Sole Source Justification-Redacted.pdf

NSWCCD SAP Non-Competitive Procurement Justification Memo Page 1 of 3

Effective April 2025

MEMORANDUM FOR FILE

FROM: Justin Grant

CODE: 8530

TO: Code 02

DATE:

SUBJECT: Non-Competitive Procurement Justification Memo for Actions Under SAT

I. BACKGROUND

1. FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) states for purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, Contracting Officers may solicit from one source if the Contracting Officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available.

2. FAR 8.405-6 allows for limiting sources for orders or BPAs under Federal Supply Schedules under certain circumstances or for items peculiar to one manufacturer

3. As required by FAR 13.106-3(b)(3)(i), FAR 8.405-6(a)(1), or FAR 8.405-6(b)(2), this memorandum explains the absence of competition for this acquisition, as only one source will be solicited for this requirement (or for a portion of the requirement) and the requirement is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.

II. DESCRIPTION OF ITEM OR SERVICE (Include manufacture/sole source name and address.)

This document provides the justification for the acquisition of eight (8) PCB Piezotronics Model 260B03 Triaxial Force Sensor and eight (8) PCB Piezotronics Model 078RB003BZ 4-Conductor Cable Assembly with a required delivery date of 3 August 2027. This equipment is essential for dynamic force measurements for the VLTA test program, and is required to maintain compatibility, data continuity, and operational readiness with existing government-owned infrastructure.

Manufacturer: PCB Piezotronics Inc.

Address: 3425 Walden Ave. Depew, NY, 14043 Phone: 716-684-0002 POC: James A. Mahaney

III. BASIS FOR DETERMINATION FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL & OPEN COMPETITION

The determination to use other than full and open competition is based on the fact that only one responsible source, PCB Piezotronics, can supply the required items that will satisfy agency requirements, as authorized by FAR 6.302-1. Market research confirms that the manufacturer does not utilize resellers or distributors for these specific products, making them the sole source of supply. Furthermore, the Government has a significant investment in a mission-critical data acquisition and analysis ecosystem that is inextricably linked to the unique performance characteristics of the designated sensor. Procuring from any other source is not possible, and procuring any other product would require a complete and cost-prohibitive re-validation of the entire government testing program.

☐ A. BRAND NAME.

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☐ 1. Restrictive Rights.

☐ 2. Exclusive Licensing Agreements.

☐ 3. Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) IAW FAR 8.405-6(b).

☐ 4. Other Reasons.

☒ B. SOLE SOURCE. (select all that apply)

☐ 1. Restrictive Rights. The source has established proprietary rights, limited rights in data, patent rights, copyrights, or secret processes in the item or service required.

☐ 2. Exclusive Licensing Agreements. The item or service is only available from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), or there is only one authorized distributor or technical representative for the OEM.

☒ 3. Other Reasons.

The required items must be procured from the sole source, PCB Piezotronics, for reasons of complete system compatibility and data continuity. The Government’s existing test infrastructure is standardized on the IEPE/ICP® signal conditioning protocol and is precision-calibrated to the unique features of the PCB Piezotronics Model 260B03 sensor, namely its specific voltage sensitivities (0.25 mV/lb for the Z-axis and 1.25 mV/lb for the X/Y axes) and physical form factor. These features are essential to the Government’s requirements. The mating Model 078RB003BZ cable assembly is equally critical, as it is the only component certified by the manufacturer to guarantee the system's required IP68 environmental sealing and to preserve signal integrity within the lowvoltage IEPE/ICP® measurement chain. To ensure that all newly collected data is directly comparable to years of historical test data gathered using the identical sensor-and-cable system, using these exact components is mandatory. Introducing a different product, or even a non-certified cable, would sever data continuity, invalidate the historical baseline, and compromise the integrity of the program. The cost and schedule impact of reengineering the test fixture and re-writing validated software for a different system are unacceptable and would far exceed the cost of this sole-source acquisition.

☐ 4. Federal Supply Schedules (FSS): IAW FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)

☐ a. An urgent and compelling need exists, and following the procedures would result in unacceptable delays.

☒ b. Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized: or

☐ c. In the interest of economy and efficiency, the new work is a logical follow-on to an original Federal

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Supply Schedule order provided that the original order was placed in accordance with the applicable Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures. The original order or BPA must not have been previously issued under sole-source or limited-sources procedures.

IV. CERTIFICATIONS & APPROVALS

A. Technical/Requirements Certification: I certify that the facts and representation under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Justin Grant/Mechanical Engineer/301-227-4513 2/25/2026

Customer/Requestor Signature Name / Title / Phone Date

B. Certification/Approval: Upon the basis of the above justification and authority, I hereby approve the solicitation of the proposed procurement(s) described herein from a sole source or limited sources.

Contracting Officer Signature Name / Title / Phone Date