Brand_Name_J&A_Redacted.pdf

Single Source Justification (Simplified Acquisition)

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Section A: General Contract Information

Contracting Activity: AFTC/PZIOA-B (OL-EGLIN)

Project/Program Name: 896 Test Support Squadron (TSS) Airborne Telemetry Transmitter (Brand Name)

Purchase Request/Identification Number: F1T0DD9120A101

Estimated Contract Cost (including Options):

Section B: Description of the Supplies/Services Required

CLIN 0001 [Brand Name]: Quantity One (1), Airborne Tri-Band Telemetry Transmitter, P/N QSX-VMR2-1110-20-17-17AA- CF-PF-AC-RH-EG, Manufactured by Quasonix, LLC., with following Configuration Requirements/Options:

-Support Multiple RF Bands:

--Lower L Band (1435.5MHz to 1534.5MHz) --Upper L Band (1750.0MHz to 1855.0MHz) --S Band (2200.5MHz to 2394.5MHz) -RS-422 (TIA/EIA-422) Data and Clock Inputs (120 Ohms) -RS-232 Serial Control Interface -Multiple ARTM Tiers Supported:

--Tier 0 (PCM/FM) --Tier 1 (SOQPSK) --Tier 2 (Multi-h CPM) -Maximum RF Power Output 20W -Connectors:

--Primary I/O: Male MDM-15 --Secondary I/O: Female MDM-15 --Power: Amphenol PT02H-8-4P --RF Output: SMA Female -Size:

--Length (max): 3.5" --Width (max): 2.5" --Height (max): 2.15" -Supports Clock-Free (Data Only) Input (Internal Bitsync) -Includes Transmitter Powered Fan and Integrated Heatsink -Meets MIL-STD-810 and MIL-STD-461 Requirements for Airborne Environment -Meets 28V DC Aircraft Power Input -Meets IRIG-106 Chapter 4 PCM Requirements

Section C: Justification for Soliciting from a Single Source or Brand Name

The 896 TSS is tasked with technical and engineering responsibility to design, install, maintain and provide daily mission support for temporary airborne (T-2) instrumentation modifications and installations in the 96 Test Wing and customer aircraft necessary to meet the Eglin weapons development and test mission. The 896 TSS supports testing on many of Eglin Air Force Bases' aircraft by providing customized instrumentation to the airframes, among which are the F-16, F-15, A-10, C-130 and H-1.

The instrumentation installed on the various aircraft is used to collect, record, transmit, and receive data collected from standard aircraft systems or sensors and data collection units installed by 896 TSS. To maximize efficiency, the 896 TSS has standardized its systems not only within a specific airframe but across the entire fleet. This greatly improves the flight's ability to maintain, upgrade, and monitor systems and cut costs.

This acquisition is part of an ongoing system upgrade that began in 2008. This current contract action will provide spares to existing upgraded transmitters that have new modulation techniques and frequency band capabilities. When the first wave of

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Quasonix products were purchased it was the starting point of an improvement and modernization upgrade to the entire fleet of instrumented aircraft at Eglin AFB. The transmitters offered by Quasonix are the only known transmitters compatible with the previously purchased Quasonix equipment valued in excess of $2M. Quasonix transmitters have the particular physical size and electrical interface in order to be compatible with the instrumentation systems (both mechanical and electrical) currently installed in the 896 TSS aircraft. The physical size is based on current mechanical assembly/designs for mounting equipment into the aircraft, to include electrical interface with aircraft instrumentation. The mechanical design takes into consideration the space available in the aircraft as well as existing and to be added electrical wiring for the components, to include ensuring safety/ airworthiness from vibration and heat. The electrical interface is based on already existing aircraft modification design.

Connectors and specific pinouts have already been defined and wired accordingly in the aircraft.

Past performance indicates that the hardware currently being used by the 896 TSS has performed according to expectations. No other known manufacturer produces a system that is a drop in-replacement in terms of form, fit, and functions for the Quasonix hardware currently installed in the instrumentation systems. Continuing with procuring transmitters from Quasonix will assure streamlined integration into existing systems installed on the aircrafts due to commonality of physical dimensions and electrical interfaces. Secondly, these systems will ensure compatibility and commonality with the range ground receive stations due to proven past performance with existing hardware installed in the aircraft and on the range sites. Purchase of any other transmitter would require re-design of the baseline system at a cost expected to exceed $2M in replacement of equipment and man hours.

Furthermore, purchase of any other transmitter would affect instrumentation lab benches, existing mission support equipment, and interoperability of established design, to include instrumentation design and associated ground and support infrastructure, for supported aircraft. Not having this particular transmitter would lead to significant delay to the mission.

The government has reviewed information from other contractors and Quasonix, LLC is the only known system capable of meeting the governments' technical requirements. Procurement of spares will ensure that mission capability is maintained in light of any unexpected malfunction of existing transmitter inventory.

Quasonix, LLC, is the only known company that can provide an L&S-band /tri-mode airborne transmitter that meets the minimum size and performance requirements of the government.

Section D: Efforts to Obtain Competition

Research was conducted into trade journals and the worldwide web and it was determined that the hardware provided by Quasonix possesses the required capability, interoperability, and functionality that will satisfy the requirements set forth by the 896 TSS. Although other manufacturers were evaluated: L-3 Communications and Teletronics Technology Corporation (TTC), neither of these sources proved to be viable alternatives because the hardware provided by these manufacturers does not meet the form, fit, and function replacement requirements set out by the 896 TSS.

L-3 Communications offers a transmitter, p/n: CTS-910 that operates only in the S-band and only in Tier 0 modulation type.

This transmitter does not meet the physical dimension, electrical connectivity, or functionality requirements that would allow for a drop in-replacement.

Likewise, TTC offers similar transmitters to that of L-3 Communications. The TTS-5500 series from TTC is capable of Tier 0, 1, and 2 modulation types, 10 watts of output power, and operates in the L-band and S-band, but does not meet the physical dimension or electrical connectivity requirements that would allow for a drop in-replacement.

The conclusion was that Quasonix best met the performance, footprint, interoperability, scalability, and flexibility required in hardware used in support of the airborne instrumentation systems currently in use by the 896th TSS.

Section E: Steps to Preclude Future Single Source or Brand Name Awards

896 TSS will continue to survey the marketplace for suitable alternatives to single source through online research and attendance to instrumentation workshops and conferences and discussions with potential vendors to gauge future capabilities.

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Section F: Contracting Officer's Determination

I have determined, in accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), that the circumstances of this contract action deem only a single source is reasonably available.

Date

30-May-2019

Typed Name and Rank/Grade of Contracting Officer

KRISTINA BRANNON, GS-12

AFTC/PZIOAB, 850-882-5576

Signature of Contracting Officer