NB687060-19-02215_Redacted_Sole_Source_JOFOC.pdf

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

PARTIAL BRAND NAME or EQUAL

FAR 13.501

Date: May 28, 2019 Prepared by: Nathan Flowers-Jacobs Purchase Request: NB687060-19-02215 Subject: SRI Isolation Amplifier - name brand or equal specification

1. Agency Contracting Activity.

Department of Commerce National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) Office of Acquisition and Agreements Management Acquisition Management Division 325 Broadway, MS 141 Boulder, CO 80305

2. Nature and/or Description of the action being approved.

The action to be approved is the justification of the sole source requirement for the procurement of SRI Isolation amplifiers for Superconductive Electronigs Group in the Quantum Electromagnetics division (687.06) in the Physical Measurement Labroatory (PML). The procedures in FAR subpart 13.501 are to be used for this acquisition, in accordance with 41 USC 1901. The NIST Acquisition Management Division is requesting the approval to negotiate with Steven Waltman on a sole source basis.

3. Description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value).

The US Department of Commerce (DOC), NIST has a requirement for four (4) isolation amplifier systems with an option for two (2) more to supply isolated current as part of a voltage standard for

PML 687.06.

NIST provides Josephson Arbitrary Waveform Synthesizer (JAWS) systems as standard reference instruments (SRI 6011). We have been assembling a prototype SRI JAWS system at NIST since 2017, and have integrated an 8-channel isolation amplifier from Steven Waltman / Quantum Physics Research Instruments into that prototype because we must bias eight Josephson junction arrays from eight individually floating current sources at frequencies up to 1 MHz. Because the output voltage of these arrays is added in series, any leakage in the isolation directly impacts the output voltage of the system. Therefore, optical isolation of the signal is required. We also require a reliable amplifier with the ability to take long measurements, therefore it is unacceptable to use batteries to power the isolated side of the amplifier. Steven Waltman / Quantum Physics Research Instruments is the only company that can provide an 8-channel isolation amplifier with optical isolation of the signal and power.

Because of this extensive testing, we propose to purchase an instrument that is identical to that used in prototype SRI JAWS systems at NIST; items from other manufacturers cannot be used without requiring both hardware and software modification, and these modification would create significant additional costs to the government, and potentially harm programmatic requirements if unanticipated functional changes in performance occur due to the hardware and software modifications.

The estimated total cost of this procurement is $60,000, which includes the base procurement of four

(4) isolation amplifiers and the option for two (2) more isolation amplifiers in the next two years (July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2021).

4. Statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

41 USC 3304(a)(1) Only One Responsible Source.

5. A demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited.

Use of the statutory authority 41 USC 3304(a)(1) requires that the supplies or services required by the agency are available from only one responsible source.

Steven Waltman / Quantum Physics Research Instruments is uniquely qualified to meet these requirements and provide the required systems to PML 687.06 for the following reasons:

• The tested prototypes were designed exclusively by Steven Waltman / Quantum Physics Research Instruments. Items from other manufacturers cannot be used without extensive testing and would require both hardware and software modification, and these modification would create significant additional costs to the government, and potentially harm programmatic requirements if unanticipated functional changes in performance occur due to the hardware and software modifications.

• Other vendors offer isolation amplifiers, but they are not able to power their systems over an optical link. This key requirement improves both JAWS system isolation and stability.

6. A description of the efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies.

Sources Sought Notice STANDARD REFERENCE INSTRUMENT (SRI) ISOLATION AMPLIFIER SOURCES SOUGHT was posted to Federal Business Opportunities on August 20, 2019, with a response due date of August 23, 2019, seeking sources other than TMA who could provide the required service support. No viable responses were received.

A notice of NIST’s intent to negotiate, on a sole source basis, with Steven Waltman / Quantum Physics Research Instruments for isolation amplifiers was issued via the official Government Point of Entry, Federal Business Opportunities on September 3, 2019. No responses were received.

7. A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the government will be fair and reasonable.

The anticipated cost to the government will be fair and reasonable based on price analysis in comparison to other market price data available for similar and recently procured equipment and services. The contracting officer anticipates being able to establish fair and reasonable pricing by virtue of comparison of proposed pricing with historical pricing.

8. A description of the market research conducted (see part 10) and the results or statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

During the initial phases of market research, an extensive web-based search for other commercial solutions was perfomed. Sources Sought Notice August 20, 2019 was issued on Federal Business Opportunities, in an attempt to locate sources other than Steven Waltman / Quantum Physics Research Instruments, that could provide an isolation amplifier which could meet the required technical specifications. No viable responses were received as of the August 23, 2019 closing date.

Based on this research, Steven Waltman / Quantum Physics Research Instruments is shown to be the only solution provider that currently meets all of NIST’s requirements.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition.

a. A specification/statement of work suitable for full and open competition is not available, nor will a suitable specification/statement of work be developed, for the reasons discussed in Section V above.

However, the solicitation for this requirement will include a statement of work that fully describes the entirety of NIST’s requirements.

b. The contemplated efforts are not a follow-on acquisition.

c. Any other supporting facts: The purchase of items from other manufacturers cannot be used without extensive additional testing and would require both hardware and software modification, and these modification would create significant additional costs to the government, and potentially harm programmatic requirements if unanticipated functional changes in performance occur due to the hardware and software modifications.

10. A list of sources, if any, that expressed in writing, any interest in the acquisition.

a. None

11. A statement of the action, if any, the agency make take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required.

NIST will ensure that any additional market research, as necessary, is conducted before any subsequent contracting actions are undertaken. If appropriate alternatives are identified that would create a competitive environment, NIST will undertake appropriate action to maximize competition.

12. Contracting officer certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the contracting officer’s knowledge and belief.

Approved by:

9-3-19 Date

Jo-Lynn Davis, Date Small Business Specialist, NIST