N64498_02322025100_Redacted.pdf

J&A Number: 0232-20-251-00 Code: 0232 CMTS Number: 20-J L-092

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

JUSTIFICATION

1. Contracting Activity

The Naval Sea Systems Command Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD), Code 0232.

2. Description of Action Being Approved

Award of a firm-fixed-price (FFP) contract on a sole source basis to Steward Advanced Materials for manufacture and delivery of Self-Assembled Monolayers on Mesoporous Supports (SAMMS®) sorbent material.

3. Description of Supplies

The planned acquisition will provide for the manufacture and delivery of eight (8) orders of 515 pounds of SAMMS® sorbent material, part number DBSG-051, the functionalized solid amine CO2 sorbent that was developed for use in the Advanced Carbon Dioxide Removal Unit (ACRU). The ACRU is the baseline carbon dioxide (CO2) removal system for future Columbia Class submarines.

The U.S. Government’s minimum needs have been verified by the certifying technical and requirements personnel.

The total estimated dollar value of this procurement is $2,845,222 as indicated below.

Estimated Dollar Value

Type of Funding

FY-21 FY-22 FY-23 FY-24 FY-25 TOTAL

RDT&E $2,845,222

This effort has one base CLIN and option CLINs which are projections per year from the date of award.

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER

PHILADELPHIA DIVISION

5001 SOUTH BROAD STREET

PHILADELPHIA PA 19112-1403

IN REPLY REFER TO:

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition

10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), Only One Responsible Source and No Other Sources and Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements, as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 6.302-1.

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority

SAMMS® is a critical component of the ACRU. The ACRU is planned to be the primary carbon dioxide removal system for Columbia Class Submarines. The ACRU is replacing the legacy MK IV Scrubber that has been in service since the 1950s. The Scrubber uses an aqueous solution of Monoethanolamine (MEA) to capture carbon dioxide. SAMMS® is a solid granular material used in the ACRU for capturing carbon dioxide. SAMMS® has a higher capacity then MEA and degrades slower resulting in less frequent change out.

SAMMS® was developed and patented by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) under the following patents: 6,326,326, 6,531,224, 7,553,547, and CIPs 6,733,835, 6,753,038, and 6,846,554. PNNL developed the process to introduce a functionalized amine to the solid mesoporous structure in small, laboratory scale batches. PNNL previously performed a technology survey to identify a company capable of manufacturing SAMMS® material on a larger than laboratory scale. Steward Advanced Materials was selected as a result of this survey and was awarded the rights to this license. Steward Advanced Materials is now the only company that holds this license. Therefore, Steward Advanced Materials is the only company capable of supplying SAMMS® to the Government. The Government does not possess the in-house capability to produce SAMMS®. Although Navy funding was used to develop and optimize SAMMS® for ACRU use, the Navy did not fund the development of the base sorbent material. Therefore, the Navy does not have the data rights required for a competitive procurement. The Government inquired about the possibility of purchasing the patent rights or a license on 9 September 2020. PNNL has been non-responsive. SAMMS was previously purchased from Steward Advanced Materials on a sole source basis under Contract No.

N6449817C0001. J&A No. 0232-16-057-00 was approved on 15 April 2016 to allow for other than full and open competition pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1).

The ACRU was specifically developed around SAMMS®. No other carbon dioxide solid sorbent has been developed, identified, or proven to meet the ACRU’s performance specifications.

SAMMS® sorbent has been proven through 10,000 plus hours of ACRU run time. Development and testing of a new solid sorbent would significantly delay delivery of the ACRU to Columbia Class. The Navy invested in order for PNNL to develop and optimize SAMMS® for ACRU use.

If the Government were to develop its own replacement version of the SAMMS® material, multiple steps would be required over a period of many years and at significant cost. The following is a brief outline of a bare bones estimate of the cost and process, based on the work that has been completed over the past several decades. First, a new strain of sorbent would need

NAVSEA will assess and make a determination whether competition for future SAMMS® requirements is feasible, including but not limited to SAMMS® for ACRU production units.