JOFOC GSA FSS - EIPB 8-13-26 (Signed).pdf

LSJ No.:

Version June 2026

FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE PROGRAM

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

LSJ NUMBER1: ATF-26-0034

PROCUREMENT REQUEST (PR) NUMBER: DJA-26-AEPS-PR-0285

CO: Jim Huff

COR/GTR2: Michael O’Lena

DATE: 09/10/2026

This acquisition is conducted under the authorities for Federal Supply Schedule also known as the GSA Schedules Program or the Multiple Award Schedules (MAS) Program – and when using NONCOMPETITIVE PROCEDURES, 41 U.S.C. §3304 - Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulations Overhaul (RFO) Part 8 – Required Sources for Supplied and Services, RFO Subpart

8.4 Federal Supply Schedules and General Services Acquisition Manual/Regulation (GSAM/R) Subpart 538.7104-3 Sole Source Justifications or 538.7104-4 Items Peculiar to One Manufacturer.

1. Identification of the agency and contracting activity.

Requiring Agency:

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Explosives Industry Programs Branch 3750 Corporal Road Redstone Arsenal, AL Technical POC: Michael O’Lena Email: Michael.Olena@atf.gov

Contracting/Ordering Activity:

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Office of Management – Acquisitions Management Division 99 New York Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20226 Contract Specialist/Contracting Officer Name and email:

Contracting Officer POC: Jim Huff Email: James.Huff@atf.gov

1 This is entered at or after small business review, including the header.

2 COR – Contracting Officer’s Representative – services /GTR – Government Technical Representative – supplies/goods.

2. Nature and Description of Action Being Approved. Describe the action being approved include the name and address of the proposed contractor(s).

Consideration of this award will be limited to A-P-T Research, Inc. (APT), the developer and owner of the Institute of Makers of Explosives Safety Analysis for Risk (IMESAFR) quantitative risk assessment software under the GSA MAS 47QRAA21D0040. ATF currently uses the software to evaluate risk posed to the public from explosives storage sites throughout the United States.

The purpose of this effort is to obtain support and technical expertise for ATF explosives testing and related technical meetings as they relate to the proprietary IMESAFR software. Data from explosives tests conducted by ATF are used to create and/or improve algorithms and models within IMESAFR, thereby ensuring more accurate evaluations of risk to the public from explosives operations.

A-P-T Research, Inc.

4950 Research Drive NW Huntsville, AL 35805 256-327-3373 https://www.apt-research.com/

3. Description of Supplies and Services. Describe the supplies/services to be acquired.

Provide the estimated total value (including options, if any).

Explosives Testing Support

When ATF conducts explosives testing to create, validate, and/or improve the IMESAFR Potential Explosion Site (PES) models and algorithms, APT, as needed, will provide pre-test support, test plan preparation, site preparation and execution, and post-test support. All site execution personnel must be trained on Department of Defense Explosives Safety Board TP-21 (Procedures for the Collection, Analysis, and Interpretation of Explosion-Produced Debris).

The models and algorithms within IMESAFR are based on physics but are anchored wherever possible by test and/or accident data. The semi-empirical methodologies within IMESAFR use anchor points from available data (e.g. testing/accident data) and fill the gaps with physics-based algorithms. As additional test data becomes available from ATF explosives testing, this information can be incorporated into the models as improvements or otherwise used to validate current predictions.

IMESAFR Science Panel (ISP) Support

The ISP was established, in part, by ATF as an independent body for building consensus on technical and scientific accuracy within IMESAFR. The ISP includes explosives experts from domestic and foreign government agencies, industry associations, and explosives laboratories.

The ISP is responsible, in part, for 1) validating the explosion effects and consequence algorithms that are embedded with IMESAFR and the IMESAFR technical manual; 2) analyzing explosives safety quantity-distances for potential technology and information gaps; and 3) recommending changes and tests to address specific deficiencies that have been identified in the current explosives safety knowledge base.

To ensure the technical and scientific accuracy of IMESAFR continues to be addressed by the ISP, ATF will require APT support to facilitate the ISP meetings. APT, as directed by ATF, will develop the necessary ISP presentation materials and present the information during ISP meetings.

The estimated costs for explosives test support are:

Development of an explosives test plan - $25,000 Onsite test support - $9,000 per person/per week Completion of the test report - $25,000

The estimated costs for ISP support are:

½ day video teleconference - $13,000 ½ day meeting (outside of Huntsville, AL) - $19,000 Full day meeting (hosted by APT in Huntsville, AL) - $22,000

The costs will include development and preparation of meeting content, travel, attendance, and participation during ISP meetings, and completion of any post-meeting actions.

The period of performance is for a one (1) year period with an initial estimated cost of $50,000.

