Redacted JA.pdf

J&A No. 24-0231

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity.

Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) China Lake, CA

2. Description of the Action Being Approved.

This J&A approves on a sole source basis a contract with LECO Corporation, 3000 Lakeview Avenue, St. Joseph, MI 49085 for the procurement of one LECO Gas Chromatography (GC) - HRT+ 4D System (High Resolution Time of Flight with GCxGC Mass Spectrometry (MS) System) to support Advance Materials Analysis Laboratory.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

This procurement is for the purchase of the LECO GC-HRT+ 4D system (High Resolution Time of Flight with GCxGC MS System). This GCxGC MS System requirements shall include:

Current Agilent GC, Split/Splitless injector, Inert Flowpath, and liquid nitrogen (LN2) cooled GCxGC thermal modulator.

Fully integrated, providing control of the GC, thermal modulator, secondary column oven, detectors, GCxGC data processing software.

Capable of detecting 100 fg of octafluoronaphthalene (OFN) injected and analyzed in Electron Ionization (EI) GCxGC mode.

Capable of second dimension retention time reproducibility of no greater than ±10 milliseconds.

An isolated secondary oven that can be controlled and programmed directly through the main data system. The secondary oven must be independently programmable from the main GC oven to enable adjustment of second dimension retention times in order to reduce/eliminate coelutions and wraparound.

Mass analyzer must be capable of routine and sustained acquisition with a mass accuracy of 1 ppm or better. This will be in full mass range mode and be independent of acquisition speed or mass range. The mass accuracy should typically apply to any m/z, from a S/N of greater than 100 to a point below saturation with standard data processing methods.

To accommodate the capability for performing GCxGC and ultra-fast GC the system must be capable of acquisition at not less than 200 full mass range, written-to-disk spectra per second. The full range of acquisition speeds must be 1 to 200 spectra per second.

A spectral dynamic range of at least 105 (100,000) to allow for analysis and detection of isotopes and low-level analytes in the acquired spectra, including trace analytes in the presence of high-level analytes.

Multi-Mode Source™ (MMS™) is a dual chamber (one for chemical ionization, one for electron ionization) design which can seamlessly switch between 3 modes of ionization (positive and negative chemical ionization and positive electron ionization).

PAL3 Series II GC AutoSampler for Liquid and Headspace injections including a liquid autosampler and static headspace autosampler from a single software platform.

Data System and applications software.

Delivery and installation to NAWCWD China Lake, CA.

Training.

One-year manufacturer warranty, including technical support, parts, labor, and travel/shipping from date of installation.

Estimated Dollar Value

FY 24 Total [Redacted] $551K $551K

Total $551K

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition.

10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

The LECO GC-HRT+ 4D system (High Resolution Time of Flight with GCxGC MS System) with current Agilent GC, Split/Splitless injector, Inert Flowpath, and liquid nitrogen (LN2) cooled GCxGC thermal modulator, multimode source, along with all software required for instrument control and data processing was developed, patent, and copyrighted by LECO. No other company has rights to distribute and sell licenses for this instrument. No high resolution GCxGC MS with multimode source company can achieve the required specifications listed above. These requirements are in place due to the need for high sensitivity, high resolution, and overall speed of analysis. The throughput of the analysis is critical due to the investment of high throughput robotics at NAWCWD and the need to process samples in a timelier manner, while maintaining the sensitivity and resolution. Based on the capabilities required, these are only offered in the by LECO with their GC-HRT+ 4D system (High Resolution Time of Flight with GCxGC Mass Spectrometry System).

In accordance with FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii)(A), the LECO GC-HRT+4D system is deemed available only from the LECO Corporation, as award to any other source would result in a substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition. If the Government didn’t procure this LECO Gas Chromatography then samples would have to be sent off site for analysis to facilities with the same system. The sensitivity of the samples, and stability, as well as the overall number of samples annually, over 2000, would cost the Government undue hardship and would cost at minimum $1,000 for each analysis. The cost of $1,000 per analysis with over 2,000 needed per year would not be recovered through competition on this $551K purchase. If the Government were to procure a new system that had the same capabilities of the LECO, it is estimated by a Government Subject Matter Expert (SME) that it would take a team of a minimum 5 people, including a engineers, software engineers, and a chemist working full time for at least 5 years to develop a similar system. For the labor alone it would cost the Government at least $5m. In addition, the hardware and testing equipment to ensure the system was working properly would cost $1m, which is more than the LECO system. Both scenarios would result in a substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition.

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

In accordance with DFARS PGI 206.302(1)(d), a sources sought synopsis for this requirement was posted to the Governmentwide point of entry website, System for Award Management (SAM) on May 30, 2024, requesting a capabilities statement response date due of June 14, 2024.

An amended sources sought synopsis was posted on June 6, 2024, with a response date due of June 14, 2024, to correct the solicitation number. No responses with capabilities statements were received.

In accordance with FAR 5.201(b)(1), a pre-solicitation synopsis was posted in SAM on July 15, 2024, with a response date of July 29,2024, notifying the Government’s intent to award on a sole-source basis the procurement requirements. As such, no written response including a capability statement was received by any potential offerors.

As no complete written response was received, an SF 1449 solicitation/RFQ pursuant to FAR 12.204(a)(l) will be issued to LECO Corporation.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

The Contracting Officer has determined the anticipated cost to the Government of the supply covered by this J&A will be fair and reasonable.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition.

For the reasons set forth in Paragraph 5, NAWCWD China Lake, CA has no plans at this time to compete future contracts for the types of supplies covered by this document. If another potential source emerges, NAWCWD China Lake, CA will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.