JA_SPRDL122R0088_24R0057 Redacted (1).pdf

SPRDL1-22-R-0088 (JA-00497)

Previous J&A is not available

The Joint Assault Bridge (JAB) provides gap-crossing capability to cross wet or dry gaps, and freedom of maneuver on the battlefield to keep pace with the Abrams tank operations. The JAB utilizes an M1A1 Abrams tank hull with a hydraulic Bridge Launcher Mechanism to launch and retrieve the Military Load Classification (MLC) 115 scissoring bridge. The Tongue is located at the front of the JAB and connects the launcher to the bridge. The Tongue Cylinder is a hydraulic cylinder that lowers the bridge and tongue to the ground. The Tilt Cylinder Assembly raises and lowers the bridge to the deck of the JAB.

Acquisition Method Code (AMC):

3 - Acquire, for the second or subsequent time, directly from the actual manufacturer.

Acquisition Method Suffix Code (AMSC):

B - This part must be acquired from a manufacturing source(s) specified on a source control or selected item drawing as defined by the current version of DoD- STD-100. Suitable technical data, Government data rights, or manufacturing knowledge is not available to permit acquisition from other sources, nor qualification testing of another part, nor use of a second source part in the intended application. Although, by DoD-STD-100 definition, altered and selected items shall have an adequate Technical Data Package (TDP), data review discloses that required data or data rights are not in Government possession and cannot be economically obtained. If one source is available, AMCs 3, 4, or 5 are valid. If at least two sources exist, AMCs 1 or 2 are valid.

4. Authority Cited: The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition for this effort is 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) 3204 (a)(1) as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

5. Reason for Authority Cited: Efforts to increase competition would not recover costs and the schedule to develop and qualify a new custom part would lead to unacceptable Operational Readiness.

DRS Sustainment Systems (CAGE 98255) is the design source for the JAB. DRS has designated JARP Industries, Inc. as the approved source for both cylinders.

JARP Industries, Inc. has indicated that orders for their parts must route through their authorized distributer who in this case is DRS Sustainment Systems. JARP Industries, Inc., demonstrated the ability to maintain the processes to successfully produce a finished item. This source has been approved and is fully qualified to produce assemblies to Government specifications for the JAB.

The JAB program purchased the data rights to all the drawings created by DRS.

However, for these cylinders, DRS sub-contracted JARP Industries to develop the part and create the drawings. The drawings that JARP Industries created were not part of the data rights purchased from DRS. Additionally, JARP Industries declined to sell the data rights on these cylinders to the government.

Product Tooling: The estimated cost of Product Tooling is $500K and includes making or buying durable tooling to make the components requiring milling, welding, attaching, fabricating, and any Additive Manufacturing (AM), as required. The estimated time for this phase could be six months.

Manufacturing Tooling: The estimated cost of Manufacturing Tooling is $400K, and includes processing and assembly equipment, assembly fixtures and gauges, and installation attachments and tools when needed. The estimated time to complete this phase would be approximately six months.

Testing and Qualification: The estimated cost of Testing and Qualification is $300K and includes a combination of bench test and/or vehicle test with adjudication. The bench test includes sub-system integration, operation within test parameters, and evaluation. The vehicle test requires obtaining a vehicle and test location with operators whether civilian or military. It could include fit, function, and performance of the part and sub-systems for both moving and stationary durations. Testing would include such areas as Environmental, Vibration, Live Deployment, and Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability (RAM). Qualification involves analyzing the test results compared to the requirements with standards and providing a sufficient report. The estimated time for this phase could be six months.

The dollar value of these parts being procured, currently at for the Tongue Cylinder and for the Tilt Cylinder Assembly compared to the cost of developing a new engineered part, at $1,600,000, does not justify the expense associated with a full and open competition. The expense of TDP development, product, and manufacturing tooling, and testing and evaluation would be avoided by utilizing the current supplier since all these items have all been previously certified with the current source. The cost of this process would not be recoverable given the expected low volume of subsequent replacement orders. Additionally, the duration to complete this process plus enable the new supplier to produce units would exceed the time required to complete the J&A and have the OEM produce the units. This would result in an avoidable delay to fill backorders for this item.

The total estimated cost to secure and qualify a second source is $1,600,000. This is times the cost to continue with the current single source contract to JARP Industries. Additionally, it would be almost two years before any product would be available from the second source, assuming all went according to plan.

Even if a 25% savings in price could be achieved by qualifying and certifying a second source, the savings of would take years to offset the estimated $1.6M cost to develop and qualify that source.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition:

a. Effective competition: Due to the reasons cited in section 5 above we are not pursuing competition for this item.

b. Subcontracting competition: Unless the contract is awarded to a small business, the solicitation and resulting contract will include FAR clauses 52.219-8, "Utilization of Small Business Concerns"; 52.244-5, "Competition in Subcontracting"; 52.219-16, "Liquidated Damages--Subcontracting Plan";" and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 252.219-7003, "Small Business Subcontracting Plan (DoD Contracts)," to maximize small business opportunities and utilization.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: There are no plans to increase competition for future procurements due to the reasons cited above.

8. Market Research: Two Sources Sought Notices were posted to SAM.gov on 08

November 2022 and were open for 15 days.

Notice ID: SPRDL1-22-R-0088(1) Noun: Tongue Cylinder

NSN: 3040-01-691-4828

Part Number: 936538 Quantity: 04 each Option Quantity: 04 each End Item: JAB

Notice ID: SPRDL1-22-R-0088(2) Noun: Cylinder, Assembly A

NSN: 3040-01-691-4557

Part Number: 936537 Quantity: 16 each Option Quantity: 16 each End Item: JAB

Innovative Hydraulics, LLC., 305 South 84th Avenue, Wausau, WI 54401. They responded being interested in becoming an approved supplier for these items as they have manufactured as sub-supplier to a prime contractor for NSN 3040-01-559- 0540 Tongue Cylinder for the AVLB deployable bridge system in the past.

Innovative Hydraulics, LLC was provided information on how to become an approved source of supply for this item.

DRS Sustainment Systems (CAGE 98255) is the authorized supplier for the OEM and likely will be the awardee for the contract.

In May 2022, DEVCOM GVSC Engineering performed Internet searches for suitable competition, described below: Keywords: 3040-01-691-4828, 3040-01-691-4557;

hydraulic cylinders; 100.6 inches retracted; 171.73 inches extended; 71.13 inches full stroke;7.0 inches diameter; 86.4 inches retracted; 205.4 inches extended; 119.0