JA_Final___Redacted.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER

CARDEROCK DIVISION

9500 MACARTHUR BOULEVARD

WEST BETHESDA, MD 20817-5700

IN REPLY REFER TO:

J&A Number: TBD Code: 02 P.R. Number:

130080811

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

JUSTIFICATION

1. Contracting Activity

The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division

(NSWCCD), Division 61, Code 6103.

2. Description of the Action Being Approved

This is a sole source action to be awarded without providing for full and open competition. The proposed contract action is for a micro X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) Scanner and maintenance in support of NSWCCD’s additive manufacturing, welding, and non-destructive testing groups.

The sole source vendor is North Star Imaging, 19875 South Diamond Lake Road, Rogers, Minnesota

55374.

3. Description of Supplies/Services

The X5000 is a CT system that is used to non-destructively evaluate the internal structure of physical objects. This is critical for detecting voids or porosities in welds or additively manufactured components. The X5000 provides versatility in usage, as it contains both a 225kV microfocus tube, used for high fidelity scans of plastics, composites, and light or thin metals, as well as a 450kV minifocus tube, which can scan high-density steels and aluminum parts at a coarser resolution.

The Navy requires the CT system, its installation, training, and preventative maintenance (PM) for the machine. The first year of preventative maintenance is included with the price of the system, and four additional years of preventative maintenance visits are included as options.

The Navy's minimum requirement is for a turn-key dual tube 225kV microfocus and 450kV minifocus

CT system capable of scanning parts up to 33 inches in diameter and 48 inches in height without stitching irregularities, cone angle artifacts, or ring artifacts, and discern detail down to 10 microns.

The period of performance for this contract action shall be from the effective date of the contract through 60 months thereafter. The total estimated dollar value is as outlined in Table I below. The use of FYI 9 Capital Investment Program (CIP) funding for the base year and RDT&E funding for the option years is anticipated.

Table 1: Independent Government Estimate/Period of Performance

Period Period of Performance Estimate Funding Type

Base FY19-FY20 CIP

Option I FY20-FY21 RDT&E

Option II FY21-FY22 RDT&E

Option III FY22-FY23 RDT&E

Option IV FY23-FY24 RDT&E

Total

The certifying technical and requirements personnel have verified the required supplies/services meet the Government’s minimum needs.

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

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1). Only

One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements (FAR

6/302-1(c)).

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority

North Star Imaging is the sole provider of the X5000 X-ray CT scanning system that meets the Navy's minimum requirements for voxel resolution and correction, tube voltage, artifact-free pixel compensation, and scan size.

A minimum detectable feature size of 10 micron is required. The system must provide this resolution and detect X-ray detector misalignment that may degrade confidence in part accuracy. North Star

Imaging's CT scanners are the only systems available on the market that are capable of automatically detecting, calibrating, and compensating for this form of misalignment.

Dead or poorly calibrated pixel elements on the detector panel produce a ring artifact defect in the scan. Ring artifacts interfere with or prevent automated contrast image analysis techniques from being used, and in severe cases, they prevent manual analysis of scans from being performed. NSWCCD requires scans of specimens with small density variations; the impact of ring artifacts is problematic and can result in faulty data. Ring artifacts can be corrected through software identification of underperforming pixels and automatic compensation through detector movement and computer algorithms. North Star Imaging is the only X-ray CT manufacturer that utilizes a ring artifact reduction algorithm that can adequately correct this.

To scan objects larger than the detector, a combination of computer controlled motion and software stitching algorithms are employed to combine multiple scans into a three dimensional (3D) model.

Depending on the motion and algorithms employed, various scan defects, such as stitching irregularities or cone angle artifacts may occur. As NSWCCD often searches for small voids, defects, and features in large components, obtaining high quality stitched data is critical. Stitching irregularities and cone angle artifacts are prevented by a helical motion that requires specific software and precision hardware motion to perform. North Star Imaging is the only X-ray CT manufacturer that produces systems that can meet this minimum requirement for the Government.

