Chamber JA 8-16-22_KM. Legal Review 8.18.22_km DG (002)_Redacted.pdf

ANNEX 1 – JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION (CUI)

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customized test equipment, technical competency, and design rigor. For well over three decades, the Hydrospace Laboratory has been able to customize the research and test equipment from WSF Industries. The Hydrospace Laboratory requires an innovative, large hydrostatic chamber to facilitate the Navy’s evolving research and development and testing needs which directly support today’s warfighter.

A large hyperbaric test chamber is required to augment the Hydrospace Laboratory’s suite of chambers for Hydrospace Laboratory to continue to be the foremost hyperbaric research test facility. This five-foot inner-diameter chamber provides additional capacity to allow simultaneous unmanned testing and phased overhauls, thus reducing tasking conflicts and schedule interruptions.

The WSF Industries, Inc. proposed chamber configuration includes known, historically-evidenced suitability suited to meet the Hydrospace Laboratory needs and requirements. The company itself rapidly responds to questions and has been historically and currently capable of meeting Hydrospace Laboratory sui generis configuration requirements which allow for the highly specialized testing performed at the Laboratory. The unique chamber configuration proposed build will suit current and future requirements to allow the Hydrospace Laboratory to function as an independent test organization and support modified testing for future research and development applications. The proposed chamber configuration includes WSF Industries’ SmartClave® technology which integrates a programmable logic controller and touch-screen display with an intuitive messaging system. This technology allows for enhanced oversight for all phases of Hydrospace’s chamber operation. Additionally, WSF Industries offers RAPIDOOR® which allows for quick chamber access and positive sealing. WSF Industries has engineered this feature in a several alloys which allows for Hydrospace Laboratory to customize the chamber to suit the often-wet, dynamic environment for testing. Patented safety features prevent unlocking of the door while the vessel is under pressure, and safety features prevent process initiation until the closure is locked securely. As such, these unique features are advantageous to the Government in a way that no other brand’s configuration meets these testing and safety capabilities.

If another brand chamber was to be selected, the Hydrospace Laboratory will be obligated to introduce new methodologies and processes to the current baseline configuration that it is set for replacement, and in this is expected to increase costs by $387,500 and push testing schedules to unacceptable timeframes. These costs and delays are not expected to be recovered through competition. Therefore, the WSF Industries, Inc. configuration is the only one available to meet the minimum Government needs for this proposed requirement.

6. Description of Efforts Made to Solicit Offers from as Many Offerors as Practicable.

A sources sought notice was published on the Government point of entry SAM.gov website from 18 July 2022 to 1 August 2022. Because the requirement is a commercial item, it was synopsized for less than fifteen days per FAR Part 5.203. WSF Industries, Inc. was the only entity responding to the announcement. No additional market research was conducted because it is not practicable, for the reasons discussed in paragraph 5 above, for any company other than WSF to provide the required Horizontal Large Littoral Test Chamber.

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7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

The Contracting Officer has determined the anticipated cost to the Government of the supplies/services covered by this J&A will be fair and reasonable.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition.

For the reasons set forth in Paragraphs 5, NSWC PCD has no plans at this time to compete future contracts for the types of services covered by this document. If another potential source emerges, NSWC PCD will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.

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CERTIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL

TECHNICAL/REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION

I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance which are included in this Justification and its supporting acquisition planning documents, except as noted herein are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.