DnF for OTFOC_Redacted.pdf

Template last updated 4/23/2018

DETERMINATION & FINDINGS FOR OTHER THAN FULL & OPEN COMPETITION

(ACTIONS SAT AND BELOW)

1. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROCUREMENT: One (1) HERA-Vis Hyperspectral Camera

2. PROPOSED CONTRACTOR/MANUFACTURER:

Authorized Reseller:

Optoelectronic Components 28 Des Lilas Rue, Kirkland QC H9J 4A7 CAGE Code: L4609

Manufacturer:

NIREOS SRL

39 Via Giovanni Durando Milano MI, Italy 20158

3. ESTIMATED TOTAL VALUE:

4. STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING CONTRACTING WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL

AND OPEN COMPETITION: The statutory authority permitting sole source is 41 USC 1901(e), implemented by FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i):

_X_ Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements

___ Unusual and Compelling Urgency ___ Industrial Mobilization; Engineering, Developmental, or Research Capability; or Expert

Services ___ International Agreement ___ Authorized or Required by Statute ___ National Security ___ Public Interest

5. JUSTIFICATION FOR THE AUTHORITY CITED ABOVE:

The item(s) listed in section one above is available from only one source and competition is precluded for reasons indicated below. There are no substitutes available.

_ _ Compatibility: The item(s) must be compatible in all aspects (form, fit, and function) with existing systems presently installed. Describe the equipment you have now and how the new item/service must coordinate, connect, or interface with the existing system:

___ Proprietary: A patent, copyright, or proprietary data limits competition. The proprietary data are described as follows:

___ Experimental Continuity: The item(s) must be consistent with prior materials in order to ensure experimental continuity. Describe the conditions that necessitate the use of experimental continuity:

___ Warranty: Purchasing item(s) from another manufacturer/provider would void existing warranty. Provide a brief explanation for the use of this reason and the impact that would occur if the item was purchased from another manufacturer/provider:

___ Direct Replacement: These are “direct replacement” parts/components for existing equipment and no substitutes exist.

_X_ Other reasoning to support a sole-source buy:

The Quantum Science and Technology Branch at the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) requires one time purchase of one (1) high resolution (in both frequency and spatial dimension) imaging spectrometer that collects simultaneously on all spatial channels. Specifically, the laboratory requires one (1) HERA-Vis Hyperspectral Camera. This item is required for research to support the Position Navigation and Timing Essential Research Program (PNT-ERP).

The HERA-Vis Hyperspectral Camera as provided by Optoelectronic Components is a unique spectral imager in the current marketplace. While spectral imaging is somewhat widespread, most manufacturers produce ‘scanning’ spectral imagers, in which the one of the spatial dimensions (X) and the frequency (f) dimension are collected at the same time, but the second (Y) spatial dimension is scanned through. The branch has some time-varying behavior which would cause a spatial-scanning probe to introduce artifacts into the experiment if the team were to work with these types of devices, therefore the marketplace spectral imagers are not sufficient for ARL’s needs. There are a few competing ‘snapshot’ imagers which collect the spatial dimensions concurrently, however in all known cases (except for the HERA device from Optoelectronics Components) these snapshot spectrometers come with a significant tradeoff in both spatial and frequency resolution. In all of these cases the spectral resolution in particular is much too low to satisfy ARL’s experimental demands. If the Army used alternative devices that worked in spatial scanning mode or were to use versions with significantly lower spatial resolution, then the ability to characterize quantum materials would be significantly inhibited by noise or decreased spatial resolution.

For these reasons, the HERA spectrometer from Optoelectronics Components is the sole available supplier capable of meeting the teams requirements.

Market research was conducted by , a physicist with 10 years’ experience in the industry. searched on the General Supply Schedule (GSA), contacted knowledgeable people or subject matter experts within Government and industry, reviewed publishing of formal requests for information in technical publications/journals and searched the internet. Market research found that Optoelectronics Components is the only company capable of fulfilling the Government’s minimum requirements of one HERA-Vis Hyperspectral Camera.

6. FAIR AND REASONABLE PRICE DETERMINATION: