JA Engineering Services contract with General Dynamics 23 Jun 09.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

I. JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL, PART 1

542nd COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING

WARNER ROBINS AIR LOGISTICS CENTER

INDIVIDUAL

PR Number: FD2060-09-24143

Category: Other Contracting

I. NATURE OF THE ACTION: Due to the circumstances described below, this activity will acquire the following using Other Than Full and Open Competition (OTF&OC) procedures:

a. Source: General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products (GDATP), 128 Lakeside Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401. Cage 05606.

b. Medium Caliber Aircraft Guns Engineering Services.

c. In support of M61A1, M61A2, and GAU-8 gun and ammunition feed systems sustainment. To comply with AFI 21-103, AIRCRAFT AND EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT by maintaining Fully Mission Capable status on the F- 15, F-16, F-22 and A-10 Mission Design Series, as well as to comply with AFI 63-1201 LIFE CYCLE SYSTEMS ENGINEERING mandates.

d. Type Requirements: USAF

e. Additional Requirements: Options. Data.

f. Period of Performance: Basic and four one-year options

II. DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT:

a. The primary purpose of this effort is to provide engineering services for medium caliber gun and ammunition feed systems to maintain and improve weapon system reliability, maintainability, and supportability pursuant to AFI 63-1201 Life Cycle Systems Engineering compliance. In addition, this effort will establish the means to respond to, investigate and resolve Class A, B, and C gun mishap incidents. At the request of the Aircraft Guns Engineering Flight, the contractor will perform tasks related to medium caliber gun sustainment. Efforts shall include problem identification studies, product deficiency studies, failure histories and reliability studies, technical data package updates, solid modeling, finite element analysis, developing and testing prototypes in support of engineering analysis and training, and supporting medium caliber user requests.

b. F-15 C/D/E, F-16, A-10 Ammunition Feed Systems Technical Data Packages NSN: No NSNs exist for these systems

Noun: M61A1 20mm Gun Accessory Feed and Storage System, F-16 Aircraft Ammunition Handling Set, 20mm Linear Feed System, 30mm Aircraft Armament Sub-System A/A49E-6 Quantity: 4 ea Est. Cost per unit: $2845 Est. Total Cost: $11,380

c. F-15 C/D/E, F-16, A-10 Gun and Ammunition Feed Systems Solid Models

NSN: 1005-539-3760 (F-15), 1005-01-539-3754 (F-16), 1005-01-505-1443 (F-22),

no NSN’s exist for the feed systems Noun: M61A1 and M61A2 20mm Gun Quantity: 1ea Est. Cost per unit: 1,642,140 Est. Total Cost: 1,642,140

d. Recurring support - 1100 hours per year at $225 per hour totaling $247,500:

- Operational suitability supportability & Engineering studies (100 hrs per yr)

- Technical support requests (200 hrs per yr)

- Rapid response investigations/travel (200 hrs per yr)

- Engineering technical assistance requests from the field (200 hrs per yr)

- Finite element analysis (200 hrs per yr)

- Failure analysis (200 hrs per yr)

e. 11W1-7-17-2 and 11W1-7-17-4 Technical Order Review and Rewrite Quantity: 1ea Est. Cost per unit: $60,000.00

Est. Total Cost: $60,000.00

f. Total Estimated Cost: $1,961,020.00 for the Basic order. Four one-year options are required to complete the entire requirement. Each option is for the various services listed above. Total estimated cost for the PR is $3,961,020.00. The estimate is based on conversations and ROMs from General Dynamics.

Dollars and Narratives broken down by year:

Basic Order – $1,961020.00 Option 1 - $500,000.00 Option 2 - $500,000.00 Option 3 - $500,000.00 Option 4 - $500,000.00 Totals - $3961020.00

III. STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

IV. DEMONSTRATION THAT AUTHORITY IS APPROPRIATE:

a. The agency’s minimum needs can only be satisfied by the unique supplies or services available from only the above cited source, which possesses unique capabilities demonstrated as follows:

The contractor must have an expert knowledge and experience of F-15, F-15E, F16 F-22 and A-10 gun and feed systems. They must also have personnel capable of disassembling, assembling, maintenance and performing complex failure and performance analysis on these guns associated subsystems. GDATP possesses this highly specialized knowledge and experience required. That experience includes having conducted years of studies and analysis focused on the multi-barreled externally powered Gatling gun and feed systems in various operating environments.

