Attach_3 Brand Name Justification - Cherrylock Riveter CO Signed Price Redacted.pdf

CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION

DETERMINATION & FINDINGS

Authority to Solicit from a Single Source (at or below the SAT)

1. Agency and Contracting Activity: AFGSC, 28th Contracting Squadron

2. Nature and/or Description of the Action:

This document justifies the solicitation and award of a contract to a supplier of the brand name Cherry Aerospace manufacturer for the sourcing of two each of the following:

G689 CherryLock Riveters H9055-3 Cherry Pulling Head H9055-4 Cherry Pulling Head H9055-5 Cherry Pulling Head H9055-6 Cherry Pulling Head 680B46 Straight adapter for the H9055 Pulling Heads This requirement is in support of the B-1B weapon system platform aircraft structural maintenance repair and refurbishment. This justification is made on an Individual basis.

3. Citation to the Appropriate Regulation:

(Contracting Officer Instruction: Select the applicable authority for this acquisition)

RFO 8.401 and GSAR 538.7104-3(a) (FSS Orders): The circumstances of the acquisition deem only one source reasonably capable of providing the products, services, or solutions.

RFO 11.204(a)(2)(ii) (Brand Name): The particular brand name, product, or feature is essential to the Government's requirements, and market research indicates other companies' similar products, or products lacking the particular feature, do not meet the agency's needs or cannot be modified to meet the agency's minimum needs,.

RFO 12.102(a) (Commercial Products and Services): Only one source is available,.

RFO 13.101(b) (Noncommercial Products and Services): Only one source is reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name, or industrial mobilization),.

4. Findings:

Procurement of this specific brand name is critical to maintain compliance with mandatory Air Force maintenance directives and to ensure flight safety. Air Force Technical Order (TO) 1-1A-8 explicitly mandates the use of this exact Cherry Aerospace tooling for aircraft structural repairs:

Riveter Mandate: TO 1-1A-8, Page 7 (Figure 1-66), directly identifies and pictures the required tool as the "Riveter G-689."

Pulling Head Mandate: TO 1-1A-8, Sections 1.12.13 and 1.12.15, dictate the use of the Cherrylock hydroshift tooling system for fastener installation, specifically citing the required Cherry pulling heads.

The 680B46 straight adapter is a required component and only way to connect the Cherry Pulling Heads to the Riveter.

Utilizing an open-market substitute or "equal" brand would directly violate TO 1-1A-8. More critically, introducing an unproven substitute into this calibrated system risks improper fastener installation, CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION which could lead to catastrophic structural fatigue or failure during B-1B flight operations.

Market research confirms that while the manufacturer of the required items is strictly limited to Cherry Aerospace, the suppliers are not. A Sources Sought notice was posted to SAM.gov, which yielded five positive responses from vendors capable of fulfilling the name brand requirement. Consequently, while the requirement is restricted to the Cherry Aerospace brand name to satisfy strict TO compliance and flight safety mandates, it will be competed among authorized distributors. Based on the market research, the acquisition strategy supports a Small Business Set-Aside for the procurement of these specific brand-name items. No other brand or substitute is acceptable for this requirement.

5. Determination: Based on the findings above, the proposed sole source or brand name action is justified under the applicable regulation.

6. Signatory Authority: (Contracting Officer Instruction: In accordance with DAF Approval Authorities Matrix PM 26-C-11 Matrix Item 51 for RFO 13.101(b) actions and GSAR 538.7104-3(a) for FSS orders, the Contracting Officer is the approval authority for these determinations).

WINTERS-

TIPTON.KATHLEEN.ELIZABETH.1523641006

Digitally signed by WINTERS-

TIPTON.KATHLEEN.ELIZABETH.1523641006

Date: 2026.08.13 14:56:37 -06'00'

Kathleen Winters-Tipton, TSgt, USAF Contracting Officer

Aug 13, 2026