J and A Redacted.pdf

This is a Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification document for simplified procedures for certain commercial items, dated July 2025 and submitted by the Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC).

The procurement seeks to acquire Ocean Bottom Seismometer (OBS) Equipment from Guralp Systems Limited to support AFTAC's Seismo-Hydroacoustic Data Acquisition System (SHDAS) for subsurface monitoring missions. The two required systems are the Aquarius and Orcus models, which feature specific technical specifications including 3T broadband seismometer sensors, triaxial accelerometers, digitizers, pressure vessels rated to 6000m depth, communications systems with seafloor-to-surface acoustic communication capability, and associated deployment and recovery equipment with battery systems rated for 12-month deployments. The contracting activity is AMIC Det 2 OL/PKA with funding between $750K and $15M. The justification is classified as an Individual justification type under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 1901 (Simplified Acquisition Procedures). The contracting officer, Ian D. Batchelor, signed the document on 09 February 2026.

The justification demonstrates that Guralp Systems Limited is the sole source capable of meeting AFTAC's mission-critical research and development requirements. Market research identified five potential vendors, but only Guralp could provide the specific proprietary Aquarius and Orcus models required for comparative testing against existing Nanometrics equipment already in AFTAC's inventory. The core R&D objective is to compare the unique performance characteristics of these two systems to determine which is most appropriate for replacing aging OBS equipment. Five sources expressed interest in writing: Rift Systems, Horizon Distribution, QuakeLogic, Nanometrics, and Guralp Systems Limited. The contracting officer determined anticipated costs to be fair and reasonable based on market research and previous acquisition pricing, with the requirement to be solicited as a small business set-aside for Guralp equipment.