The contractor must have fully operational F-15, F-15E, F16 F-22 and A-10 gun and feed systems. The contractor must have facilities that can perform ballistic testing to verify proper function of guns and associated systems. Test data must be measured in the facility needs to include muzzle velocity, dispersion patterns, gun torque, measurement of specific system/component loads, thermal characteristics, spin up rate, and various environmental conditions necessary for parts performance verification and qualification. In addition, the contractor must have use of a test fire range that can accompany the unrestricted use of the above mentioned gun systems. Portions of the above mentioned equipment and facility are government Furnished Equipment and property. However, this equipment is being used in constant support of existing government contracted work. Removing this equipment for this effort would negatively impact existing government efforts.

The contractor must possess all the technical data packages associated with the F-15, F-15E, F16 F-22 and A-10 gun and feed systems.

As the developer and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of guns systems for approximately three dozen aircraft, GDATP is a uniquely qualified resource to provide gun system-related engineering products and services. As the supplier of gun systems for all Air Force F-15, F-16, F-22, A-10 and the 25mm gun on the AC-130/U gunship, GDATP has both the engineering knowledge base and production experience to understand and diagnose gun system issues and to engineer solutions. Further, GDATP has a license/agreement with the Department of the Army and the Vermont Air National Guard for exclusive use of 546 acres (and 2328 Co-Use acres) on the Ethan Allen Firing Range. In addition, GDATP have developed a highly-instrumented production and research test facility. The firing range is the only facility in the U.S. that is configured and equipped to fully measure and characterize the performance of aircraft gun systems down to the level of measuring characteristics down to the individual component level. Also, as a production test facility, all GDATP-produced aircraft gun systems are tested at the firing range and the company possesses and maintains at least one Government-owned gun system that is representative of each aircraft system currently in production. These "slave" assets (as they are known) are used to test fire production spares as well as to support the development and evaluation of system improvements and to conduct independent failure analyses.

Another medium caliber range does exist at Eglin AFB and is used by the 46th Test Wing.

The use of this range is not practical for this effort for several reasons. First, instrumentation and equipment required for this requirement does not reside at this range. For example, an accelerometer to measure breech bolt force insertion and extraction is only known to be with GDATP. Also, the only Test F-22 Gun and Ammunition Feed System resides with GDATP.

Secondly, the range at Eglin tests authorized configurations of the existing medium caliber guns systems. GDATP has the equipment and experience to test and monitor individual component behavior. This enables to test current component configuration performance as well as new design concepts. The policy of the 46th Test Wing is if they do not have a particular capability, they are not to duplicate/mimic test capability existing in industry.

GDATP s the original designer, current developer and manufacturer of all modern high rate of fire Gatling guns and their sophisticated ammunition handling systems. The externally powered Gatling gun has repeatedly demonstrated that because of its unique characteristics (high rate of fire, smooth rotary motion, multi-barrel design reliability) that it is the optimum weapons system available for use in all of the US Air Force’s fighters. The M61A1 gun in the F-15 and F-16 is an outstanding example of the Gatling type weapon; GDATP (formerly General Electric) built and test fired the prototype M61 in 1951 and has been steadily developing and improving this weapon and its high speed ammunition handling system from that time to the present.

The U.S. Government does not own the unique engineering and production facilities, special tooling and fabrication processes, or mobile test and analysis equipment needed to fulfill this contract. These unique facilities include computer analysis and fabrication equipment, unique dies and proprietary fabrication equipment and production processes and analysis software for design and analysis specifically for Gatling guns and associated munitions and subsystems.

Just as the Gatling gun and ammunition handling system are uniquely the property of GDATP, so are all of the associated developmental data, manufacturing and research facilities, and supporting design, engineering and manufacturing personnel. The Gatling gun system is the only system currently in existence suitable for our medium caliber aircraft guns applications.

GDATP possess the data rights to the majority of the technical data of the 20mm and 30mm gun and feed systems. GDATP made the majority of their data proprietary. Currently the data rights for the F-15, F-16, F-22 and A-10 feeds systems are owned by General Dynamics.

In addition the GAU-8 (A-10 gun) data is also owned by GDATP. Although the government does own a static copy of these TDPs (except the F-22 feed system) they are incredibly out of date.

There are many companies that can produce solid models. However, GDATP owns the specific data rights to over 85% of the systems supported by this contract. Therefore, once the aircraft guns TDPs become ASME 14.41 compliant with the solid models, the ‘master’ solid model becomes part of (inseparable) from the master TDP. That master TDP will reside with GDATP, as they have design control activity. In order for the models to be verified and incorporated by GDATP, they would require their independent verification. This verification would essentially force the government to pay twice for the verification. As opposed to GDATP creating the models from their own drawings verifying them as they build them. In addition, having GDATP create the original models eliminates a potential conflict of interest with regards to having GDATP verify their competitors work. This also ensures robust configuration control; a problem we now face with two ‘primary’ TDPs of the same system.

