Attachment 2 - SSJ Redacted.pdf

DETERMINATION & FINDINGS

Authority to Solicit from a Single Source (at or below the SAT)

1. Agency and Contracting Activity: AFLCMC/PZIBA

2. Nature and/or Description of the Action:

Focusing Schlieren System

3. Citation to the Appropriate Regulation:

(Contracting Officer Instruction: Select the applicable authority for this acquisition)

RFO 8.401 and GSAR 538.7104-3(a) (FSS Orders): The circumstances of the acquisition deem only one source reasonably capable of providing the products, services, or solutions.

RFO 11.204(a)(2)(ii) (Brand Name): The particular brand name, product, or feature is essential to the Government's requirements, and market research indicates other companies' similar products, or products lacking the particular feature, do not meet the agency's needs or cannot be modified to meet the agency's minimum needs,.

RFO 12.102(a) (Commercial Products and Services): Only one source is available,.

RFO 13.101(b) (Noncommercial Products and Services): Only one source is reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name, or industrial mobilization),.

4. Findings:

The agency requires the procurement of a self-aligned focusing Schlieren (SAFS) system. This is a specialized optical instrument designed to visualize airflow in high-speed wind tunnels. The system must meet the following requirements:

- Focusing Capability: Allows for the visualization of a thin, precise plane within the flow field.

- Self-Aligning: Enables rapid setup in different facilities.

- Vibration Resistance: Designed to operate reliably in a high-vibration laboratory environment.

- Compact Design: Utilizes a retroreflective screen, eliminating the need for large external optical components.

Market research confirms that only one vendor, RH Technologies, LLC, can supply a system with the unique combination of technical capabilities required to meet the government's needs.

The agency requires a self-aligned focusing schlieren (SAFS) system that possesses two critical characteristics for operation in our test facilities: inherent vibration resistance and a design that functions with a passive retroreflective surface. These features are not merely desirable; they are essential for acquiring usable data in the intended operational environment.

The system offered by RH Technologies is the only known commercially available product whose underlying technology provides these specific capabilities. Its design, based on a proprietary method licensed from NASA (U.S. Patent 11,650,151), uses a specialized optical train that results in the required vibration immunity and single-head/retroreflector configuration.

As no other vendor manufactures a system with this unique and essential combination of features, RH Technologies is the only source capable of fulfilling the government's minimum requirements.

Comprehensive market research was conducted to identify all potential sources for a self-aligned focusing schlieren system.

This research included web searches for commercial optical imaging vendors, a review of relevant technical publications, and an analysis of existing patents for schlieren technologies.

This effort successfully identified two potential U.S.-based vendors for this class of instrument: RH Technologies, LLC. and MetroLaser, Inc.

Following identification, the capabilities of each vendor's system were evaluated against the government's minimum technical requirements. While both vendors offer advanced focusing schlieren systems, the analysis determined that only RH Technologies could meet all salient characteristics.

The system offered by MetroLaser, Inc. was found to be non-compliant for the following critical reasons:

Fails to Meet Footprint Requirement: The system requires an active digital display (e.g., an LCD monitor) to act as a source grid. This does not meet the government's specific requirement for a system that uses a passive retroreflective surface, which is necessary due to space and logistical constraints in the test facilities.

Fails to Meet Environmental Requirement: The system is not specified or marketed as having inherent vibration resistance.

This is a critical requirement for maintaining image stability and data integrity during wind tunnel operations.

As a result of this evaluation, MetroLaser, Inc. was eliminated as a viable source. This market research effort demonstrates that despite actively seeking competition, only one vendor was found to supply a product with the unique technical features necessary to meet the government's needs.

5. Determination: Based on the findings above, the proposed sole source or brand name action is justified under the applicable regulation.

6. Signatory Authority: (Contracting Officer Instruction: In accordance with DAF Approval Authorities Matrix PM 26-C-11 Matrix Item 51 for RFO 13.101(b) actions and GSAR 538.7104-3(a) for FSS orders, the Contracting Officer is the approval authority for these determinations).