4. Identify statutory authority permitting limiting sources. Cite the authority under one of the exceptions listed under RFO Subpart 8.401(a) and (b) in conjunction with GSAM/R 538.7104-3 and 538.7104-4, and if applicable, a demonstration of the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications to provide the required supply or service. (Check the appropriate box for the authority and bold the statement.)

Using GSA Schedules:

RFO 8.4, GSAM/R 538.7104-3 Sole source justifications;

The need is of such unusual urgency that following the procedures would result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling that need;

Only one source is capable of providing the products, services, or solution required at the level of quality required because the products, services, or solutions are unique or highly specialized;

The order should be issued on a sole source basis in the interest of economy and efficiency because it is a logical follow-on to an FSS order already issued on a competitive basis;

It is necessary to place the order with a particular FSS contractor to satisfy a minimum guarantee established in the FSS BPA; or

A law expressly authorizes or requires that the purchase be made from a specified source.

RFO 8.4, GSAM/R 538.7104-4 Items peculiar to one manufacturer.

General. An item peculiar to one manufacturer can be a particular brand name, product, or a Feature of a product, peculiar to one manufacturer. A brand name item, whether available on one or more schedule contracts, is an item peculiar to one manufacturer.

Requirement. Items peculiar to one manufacturer must not be acquired unless—

(1) The particular brand name, product, or feature is essential to the ordering activity’s requirements, and market research indicates other companies’ similar products, or products lacking the particular feature, do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet, the need; and

(2) The file is documented accordingly—

(i) If the order is to be placed (or FSS BPA established) competitively, the file must be documented concerning the basis for restricting consideration to an item peculiar to one manufacturer, or

(ii) If the order is to be placed (or FSS BPA established) on a sole source basis, a justification must be executed in accordance with 538.7104-3.

APT is the sole developer and owner of IMESAFR and is the only known source for the underlying software consequence models for explosions. IMESAFR is the only known program that calculates numerical risk and provides risk-based information from which safety decisions can be made. ATF has contributed to the development of IMESAFR since its inception in 2004 by providing subject matter expertise, information on explosives accidents and storage facilities, and financial commitments through previous contracts.

IMESAFR has become an invaluable tool for ATF to evaluate and measure risk to the public from explosives storage facilities. To date, ATF has approved over 70 variances for Federal explosives licensees and permittees to establish explosives storage sites based on IMESAFR evaluations.

During these evaluations, ATF has been able to measure the risk to the public and subsequently make recommendations that reduce risk based on IMESAFR calculations.

Since IMESAFR was developed, ATF has participated in and presented at numerous explosives conferences (international and domestic) and met with countless industry members. ATF has never received information on a similar software program that can calculate risk to personnel from commercial explosives facilities. Further, ATF has never received a request from an explosives industry member to use a different software program to calculate risk from commercial explosives facilities. Additionally, any effort to create a similar quantitative risk assessment software program would require information that only ATF could provide, such as the number of explosives magazines used by the commercial explosives industry within the United States. It is clear that IMESAFR is currently the only software program that calculates risk to the public from commercial explosives facilities.

5. Publication Requirement. (i) Justifications must be made publicly available within 14 days after award, except—

(A) For justifications made under paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this subsection, which must be posted within 30 days after contract award; and

(B) When publication is not required. Publication is not required in the event of extraordinary circumstances or where publication would compromise national security (e.g., would result in disclosure of classified information or create other security risks).

(ii) Justifications must be made publicly available—

(A) At the Government-wide Point of Entry (GPE); or

(B) On the website of the ordering activity, which may provide access to the justifications by linking to the GPE; and

(C) For a minimum of 30 days.

(iii) Before publication, justifications must be carefully screened—

Exception: If the requirement was not publicized, explain why it was not publicized and under what exception under RFO 5.201(b).

5. Certifications.

As the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) or Government’s Technical Representative (GTR), I certify the above information is accurate to the best of my knowledge and contains complete data/information necessary to support the recommendation and the basis for this justification.

Michael O’Lena, Program Office Date Chief, Explosives Industry Programs Branch

As the Contracts Specialist, I reviewed the information presented above by the program office, this information is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I recommend to the Contracting Officer it is in the best interest of the US Government to pursue other than full and open competition for this requirement.

Jim Huff, Contracts Specialist Date Office of Management – Acquisitions Management Division

As the Contracting Officer and based on the information presented by the program office, the information is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge, and it is in the best interest of the US Government to pursue other than full and open competition for this requirement.

Jim Huff, Contracting Officer Date Office of Management – Acquisitions Management Division

MICHAEL O LENA Digitally signed by MICHAEL O LENA Date: 2026.09.18 17:38:53 -05'00'

JAMES HUFF Digitally signed by JAMES HUFF Date: 2026.09.18 18:00:45 -04'00'

JAMES HUFF Digitally signed by JAMES HUFF Date: 2026.09.18 18:01:02 -04'00'