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

The determination that only a single acceptable source exists is the culmination of three phases and more than four years ofmarket research beginning in September 2014 with the identification of CT original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). A list of CT OEMs tailored for both medical use and materials research and failure analysis use were identified in the first phase.

The second phase verified the ability of each OEM to meet NSWCCD's technical requirements. Initial verification was completed by phone calls to the OEMs, review of online brochures, and phone call and in-person discussions with Government and academia experts in CT technology. Specific sites that were contacted include: Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), NAVAIR Patuxent River, NAVAIR

Lakehurst, Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory (PSU ARL), Naval Research

Laboratory (NRL), NS WC Dahlgren and NSWC Indian Head.

The CT OEMs evaluated included the following: Bruker, GE, Mediso, Milabs, Nikon, North Star

Imaging, RX Solutions, Scanco Medical, Sedecal, Siemens, Toshiba, Trifoil Imaging, Werth

Messtechnik, and Xradia.

Mediso, Milabs, Scanco Medical, Sedecal, Siemens, Toshiba, and Trifoil Imaging were ruled out early in the process, as these scanners are developed for medical purposes. None of these OEMs meets any ofNSWCCD's requirements.

The non-medical OEMs: Bruker, Werth Messtechnik, GE, Nikon, North Star Imaging, RX Solutions, and Xradia were compared and evaluated against NSWCCD's requirements. All of these, with the exception of Nikon and North Star Imaging, were ruled out due to unacceptable tube voltage.

In the third phase, specimens were sent for evaluation to the two remaining OEMs: North Star Imaging and Nikon. After further discussions with the OEMs from late 2017 to late 2018, and examining all results of the scanned specimens, North Star Imaging met all technical requirements, while Nikon fell short in detail resolution, software, and scanning size. Specific requirements that were met and not met by each manufacturer are indicated below:

Table 2: Market Research Results

Vendor Name Voxel

Resolution1

Tube

Voltage2

Defect reduction3

Scanning

Size4 Overall

North Star

Imaging Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Nikon No Yes No No No

Bruker Yes No No No No

GE Yes No Yes No No

Mediso No No No No No

Milabs No No No No No

Sedecal No No No No No

Scanco Medical No No No No No

RX Solutions Yes No No No No

Toshiba No No No No No

Xradia Yes No No No No

Werth

Messtechnik Yes No No No No

Trifoil Imaging No No No No No 1 Voxel resolution of 10 microns or smaller 2 Dual tube, consisting of one 225kV source and one 450kV source 3 Recognition and negation of underperforming detector pixels 4 Ability to scan items up to a maximum diameter of 32” by 48” height.

The proposed contract will be synopsized via posting on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOps) website in accordance with FAR 5.2 as a combined synopsis/solicitation for the acquisition of a commercial service notifying industry of the Government's intent to purchase the services from a sole source. The contract file will be documented as to the response received from the synopsis.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Costs

The Contracting Officer will determine whether the costs to the Government for the services covered by this J&A will be fair and reasonable, in accordance with FAR Subpart 15.4, prior to award.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Competition

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

TECHNICAL AND REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION - (FAR 6.303-2(b))

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

REQUIREMENTS AND TECHNICAL COGNIZANCE:

Signature Code 6103, 301-227-5144

LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW (NMCARS 5206.303(90))

I have determined that this justification is legally sufficient.

Signature Attorney 00L, 301-227-2022

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION - FAR 6.303-2(a)(12) (Note: Pursuant to FAR

6.304(a)(1)), this certification also serves as approval of J&As not exceeding $650,000)

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

Signature Contracting Officer Code 02, 757-410-0322

APPROVAL BLOCK (FAR 6.304 for Approving Official)

Upon the basis of the above justification, I hereby approve, as Competition Advocate for the

Contracting Activity, the solicitation of the proposed procurement(s) using other than full and open competition, pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1).

CONTRACTS DEPARTMENT HEAD

Signature Department Head Code 02, 301-227-3364