501a exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold or: Off | |
| 41 USC 1903 FAR 13501a emergency procurement up to 750K within the United States and up to: Off | |
| I hereby certify that I have no financial interests of the sort addressed in subpart D of 5 CFR 2635 that may: Off | |
| I hereby certify that I have no personal or business relationships or interests of the sort addressed in 5 CFR: Off | |
| 2026-02-26T15:57:06-0500 | |
| MICHELLE STARK |
| Date: 02/26/2026 | |
| I hereby certify that I have no financial interests of the sort addressed in subpart D of 5 CFR 2635 that may_2: Off | |
| I hereby certify that I have no personal or business relationships or interests of the sort addressed in 5 CFR_2: Off | |
| Date_2: | |
| 2026-03-16T11:35:50-0400 | |
| KENNY DOUANGMALA |
| Date_3: | |
| 2026-03-12T16:12:17-0400 | |
| ANGEL BARKLEY |
| Date_4: 03/12/2026 |
| Date_5: |
| Date_6: |
| Date_7: |
| Date_8: |
| Date_9: |
| Date_10: |
| Date_11: |
| Text1: Office of Acquisitions |
| Text2: Financial Management Unit |
| Text3: D-26-SS-0005 |
| Text4: DEA intends to issue a sole source, Firm-Fixed Price contract with Thomas Scientific, LLC to procure six (6) Full Spectrum Imaging Systems (FSIS) II Color Lab System for the new laboratory (New England Laboratory - SFL10) located in Londonderry, NH. |
| Text5: The Arrowhead custom software of the Full Spectrum Imaging System (FSIS) II Color Lab System enables the friction ridge examiners (FREs) to view and capture 3D, textured, and round surfaces with integration feature for latent prints that are developed on items of evidence submitted to the laboratories by special agents for criminal cases. The system also include a second custom software image enhancement software to assist the FREs on latent prints that were capture along with a hands free device to active the capture software. The mobility of the equipment allows for seamless transitions around the lab depending on space and need. The USB powered foot pedal adds the user in capturing the image and maneuvering evidence at the same time. The Arrowhead Custom software provides FREs the key feature to vie w and capture untreated latent prints at a very high resolution, capture 3D images on textured and round surfaces. |
| Text6: 6 x $82,307.69 = $493,846.14 |
| Text7: July 30, 2026 |
| Check Box8: Yes |
| Check Box9: Off |
| Text10: Proprietary computer software and algorithms: The requirement centers on custom-designed curved, textured, and 3D image-capturing software that is wholly owned by Thomas Scientific, LLC. Because Thomas Scientific, LLC owns the underlying intellectual property and is the sole licensor for this specific software and its algorithms, only Thomas Scientific, LLCcan lawfully grant the necessary license and provide updates and support. Procuring an alternate source would either (1) require replacement with a non-equivalent product that fails to meet the requirement, or (2) risk violating copyright/licensing parameters. |
Unique system integration with Government IT: The solution is information technology and is purpose-built for integration with the Government’s FSIS camera. The software is engineered to work with a dedicated, software-integrated foot pedal for hands-free processing, a custom hydraulic arm mount designed for the camera, and a 4K resolution display integrated with the FSIS camera. This end-to-end integration is essential to achieve the required imaging performance and hands-free workflow. Alternative commercial off‑the‑shelf (COTS) tools would require significant re-engineering, reconfiguration, and integration risk to achieve equivalent performance, contrary to the requirement for an immediately deployable, fully integrated solution. As discussed in modern federal buying practices, integrating commercial tools securely and effectively requires careful planning; where a mission depends on a proprietary, tightly integrated configuration, substituting parts adds cost, time, and risk without assurance of performance.
| Text11: A special notice will be published on SAM.GOV in accordance with FAR 5.2 | |
| Text12: The contracting officer made a determination and findings that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable in accordance with FAR 13.106-3(a)(2)(1). | |
| Text13: Market research was conducted and concluded that Thomas Scientific, LLC owns the US Patent for the Full Spectrum Imaging System (FSIS) and they do not offer their products to resellers. Therefore, industry engagement would not be required as Thomas Scientific, LLC is keeping all aspects to this product internally. | |
| Text14: The requirement is not merely for discrete components; it is for a fully integrated imaging capability (custom algorithms + foot-pedal workflow + camera-specific hydraulic arm mount + 4K display), engineered and validated as a single system for the FSIS camera environment. Given Arrowhead’s ownership of the software and its purpose-built hardware integration, no other vendor can provide an equivalent, legally licensed, and fully interoperable solution. | |
| Text15: N/A | |
| Text16: N/A | |
| Text17: The Full Spectrum Imaging System (FSIS) II Color Lab System is the most advanced image capturing system int he world. The FSIS II Color Lab System features a full spectrum 20MP digital camera with sensitivity from the deep UV through real IR. With over 16 megapixels of resolution and sensitivity from from 254nm to 11nm, the FSIS II Color Lab System can easily capture a full handprint at 1000 PPI (pixels per inch), and micro evidence up to 2,500 PPI. Utilize the FSIS Camera in the lab setting with the FSIS II Lab. The FSIS II Color Lab System set up is designed specifically for a laboratory environment. A large display and articulating arm allow for clear, fast evidence scanning. Achieve hands free processing with a mounted UV light and hand-free foot pedal for imaging capturing. | |
| Text18: No sources have expressed interest nor would be able to express interest due to Arrowhead owning the patent. | |
| Text19: The government will continue to observe technologies that advance to determine other avenues that will meet the governments needs. | |
| Check Box20: Yes | |
| Check Box21: Yes | |
| Check Box22: Yes | |
| Check Box23: Yes | |
| 2026-03-16T11:47:51-0400 | |
| ROBIN RUTH |
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