N64498_0232-19-215-00.1_FBO.pdf

J&A Number: 0232-19-215-00.1 components from another source is not expected to outweigh the significantly increased risk of system performance degradation or failure.

1. (SAMMS®) sorbent canisters One ACRU contains two beds comprised of three canisters each for a total of six sorbent canisters. In addition, for each production ACRU procured under that contract, a spare set of six (6) canisters could be ordered. The spare sets of six (6) canisters are potentially required to address potential need for spares, test articles, or replacement canisters in the event of damage or loss. The SAMMS® sorbent canisters contain the active CO2 sorbent within the ACRU and provide the necessary vehicle for desorption heat transfer and airflow routing.

2. CO2 Compressor (P90073-4, Revision A) – The compressor assembly is a critical component of the ACRU, used to compress the CO2 removed from the sorbent beds in order to permit further processing. The Lexair CO2 Compressor must be able to compress the CO2 in a cyclic fashion, since it is not recovered from the ACRU at a steady flow; it must be able to deal with a certain amount of water vapor in the CO2 product, it must be compact enough and light enough to be integrated with the rest of the ACRU, and it must be able to pass MIL-901 shock requirements. In addition, the CO2 Compressor must be able to comply with submarine acoustic requirements. Finally, the Lexair CO2 Compressor is already in use by the US Navy and has a proven track record; any other design would introduce a new, unnecessary logistics tail and increase overall Navy operating costs.

3. Power Supply (708111-01) – The Power Supply is a critical component of the ACRU, converting 440 VAC power supplied from the submarine to four discreet output voltages:

24 VDC, 15 VDC, -15 VDC and 5 VDC. The BC Systems Power Supply must provide steady, relatively low direct current voltages from a relatively high alternating current voltage, all while complying with strict submarine Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and radiated noise requirements. In addition, the power supply must be able to withstand MIL 901 shock requirements. To enable all this, BC Systems uses proprietary circuitry for the new ACRU design that were previously developed and tested under other non- Navy contracts.

4. Vacuum Power Assembly – The Vacuum Pump Assembly is a critical component of the ACRU, providing the vacuum needed to regenerate the sorbent beds and to recover the carbon dioxide from those beds for downstream processing. The Dekker Vacuum Technology Vacuum Pump Assembly must be able to quickly pump down the canister assemblies, under varying temperatures and pressures. It must not be affected by water vapor in the gas coming off the canister assemblies, it must be compact enough and light enough to be integrated with the rest of the ACRU, and it must be able to pass MIL 901 shock requirements. In addition, the Vacuum Pump Assembly must be able to comply with submarine acoustic requirements.

specifications. The only drawings available to the Government for the components’ production are interface control documents and general assembly drawings. These do not include engineering drawings to the level of detail required for an alternate source to reproduce the current design. Detailed, fundamental production-level drawings are proprietary to the vendors listed above as they were designed at private expense prior to ACRU development, and with these designs, they were leveraged to develop the ACRU. Without this technical data, there is no way to competitively procure the components.

The components were tested at the NSWCPD Life Support Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation Facility in the full scale ACRU and at HSC’s facility as a part of ACRU qualification testing. The components are an integral subcomponent of the ACRU and significantly impact the operation and performance of the unit. A departure from the current vendors’ components design would require an extensive process to redesign and requalify the components and the ACRU as a whole.

Therefore, the vendors, SRC, Lexair, Inc., BC Systems, and Dekker Vacuum Technologies are the only responsible source for the ACRU production procurement sorbent canisters, CO2 compressor, power supply, and vacuum assembly, respectively, and no other type of supplies or services will satisfy the Navy’s requirements.

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

In preparation for the contract that would become N64498-18-C-0002, on 08 November 2018, a Request for Information (RFI)/Sources Sought was posted on the Federal Business Opportunities (FEDBIZOPPS) website with a response date of 23 November 2018. The Government received two (2) responses to the sources sought which included each company’s interest in providing the components. A technical review of the responses confirmed that neither company was capable of manufacturing the components as the Government does not own the engineering drawings to the level of detail required for an alternate source to reproduce the current design. This fact, as well as the Government’s intent to procure the components on a sole-source basis from the listed vendors above, was communicated to both companies. Neither company objected to the Government’s rationale/intention to go sole source.

On 30 May 2018, the synopsis was published on FEDBIZOPPS website. On 25 September 2019, the effort was re-synopsized due to the length in time from initial procurement stages. No objections to award on a sole-source basis were received. No additional market research was conducted because it is not practicable for any company other than the listed vendors to provide the required supplies and services as described within the reasons discussed in paragraph 5 above.

For the reasons stated previously, any bidder on the ACRU production contract shall use the sole source vendors listed above and their respective components.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Costs

The Contracting Officer will make a determination as to whether the costs to the Government for the supplies covered by this J&A are fair and reasonable, prior to award. The contractor will submit a formal price proposal with other than certified cost or pricing data and sufficient information to support the accuracy and reliability of the estimate. The contractor’s proposal will be reviewed by experienced technical analysts and contract specialists with the aid of necessary field pricing support. The PCO will use cost and pricing analysis as the basis for negotiating a fair and reasonable price. Additionally, supplies similar to those in this solicitation have been purchased from the listed vendors through the past two contracts listed above, awarded to HSC and the vendors. Cost/pricing information was received on those past procurements that will be used to further support the fair and reasonable cost determination for this procurement.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Competition

All orders issued will be reviewed annually by the Procuring Contracting Officer to ensure that the vendors are still the only company that can satisfy agency requirements. NSWCPD will continue to monitor the marketplace and identify potential sources of the supplies identified in this Justification. Any sources discovered that can potentially satisfy this specific procurement will be taken into account for any future requirements. It is noted that the current design work is being conducted in a manner as to not preclude a qualified vendor from participation in downstream design, manufacturing, or construction efforts.

Upon the basis of the above justification, I hereby approve, as the Procuring Contracting Officer for this effort, the solicitation of the proposed procurement described herein using other than full and open competition, pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c )(1).

Procuring Contracting Officer