Attachment 2 - Sole Source Justification_Redacted.pdf

This is a Sole Source Justification for Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items filed by the Department of the Air Force, Air Education and Training Command (AETC), 502d Air Base Wing, 502d Contracting Squadron at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.

The Air Force seeks to award a new firm-fixed-price four-year service contract (Base + three option years) to DeTect, Inc. for continued maintenance and support of the MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar system with a technology refresh to DroneWatcher capability. The existing contract expires on 10 March 2026, and a Notice of Intent will be posted on SAM.gov. The service agreement covers maintenance, scheduled maintenance, and repair services for the Merlin Bird Radar currently located mid-field at the installation, supporting runway scanning and a five-mile radius of the base. DeTect is identified as the only responsible source capable of providing this service, as the Merlin Bird Radar is a proprietary DeTect product protected by patent. DeTect trained employees are the only authorized personnel to work on the system, and utilizing another vendor would void the warranty on current equipment. Market research conducted on SAM.gov, EZ-Query, and EDA identified no alternative suppliers; all 32 previously awarded Merlin Bird Radar service, training, or repair contracts from 2003 to present were awarded to DeTect. The contracting officer determined the anticipated cost to the Government is fair and reasonable based on review of previously awarded contracts. DeTect has been the only viable supplier since the first contract was signed in 2022. The justification was prepared with a coordination date of 10 February 2026 and is marked as Controlled Unclassified Information.