JA Sole Source_MTS Load Frame_FA700026C0009_Redacted.pdf

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

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I. Contracting Activity.

Contracting Activity: 10 CONS/PKB Organizational Activity: Dean of Faculty Engineering Mechanics Laboratory (DFEM)

II. Nature and/or description of the action being processed.

This is a re-acquisition to be accomplished with a firm-fixed price contract. It is for a base year plus four option years.

III. Description of supplies/services required to meet agency needs.

The United States Air Force Academy's Engineering Mechanics Laboratory (DFEM) has a requirement for a preventive plan and extended warranty to maintain their MTS brand Load Frames. The current preventative plan expires 25 May 2026. The Load Frames are used by Engineering students in multiple classes and by the Center for Aircraft Structural Life Extension (CAStLE) research team for materials testing. The preventative plan ensures that these heavily-used pieces of equipment function properly and generate accurate data. If and when there is a failure with a Load Frame, USAFA suffers a gross loss in productivity. The calibration is critical to the laboratory being able to certify work and must be performed by an ASTM certified calibration specialist.

IV. Statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

FAR 12.102(b), DAFFARS 5313.501 - 10 U.S.C. 2302b, Implementation of Simplified Acquisition Procedures (41 U.S.C.

1901)

V. Demonstration that the contractor's unique qualifications or nature of the acquisition requires the use of the authority cited above (applicability of authority).

All equipment to be covered under the preventative plan and warranty is MTS brand equipment. MTS Systems Corporation has sufficient capability to sustain the MTS hydraulic power unit (HPU) meeting the operational schedule and routine checks. MTS can include extended warranty coverage for all parts and labor for repairs on the MTS servohydraulic frames, the MTS HPU, and the MTS controllers. MTS designed and built the frames and have the technical knowledge required to sustain the system, particularly in the software and individual components.

Other vendors such as Absolute Calibration and Consulting services, LLC. have the ability to provide preventive plan on the hardware, but lack the ability to sustain the MTS software local to each load frame or provide a warranty. Due to a proprietary software access key, only MTS has full access and capability to the MTS HPU meeting sustainment schedule and routine operational checks. In addition, MTS Systems Corporation also does not sell parts to third party distributors/resellers firms. Thus, any vendor other than MTS does not have access to replacement parts in the event of a breakdown.

VI. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable.

MTS was contacted in March 2026 to see if they utilize distributors. MTS provided a letter dated 4 March 2026 stating they are "the sole service provider for all MTS supplied products and equipment in the United States and Canada".

Thorough research was conducted for the FY21 requirement, which resulted in contract FA700021P0027.

Through market research multiple potential vendors were contracted and none were able to provide the preventative plan or warranty for the MTS load frames. The FY21 award was a sole source acquisition to MTS

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

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Systems Corporation, a large business.

It is unreasonable to expect that other potential sources are able to meet the requirement.

VII. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

By comparing the proposed cost from MTS Systems Corporation with the previous preventative plan contracts for the MTS load frames, it is reasonable to anticipate the cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. Fairness and reasonableness will be based upon market research, USAFA's historical data, other agency contract and pricing information in accordance with FAR 12.204.

VIII. Description of the market research conducted and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted.

Searches performed on 4 March 2026 revealed that load frame preventive plan is not available through UNICOR, AbilityOne, or Air Force Strategic Sources. The mandatory sources also do not offer load frames, which is the base product that requires a new preventive plan and extended warranty. GSA Advantage was searched utilizing the terms "load frame" and "maintenance", "load frame" and "service plan", "electro-mechanical load frames", and "servo hydraulic load frame"; the searches did not return any results.

IX. Any other facts supporting the use of Other Than Full and Open Competition.

Market Research and previous attempts to utilize full and open competition on the load frame preventative plan and warranty have shown that only MTS is able to perform all of the requirements. Only MTS has sufficient capability to sustain the MTS HPU meeting preventative plan requirements. The MTS HPU is the most critical component of the piece of equipment, as it powers all the frames in the laboratory. MTS is the only vendor that can include extended warranty coverage for all parts and labor for repairs on the MTS servo hydraulic frames, the MTS HPU, and the MTS controllers. Preventative care for the MTS HPU is a primary requirement in order to maintain current usability. MTS designed and built the frames and have the technical knowledge needed to maintain the system - particularly in the software and individual components.

X. List of any sources that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

No other sources expressed interest in the acquisition.

XI. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required.

It is cost prohibitive to purchase new load frames, which would possibly allow for additional potential sources to provide a preventative plan and extended warranty. Purchasing new equipment would be at a substantial cost to the Government.

XII. Certification by the Contracting Officer.

As evidenced by my signature above, I have determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

XIII. Certification by the technical/requirements personnel.

As evidenced by my (our) signature(s) above, I (we) certify that any supporting data contained herein, which is my (our)

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

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