AIT Justification Approval Final_Redacted.pdf

JA-2025-04-1240

See below information for additional contract details:

Rohde & Schwarz USA Inc, 6821 Benjamin Franklin Drive, Columbia, MD 21046

(a) Type of Action: Procurement, installation, and maintenance of 132 R&S AIT units (model

Quick Personnel Scanner 201 (QPS201)) for deployment to FIFA airports.

(b) Contract Type: Firm Fixed Price

(c) Total Estimated Procurement Value:

(d) Type of Funding: 0550 Operations and Support

(e) Year of Funding: FY 2025

(f) Anticipated Period of Performance (PoP): Three (3) years (inclusive of two (2) years of AIT maintenance upon the completion of successful Site Acceptance Testing (SAT))

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

TSA requires establishment of a sole source contract to procure R&S QPS201 AIT systems, shipping, installation, training, seismic brackets and two (2) years of maintenance per AIT.

4. Identification of Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition.

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 41 U.S.C. § 3304(a)(1), implemented by the FAR 6.302-1 entitled “Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.”

5. Demonstration that the Nature of the Acquisition Requires Use of the Authority Cited.

TSA maintains a Qualified Product List (QPL) which offered any interested vendor an opportunity to have their products tested against TSA’s detection and operational specifications and standards. Products that successfully passed these qualification and testing requirements were placed on TSA’s QPL. Only equipment placed on the QPL have been determined to satisfy program requirements and are considered eligible for deployment into the field.

In addition to meeting the existing detection level requirements, R&S AIT units have attained the next higher detection standard that TSA likely will require for future AIT certification and qualification. In light of the unique security challenges facing TSA for the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches, the agency is compelled to procure AITs with the highest possible detection capability.

In accordance with FAR 6.302-1, R&S is the only responsible source, and no other supplier can satisfy the agency’s requirements. To date, two (2) vendors have AIT units that have successfully completed TSA’s testing and qualification process. Although both vendors have qualified AITs, R&S is the only vendor that has AIT systems that not only meet the existing detection requirement, but exceeds that requirement to meet the next, higher detection standard.

TSA has a requirement to purchase the AIT that currently meets the highest detection standard and provides the most efficiency for passengers in order to support the 2026 FIFA World Cup games. R&S is the only vendor that currently meets and has completed testing against TSA’s AIT higher detection standards. Additionally, the R&S QPS201 offers efficiencies that improve security and usability for passengers. The R&S QPS201 screens passengers more quickly, due to faster scan processing times and a lower pat down rate, and does not require a passenger to hold their arms still over their heads. Without this procurement, TSA will not provide the highest available level of security and efficiency for passengers traveling in conjunction with the 2026 FIFA World Cup games.

JA-2025-04-1240

6. Description of Efforts Made to Ensure that Offers Are Solicited from as Many Potential Sources as is Practicable.

The TSA is working to establish a future QPL testing window in FY2026. Additionally, TSA has provided opportunities for current QPL vendors to test and certify against the TSA AIT higher detection standards and only R&S is currently capable of meeting these higher detection standards.

7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable.

The Contracting Officer will ensure that proposed pricing will be evaluated to determine fairness and reasonableness through price analysis techniques in accordance with FAR 15.404-1 prior to award. In order to determine fair and reasonable pricing, the Contracting Officer anticipates reviewing historical pricing and using existing commercial prices for similar systems found on the General Services Administration (GSA) website and other commercial marketplace pricing.

8. Description of Market Research.

In 2019 the TSA opened a QPL, on a full and open basis, to test and verify the capabilities of AIT systems submitted by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). The QPL enabled the TSA to qualify the submitted AIT systems that met TSA’s requirements. Currently, R&S is the only qualified vendor that exceeds the existing TSA AIT detection and meets a higher detection standard. It is recommended the procurement of R&S AIT systems be issued on a sole source basis.

9. Any Other Facts Supporting the Use of Other Than Full and Open Competition.

None.

10. A Listing of the Sources, if Any That Expressed, in Writing, an Interest in the Acquisition.

In accordance with FAR 5.203(a), TSA posted a notice of intent, TSA25-04-0498, to sole source R&S AIT systems on sam.gov, on July 18, 2025. The notice of intent received one (1) response from a vendor on August 1, 2025. TSA confirmed that this vendor does not meet the TSA’s higher detection standards.

11. A Statement of the Actions, if Any, the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome Any Barriers to Competition Before Any Subsequent Acquisition for Supplies or Services Required.

In an effort to overcome future barriers to competition, the TSA issued a Request for Information (RFI) on SAM.gov on May 5, 2025, to obtain market research and market interest in opening a new AIT QPL test window. The new QPL test window will be open to all potential vendors. The intent of this effort is to test and qualify additional vendor systems in 2026 to maximize competition and obtain the latest technologies in order to fulfill future needs to improve security, accommodate airport growth, and a possible recapitalization.