E60-0008_BN Justification RAM redacted_08192026.pdf

Brand Name Justification under $350K

PID Number: 26-SIMACQ-E60-0008

Department: E department, code E61

Company Name/Brand: Panasonic Toughbook FZ-55

Description of Product, Supplies or Services required to meet the agency’s needs:

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) has a requirement to procure Panasonic branded laptops: FZ-55 Toughbook MK2 to support hosting the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Interactive Electronic Technical Manual (IETM). Specifically, NSWC PHD requires Panasonic Model FZ-55, Windows 11 Pro laptops that meet TPM 2.0, minimum Core i5 processor with 16GB RAM, and minimum of 5112GB storage.

Identification of Justification Rationale:

The Material or service must be compatible with aspects (Form, Fit, and Function) with existing systems presently installed.

A patent, copyright, proprietary data, or licensing agreement limits competition.

These are “direct replacement(s)” parts/components for existing equipment.

Urgency.

Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition

10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) as implemented by FAR 8.401(b).

Identification of the Justification Rationale Explained:

These laptops are required for planned new ship constructions and to replace non-cyber compliant laptops currently in the fleet. Ship's force will use these laptops to access technical manuals while working on the RAM Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS). RAM Code E61 requires the Panasonic Toughbook FZ-55 because this model is configuration-controlled as the weapon system’s technical manual holder. The Navy's design agent, Raytheon, uses this specific brand and model for testing purposes. Utilizing any other brand, regardless of specifications, would not qualify the laptop for testing purposes because it is not called out in Raytheon's test requirement documents.

In other words, Panasonic FZ-55 Laptops are currently in use aboard U.S. Navy ships and are a necessary hardware component for fleet installations. This specific laptop has already been tested in the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) System and is now being proposed for the RAM GMLS. This approach is to reach commonality between like systems and end item and to reduce the overall logistics footprint for future sustainment costs incurred after deployment. Panasonic Toughbooks have been in use on U.S. Navy ships for almost 20 years due to their ruggedness and ability to withstand shock events to a greater degree than other Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) laptop equivalents. The OEM has chosen and used Panasonic for their Research and Development (R&D), operational testing, and kit delivery to the RAM GMLS program. The laptops have been proven to work efficiently with the ships system. Most of its features have been disabled (Bluetooth, WiFi, camera) to meet shipboard security classification requirements and the systems Authorization to Operate (ATO) requirements. The custom Red Hat Linux Operating Environment (OE) has been designed and developed for the RAM GMLS using an FZ-55 series laptop to work specifically for that hardware configuration. A change in manufacture or laptop series would require a redesign of the OE to ensure it works with the different laptops hardware configuration.

Specific Characteristics of the Item or Service required that Limit the Availability to a Sole Source or Brand Name:

A specialized Operating Environment (OE) has been developed for the RAM GMLS using series FZ-55 laptops. The laptop has been tested on board the ship and has passed all of required testing before it was considered a deliverable. A change in manufacture would delay the deliveries of RAM GMLS by over 1 year, causing the ship to lose its situational awareness during the delay.

This delay will prolong the Navy requirement to have cyber secure laptops onboard ship and keep cyber vulnerabilities open to possible adversaries. Moreover, a change in manufacture would also cause the Government to have to redesign the OE and therefore maintain multiple OE configurations and multiple restore media versions, which would greatly increase the Configuration Management (CM) overhead. Having multiple OE's would require applying all Information Assurance (IA) requirements separately to the various configurations, which would greatly increase the sustainment cost. The sustainment per OE is about $1,000 a month, increasing the sustainment cost per model by $12,000. The redesign of the OE is estimated to be over $300k, and this cost is not expected be recovered through competition. Lastly, the laptop has been selected by the CANES program and has successfully completed Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) testing per MIL-STD-461G. No other known laptop has completed this EMI testing. If a different brand of laptop was chosen, the Navy would incur another substantial duplication of cost of approximately $200k which is the amount it would cost to conduct EMI testing to qualify another laptop.

Market Research Conducted:

For the reasons stated above, market research was restricted to identifying authorized resellers capable of providing the required Panasonic brand. However, market research confirmed that active competition exists among authorized resellers on GSA Advantage to satisfy this requirement.

Statement of Actions, if any to Remove Barriers to Competition in the Future:

NSWC PHD Contracts Office will continue to conduct market research as warranted to provide a broader vendor base as applicable for the types of supplies/services covered by this document. If another potential source emerges, NSWC PHD will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.

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 data, except as noted herein, are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Technical Cognizance:

SHEPHERD.ROBBIE.W.1515

263000

Digitally signed by

SHEPHERD.ROBBIE.W.1515263000

Date: 2026.06.17 14:04:10 -07'00'

Robbie Shepherd, E Dept. Industrial Engineer Phone No. 805-228-6311

Legal Counsel:

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

DEBERRY.JULIANNE.SURAN

E.1522887796 Legal Office:

Digitally signed by

DEBERRY.JULIANNE.SURANE.1522887796

Date: 2026.06.17 15:20:35 -07'00'

Julianne Surane, Assistant Counsel Phone No. 805-228-8520

Contracting Officer:

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Contracting Officer Signature:

J. Andrew Williams, Contracting Officer Phone No. 805-330-0395

WILLIAMS.JAMES.ANDREW.1 Digitally signed by

258639711

WILLIAMS.JAMES.ANDREW.1258639711

Date: 2026.06.17 18:26:06 -04'00'