J and A Sole Source_Redacted.pdf

This is a Department of the Air Force Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition (CUI), dated May 2026, for a sole-source contract award to T.S. AND E. TRADE SHOW AND EXHIBIT LOGISTICS INC. (Exhibit Control). The acquisition is valued under $10 million and is being processed through the AFTC/PZIOAA contracting office at Eglin AFB, FL 32542.

The Air Force requires continuous, climate-controlled storage and "Show-Ready" maintenance for an existing government-owned Trade Show Booth, along with full turnkey logistics support (Air-Ride transit, drayage, labor management, and on-site technical support) for ten Air Force Association (AFA) conference events. The contract will be Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) with a base period and four option years, totaling 60 months of performance, and will be funded using 3600 RDT&E appropriations. The justification cites statutory authority under 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) (only one responsible source), restricting competition due to three primary factors: (1) proprietary asset and tooling—the booth is custom-fabricated by Exhibit Control with specialized jigs and engineering expertise required for assembly and repair; (2) warranty preservation—transferring the asset would void existing comprehensive warranties and create unacceptable financial risk; and (3) duplication of cost—moving the booth to another facility would incur significant specialized packing, Air-Ride freight, and relocation costs with no corresponding benefit. Market research confirmed that no other vendor can assume custody without voiding warranty coverage and incurring substantial transit-related damage risk. The Air Force will ensure future trade show booth procurements include provisions for data rights and modular open systems specifications to enable full and open competition for subsequent maintenance and logistics requirements.