NORA Edger Maintenance - Justification At or Below SAT APR26.pdf

Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104

JUSTIFICATION FOR SOLE SOURCE

(Simplified Procedures - MPT to < SAT)

Purchase Request/Document number: 1301350405

The supplies or services described herein are being solicited on a sole source basis and competition is precluded in accordance with FAR 6.103-1 - Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, for reasons indicated below. There are no substitutes available for the supplies or services.

Restricted to the following source.

☒ Service:

Contractor: MEI Systems, Inc.

Cage Code: 8HY12

☐ Supply:

Original Manufacturer Name:

☐ Check here if obtaining product through authorized resellers of the manufacturer.

Description of the supplies or services required, the estimated price/cost, and required delivery date or period of performance.

Naval Ophthalmic Readiness Activity (NORA) requires continuing preventive maintenance and service for five

(5) Robotic MEI Racer Edging Machines. These MEI Racer edging machines were procured from MEI Systems, Inc. on 15 January 2019. They were installed in the Finishing Department at NORA. Preventive maintenance and support services are to be performed on each MEI Racer Edger. The maintenance and support services shall provide software maintenance and technical support services. The maintenance will ensure optimum performance and reduce downtime contributing directly to the Department of Defense Optical Fabrication Enterprise and will maintain operational readiness to its beneficiaries. Without this preventative maintenance the machines are subject to expensive out-of-cycle repairs.

Navy, Operation and Maintenance (O&M), Navy Fiscal Year 2026 funds in the amount of $185,000 are provided to purchase a twelve-month period of maintenance on the five machines.

Describe in detail why only this source(s) can furnish the requirements to the exclusion of other sources.

Optical fabrication is a vital Military Health Service readiness requirement in both Army and Navy fabrication labs. These labs comprise the Department of War (DoW) Optical Fabrication Enterprise (OFE). The OFE fabricates approximately 1,500,000 pairs of eyewear annually for warfighters across the Army and Navy.

Continued fabrication is mission critical to readiness. NORA Yorktown is the largest laboratory in the OFE, producing about 560,000 pairs of spectacles annually, or 37%, of the OFE annual output.

The Racer Edgers perform roughly 75% of NORA’s fabrication (lens cutting and edging) processes and enables other mission tasks that produces prescription eyewear for the DoW. A partially or negated functional fleet of Racer Edgers would drastically reduce optical fabrication operations causing production output delays.

This would negatively impact patient care and the Navy’s mission readiness. MEI is the only source capable of providing the necessary maintenance to keep the Racers Edgers running optimally, as they are the only source of the proprietary preventive maintenance service plan for the MEI Racer Edger machines, which are manufactured by MEI Systems, Inc. This vendor is the only vendor able to provide the proper service and repair to include part(s), components(s), and software installations/upgrades and ensure compatibility with the MEI Racer Edger form, fit, and function. Market research was conducted, and the Preventive Maintenance Plan requirements are exclusive and proprietary to MEI. Other vendors will not be able to provide this proprietary software and technical support and cannot provide a comparable preventative maintenance plan, hindering total overall management of equipment.

☒ The supplies or services must be compatible in all aspects (form, fit and function) with existing systems presently installed/performing. Describe the equipment/function you have now and how the new item/service must coordinate, connect, or interface with the existing system.

The MEI Racer Edging Machines will require software and component compatibility that can only be provided through the preventative maintenance plan offered by the manufacturer.

☐ A patent, copyright or proprietary data limits competition.

☒ These are "direct replacement" parts/components for existing equipment.

MEI is the only capable vendor of providing this service and only capable vendor that will meet the minimum requirements of the Government. MEI service technicians possess necessary knowledge, experience, and staff to maintain services currently provided. No sources other than the manufacturer can satisfy this need given the proprietary nature of the Racer Edger equipment. Furthermore, MEI is the only authorized vendor to perform maintenance services on the Racer Edgers. All software licensing, warranty, and services associated with the equipment are exclusive to MEI.

There is no further additional information to support a sole source action.

TECHNICAL/REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION:

I CERTIFY THAT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED ABOVE IS COMPLETE AND ACCURATE TO THE BEST OF

MY KNOWLEDGE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PROCESSING OF THIS SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

PRECLUDES THE USE OF FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION.

I HEREBY DETERMINE THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES JUSTIFYING ONLY ONE SOURCE IS REASONABLY

AVAILABLE APPLIES TO THE CONTRACT ACTION.

29 April 2026 Signature Date

Naval Ophthalmic Readiness Activity (NORA) Requiring Activity

Contracting Officer Signature Date