Another critical point is GDATP knows best the design intent. While working with these old drawings critical knowledge exists with regards to correctly converting these 2-D drawings into 3-D models. Also, GDATP is in constant production of most of these parts and are uniquely aware of the manufacturing difficulties with these components. While modeling, GDATP can address the challenges with manufacturability while keeping design intent.

For all the reasons stated above we believe no one else except GDATP could meet the delivery schedule and fulfill the technical and performance requirements necessary to successfully complete this contract in a timely and efficient manner.

Also, once we are able to reconcile these system drawings to the current configuration, we have no means for regular updates, putting us back in the same position years from now.

Receiving these services now and into the future is paramount for the future sustainment of the medium caliber guns systems, meeting the Congressional operational mandates of these weapons systems.

Most of the engineering efforts and manufacturing and testing programs which will be required to fulfill this contract will be done at the GDATP plants and test facilities in Burlington and Jehrico, Vermont. We will conduct backup and verification tests as required at our government test facility at Eglin AFB, FL.

In our opinion, sole source is justified in this case because of the ongoing nature of the programs and projects. It is imperative that a contract be awarded to the only qualified source, GDATP.

V. EFFORTS TO ADD ADDITIONAL SOURCES/SOLICIT FROM AS MANY

SOURCES AS POSSIBLE: This requirement will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities web page citing conditions which preclude F&OC. We recently bought GDATP provided TDPs updates for the M61A1 and M61A2 guns. After drawing reconciliation with government TDPs, we have moved to a competitive posture with this system. This is a recent tangible example of competitive posture increasing with this type of effort. When we acquire the rest of the medium caliber gun TDPs, after review and reconciliation, we will increase our in competitive posture on part and system level sustainment buys.

We foresee the need for this type of support until 2035, the current mandate to fly the medium caliber gun systems. Since current and past market surveys show that no other company has the expertise and experience which can fulfill the medium caliber role as well as or better than the GDATP family of Gatling guns, and since the current circumstance regarding the proprietary nature of the Gatling system remains unchanged, we have little option but to request sole source award for this and any follow-on engineering services contracts.

VI. MARKET RESEARCH: GDATP is the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the 20mm and 30mm caliber aircraft guns and ammunition systems. They retain the technical data rights and proprietary knowledge unique to the medium caliber guns community. Competing this effort is not an option, as no other company possesses the data or specific expertise required.

GDATP is the only manufacturer of the Gatling gun family (this includes 5.56mm, 7.62mm .50 caliber, 20mm, 25mm, and 30mm weapons) and high-speed ammunition handling systems in the world today. This is common knowledge among members of the machine gun community. The only other U.S. company currently manufacturing and marketing machine guns in the 20mm- 30mm category is Alliant Techsystems (ATK) (formerly McDonnell Douglas and Boeing); this company’s product, known as the chain gun, is available in 7.62, 25mm and 30mm.

The above market survey information is based on recent telephone conversations, internet searches, and visits between our people and representatives GDATP. The trade literature also reflects these observations. We continually review this literature as a matter of course in the conduct of our work.

VII. OTHER PERTINENT FACTS SUPPORTING USE OF THE EXCEPTION:

The M61A1/A2 and GAU-8 are not commercially available and its distribution is tightly controlled through the State Department, further limiting other sources to conduct this effort.

VIII. ACTIONS CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS OR WHICH WILL BE TAKEN TO

REMOVE COMPETITIVE BARRIERS ON SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITIONS:

The first and immediate competitive barrier removed will be the ability to procure parts with data that is accurate and honestly full and open. In addition, as the manufacturing processes are reviewed and brought to current more widely applied standards, the competitive nature of these intricate parts increases. For example, reviewing the methodology of induction hardening the cam path of the housing will allow a first ever look at that process for our guns. With that knowledge we can properly assess how we may compete confidently future housing buys with quality parts delivered. However, the deliverables of this effort does not guarantee an agreement such as this will be eliminated. Establishing this agreement only maximizes the potential for future competitive procurement of associated gun parts.

IX. TECHNICAL/REQUIREMENTS PERSONNEL’S CERTIFICATION:

As evidenced by their signatures on the J&A signature page, the technical and/or requirements personnel have certified that any supporting data contained herein which is their responsibility is both accurate and complete (FAR 6.303-2(b)).