24Q0076_24PJ153_JA_Redacted.pdf

CUI

IN REPLY REFER TO:

J&A Number: CR-24222 Code: 0234

P.R. TBD

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity.

The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC-Crane), Expeditionary Simplified Acquisition Contracting Branch (0234)

2. Description of the Action Being Approved.

This action will result in award of a contract on a sole source basis to Ensign Bickford Aerospace and Defense Inc. Company (EBAD), 640 Hopmeadow St. Simsbury, CT. 06070 for the procurement of Pyrotechnic Lead Shock Tube, MK 34 MOD 0 in support of Naval Sea Systems Command PEO-IWS3C requirements. In accordance with 41 U.S.C. 1901, this action will utilize Federal Acquisition Regulation subpart 13.5 for the use of Simplified Procedures for certain commercial items.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

The supplies consist of the Pyrotechnic Lead Shock Tube, MK 34 MOD 0. The MK 34 Pyrotechnic Lead Shock Tube is used as an initiating agent for Explosive Ordnance Disposal, (EOD) tools and general purpose demolitions. The MK 34 provides a lightweight, low explosive weight and non-fragmenting initiation system for EOD tools and a method for increasing stand-off distances when using shock tube initiator systems in demolition operations. MK 34 Pyrotechnic Lead Shock Tube consists of 1,000 ft of single strand, non-fragmenting, co-extruded plastic polyethylene-surlyn pyrotechnic lead (shock tube), 5 tube connectors and 25 end caps. The pyrotechnic lead contains less than 0.1 grains per foot of HMX/Al explosive with factory crimped ends. The pyrotechnic lead is approximately 0.118 inch in diameter and fully contains the shock tube reaction. When initiated, the pyrotechnic lead propagates at approximately 6,500 feet per second. Knots, bends, kinks, and stretching will not affect propagation. The pyrotechnic lead contains such a small quantity of explosive material that the outer surface of the pyrotechnic lead remains intact during and after functioning. The MK 34 Pyrotechnic Lead is olive drab in color with no flash requirement and is provided on polystyrene spools. Quantity in feet will be determined based on the total budget available, estimated quantity is expected to be 3.65M based on prior procurement numbers and escalated pricing.

Estimated Dollar Value

FY24

OM&N $700,000

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

CRANE DIVISION

NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER

300 HIGHWAY 361

CRANE INDIANA 47522-5001

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition.

10 U.S.C. §3204(a)(1), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, as implemented by FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii)(A).

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

The Pyrotechnic Lead, MK 34 MOD 0 is no flash shock tube designed by EBAD. This development occurred in the late 1990�s with coordination with the Navy on performance specifications. This development and investment included multiple iterations on �recipes� for shock tube coloring without altering other characteristics including: tensile strength, elongation, assembly strength, environmental performance, ability to extrude the shock tube, etc. Safety modifications at EBAD for the standard commercial extrusion production line were designed and implemented. These modifications were related to interlocks tied to flash detection that separated the shock tube if an incidental ignition were to happen which would stop the propagation/backfeed getting to the feed hopper of explosives. With the advent of the �no flash� a new safety system had to be designed, installed, and verified to drop the line in case of an initiation. Lastly, test modifications-when testing shocktube VOD the test equipment uses the flash to �start� and �stop� the test signal. With the advent of �no flash� new test methods had to be developed and implemented.

The pyro lead has successfully completed developmental testing, safety testing, insensitive munitions testing, hazard classification testing, fuze testing, post-test reporting, joint safety board approvals, user evaluations, item manual updates, user training and board approvals.

If this action were competed and a new vendor were selected the above qualification and fielding process would have to be repeated. The qualification would take a minimum of three years and approximately $2.5 million dollars to achieve based on historical data from prior product qualification of similar products. This three year timeframe and associated duplication of cost does not account for any issues found during the qualification testing that could result in further delays or the expense of repeating tests prior to placing production units into inventory. Qualifying a new device would not only cost over $2.5 million dollars and three years, it would also require new manuals to be written and distributed, school houses to be retrained, users to be retrained, and EOD to be retrained.

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

NSWC Crane released a Request for Information (RFI) / Sources Sought on 28 May 2024 (closed 11 June 2024) announcing the Government�s requirement and acquisition strategy.

Only EBAD expressed an interest in this requirement and no entities have challenged or competed on any of the actions listed in paragraph five. No additional market research was conducted because it is not practicable, for the reasons discussed in paragraph 5 above, for any company other than EBAD to provide the required supplies.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

The Contracting Officer will determine that the anticipated cost to the Government for the supplies covered by the J&A will be fair and reasonable.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition.

For the reasons set forth in Paragraph 5, NSWC-Crane has no plans at this time to compete future contracts for the types of supplies and services covered by this document. If another potential source emerges, NSWC-Crane will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.

CERTIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL

TECHNICAL/REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION

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

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION

I certify that this Justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

SEE BELOW

Signature Andrew Ficklin Phone No. Date

APPROVAL

Upon the basis of the above justification, I hereby approve, as the Contracting Officer, the solicitation of the proposed procurement(s) described herein using other than full and open competition, pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C. §3204(a)(1).

Andrew Ficklin Date