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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER CARDEROCK DIVISION

9500 MACARTHUR BOULEVARD WEST BETHESDA, MD 20817-5700

J&A Number: Code:

P.R. Number:

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR USE OF BRAND NAME

JUSTIFICATION

1. Contracting Activity

The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (NSWCCD), Contracting and Acquisition Department, Code 02.

2. Description of the Action Being Approved

This is a Brand Name Justification to be awarded on a lowest priced technically-acceptable basis. The proposed action is for the purchase of six (6) X7 field ready continuous fiber composite material additive manufacturing (AM) systems manufactured by Markforged Inc. (Markforged) and six (6) Enterprise Eiger software licenses with two years of software maintenance of .stl slicing software. Optional Quantities for the anticipated purchase order include the following: six (6) Markforged X7 AM Systems, six (6) licenses of Enterprise Eiger (software) with two years of maintenance included, separate yearly options for software maintenance for all licenses, and yearly hardware maintenance for all Markforged X7 AM Systems. A detailed breakdown of all supplies/services sought with the anticipated purchase order is provided in Section 3 of this Justification. The Markforged X7 AM Systems will be used in the first production run of containerized systems for use in a mobile AM lab to be used by the U.S. Marine Corps. (USMC) Expeditionary Fabrication (XFAB) Program.

This justification document is in accordance with FAR 13.501(a).

The requirement will use the combined synopsis and solicitation procedure set forth in FAR 12.603, and the notice will be posted to the beta.SAM.gov website. The total estimated value of this acquisition is approximately $ .

The action contemplated with this justification is a firm-fixed price (FFP) purchase order.

NCH 53.6-2 (MAR 2013)

3. Description of Supplies/Services

The proposed acquisition is for the purchase of the quantities of the supplies/services in the tables below.

Duration

3013-D

Supply

Eiger (Software) Maintenance

FFP,

Service

2 Years

Optional Quantities

Duration

3013-D

Supply

SW- 0311-D-

2 year Enterprise Eiger (Software) Maintenance (Base years for optional X7’s)

FFP,

2 Years

SW- 0311-D

Enterprise Eiger Year 3 (Software) Maintenance

FFP,

1 Year

Maintenance

FFP,

1 Year

SW- 0311-D

Enterprise Eiger Year 5 (Software) Maintenance

FFP,

Service

1 Year

3000-D X7 Success Plan (Hardware) Year 1

Service 1 Year

3000-D X7 Success Plan (Hardware) Year 2

Service 1 Year

3000-D X7 Success Plan (Hardware) Year 3

Service 1 Year

3000-D X7 Success Plan (Hardware) Year 4

Service 1 Year

3000-D X7 Success Plan (Hardware) Year 5

1 Year

J&A

Number:

NCH

53.6-2

(MAR

Original Equipment Manufacturer:

Markforged 480 Pleasant St Watertown, MA 02472

The total estimated value of this acquisition is approximately $ .

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition

10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1). “The property or services needed by the agency are available from only one responsible source or only from a limited number of responsible sources and no other type of property or services will satisfy the needs of the agency.” (FAR 13.106- 1(b)(2))

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority

Although there are multiple continuous fiber composite material AM systems available in the public marketplace, the Government determined that the Markforged X7 AM System, to include the Eiger Enterprise software used with this particular brand of AM system, meets all of NSWCCD’s requirements. The below table summarizes NSWCCD’s requirements and the current capabilities of the Markforged X7 AM System:

Verification Maximum Packaged Footprint

NSWCCD

Requirements

120VAC

60Hz 5A Single Phase

200lbs

Yes

Yes

3’x3’x3’

Markforged

120VAC

60Hz 5A Single Phase

190lbs

Yes

Yes

3’x3’x2’

The Markforged X7 AM Systems are required in order to replicate first article units of the XFAB Systems undergoing testing at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division.

NSWCCD previously procured three (3) Markforged X7 AM Systems under Purchase Order No. N0016720P0135. These AM Systems are currently being integrated into containerized systems for use in a mobile AM lab (i.e., XFAB Systems). In order to maintain standardization and consistency amongst the XFAB Systems undergoing testing at NSWC Crane Division, the Government requires Markforged X7 AM Systems because this brand of AM System already received testing certification, cybersecurity certification, and fielding approval from the USMC Program Manager Supply & Maintenance Systems. More so, the Markforged X7 AM System is part of the baseline for the XFAB System. In fact, the use of this specific brand and model of AM system factored into the specifications of each XFAB System, as it pertains to space, weight, and tie downs for each shelter. Should the

Government use a different brand of AM System within the XFAB System, the layout of shelter and the weight would change and negatively impact the standardization and consistency amongst the XFAB Systems. Additionally, the Government would experience an estimated three to six month delay with the acquisition and development of the XFAB System, due to the need to conduct additional testing of the AM System, as well as need to obtain a new authorization to operate (ATO). This delay to this mission essential work for the Marine Corps Systems Command is undesirable. Moreover, the Government may incur a substantial duplication of costs in the development and acquisition of XFAB Systems using a different brand of AM System, and the Government does not expect to recover these costs through open competition of minimum specifications.

6. Description of Efforts Made to Solicit Offers from as Many Offerors as Practicable

Code 618 identified multiple products that were similar and unable to meet the technical requirements.

*product eliminated early in research because it failed to meet minimum specifications

NSWCCD intends to issue a combined synopsis/solicitation pursuant to FAR 12.603, and the notice will be posted to the beta.SAM.gov website, open to small business re-sellers of Markforged.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Costs

In accordance with FAR 15.402, the Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) shall ensure that all supplies and services provided under this contract are procured at a fair and reasonable price. The PCO shall determine that the anticipated contract represents the best value (as defined in FAR 2.101), to meet the Government’s needs. The PCO will use past procurements from the Navy and other Department of Defense (DoD) agencies that have acquired continuous fiber AM systems, when conducting the price analysis. This information will form the basis for negotiating a fair and reasonable price.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Competition

The Government will continue to canvass the reverse engineering industry (via symposiums, conferences, RDT&E Testing) for advancements in the continuous fiber AM technology. If the capability of the AM technology changes, the Government will reexamine future needs and applications. The Government intends to maintain open communication with the continuous fiber AM industry as the needs of the Government evolves with technological advances.

CERTIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL

TECHNICAL/REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION (FAR 6.301-2)

I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance, which are included in this justification and its supporting and planning documents, except as noted herein, are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

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