Redacted_Justification_Sole_Source_Redacted.pdf

Rev. 5/14/19

D. Justification:

1. The justification for this non-competitive action is: (NOTE: Must select only ONE of the listed justifications for other than full and open competition and fully support the justification in the following paragraphs. Please delete this note prior to submitting the justification.)

In accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), “only one source [is] reasonably available” which states that, “For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. (i) Contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name or industrial mobilization). (ii) Where a single source is identified to provide a portion of a purchase because that portion of the purchase specifies a particular brand-name item, the documentation in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section only applies to the portion of the purchase requiring brand-name item. The documentation should state it is covering only the portion of the acquisition which is brand- name.”

Urgency

Exclusive licensing agreements/Proprietary data

Brand name required

Industrial mobilization

Other (e.g., compatibility, space issues, continuity, compatibility, etc.)

In accordance with FAR 8.405-6 “Limiting Sources” which states that, “the only circumstances that may justify the action are – (A) An urgent and compelling need exists, and following the procedures would result in unacceptable delays; (B) Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized; or (C) In the interest of economy and efficiency, the new work is a logical follow-up to an original Federal Supply Schedule order provided that the original order was placed in accordance with the applicable Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures. The original BPA must not have been previously issued under sole-source or limited-sources procedures.”

Urgency

Only One Source

Logical Follow Up

Brand name required

2. Other facts supporting sole source procurement:

a. What can this product/service do that other products/services cannot do?

An RTK base station and GNSS receiver are needed for the MSA project in order to evaluate tracking and path projection methods. This is needed to achieve accuracy consistent with automation technology used in the mining industry and to ensure the fidelity of our data. This unit is portable and will allow for quick data collection in areas with poor cell service. Its manufacturer, OxTX, has produced reliable navigation equipment for 25 years and is frequently used as the standard in research

b. What other products/services were considered and why did they not meet the need?

There are very few RTK base stations and rover models that are manufactured in the US. One option is the Trimble R780 (Trimble R780 Base & Rover Package for Construction Survey, UHF (403-47 - Positioning Solutions, Trimble R780 | GNSS Systems | Trimble Geospatial). This model isn’t viable for our work, which is centered

Rev. 5/14/19 in automation and navigation, because it is intended for surveying applications. The rover’s imu is for static applications, as opposed to highly dynamic like autonomous vehicles. A fast and accurate imu is essential to perform filtering and localization in real-time and while moving. The company’s efforts to expand in construction and mining are based on static or very slow applications, making this solution a poor fit for our work. Conversely, the OXTS is designed for mobile applications with a supporting update rate of 100Hz.

A low-cost option is the SparkFun RTK reference station (SparkFun RTK Reference Station - GPS-22429 - SparkFun Electronics). The first concern is that it only supports NTRIP, which is an internet protocol for relaying the base station’s correction factor to rover units in the field. This is an issue because field sites often won’t have reliable internet or cell service. The OXTS supports direct communication between the base station and rover using a wireless modem, meaning it can be run anywhere. Another point of concern is data import. The project is using ROS2 for communications and visualization. OXTS provides a driver with easy import of navigation data to ROS2 for fusion and processing, whereas Sparkfun would require authoring a new driver ourselves, a considerable investment of time and personnel.

Although less pressing, the OXTS has an internal battery rated for 24 hours of operation. The Sparkfun station has no internal battery-meaning team members would have to acquire additional hardware and wire a battery for safe operation outdoors.

Ark produces an RTK base station similar to the Sparkfun option (ARK RTK Base – ARK Electronics), although it is intended for drones. It has the same concerns as the Sparkfun unit: limited comms options, no battery, and no driver. There is also sparse documentation and support for lower cost models like these: this makes authoring a new driver highly challenging.

The OXTS RT-Base S and RT1003 rover were chosen because they provide the appropriate update rates for the project’s application: autonomy and robotics (as opposed to surveying or agriculture). Further, it is capable of communication without cell service or internet access, neither of which is guaranteed at field sites. The included battery is also sufficient for field collection without resorting to acquiring and wiring new hardware. Their documentation and supporting configuration software will save considerable time and cost for the project. As it is intended for vehicles, the configuration parameters account for vehicle dynamics like slip angle. If another unit is selected, these factors will have to accounted for in code at considerable expense.

3. Program Office efforts to seek potential offerors:

There are two distributors for this acquisition in the United States: NavTechGPS and Brendel Associates. NavtechGPS only deals in surveying products and, as such, doesn’t carry the RT-Base S. This leaves Brendel Associates as the only option.