Redacted Simplified Acquisition Sole Source Justification (FAR 13.5).pdf

JUSTIFICATION REVIEW DOCUMENT FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

FAR PART 13 SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR

OTHER THAN

FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Programs/Equipment: One (1) 10 kilonewton (kN) Mechanical Loading Stage with an In-Situ Integrated Direct Laser Heating System

Authority: 41 U.S.C. 1901(e)(2), implemented by FAR 13.501(a) -- Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

Amount:

Prepared by: Date: 28 April 2025 Mechanical Engineer Email:

Phone:

Contracting Officer: Caleb Baisden Date: 28 April 2025 Contracting Officer Email: richard.c.baisden2.civ@army.mil

Phone: 520-672-9577

Technical: Date: 28 April 2025 Mechanical Engineer Email:

Phone:

Requirements: Date: 28 April 2025 Branch Chief

Email:

Phone:

Reviews: I have reviewed this justification and find it adequate to support other than full and open competition.

Program Manager:

mailto:richard.c.baisden2.civ@army.mil

FAR PART 13 SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR

OTHER THAN

FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity: U.S. Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC – APG), Adelphi Contracting Division, (CCAP-MDI), 2800 Powder Mill RD, Adelphi, MD 20783.

2. Description of Action: [Redacted] the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Army Research Laboratory (ARL) requests a firm-fixed price (FFP) contract with Psylotech, Inc., 1616 Payne St, Evanston, IL 60201-3032 USA (CAGE 5QBW6). The Government projects award for May 2025 [redacted].

_X_ An acquisition plan is not required because this procurement either does not meet the threshold at Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement 207.103(d)(i) or is an R&D acquisition and does not meet the definition of services in 10 U.S.C. 2330(c)(2).

3. Description of Supplies/Services: DEVCOM ARL [redacted] requires one (1) 10 kN Mechanical Loading Stage with an In-Situ Integrated Direct Laser Heating System.

Anticipated Contract Line-Item Number (CLIN) Structure (subject to change by the Government):

Quantity One (1) – Each – 10 kN Mechanical Loading Stage with an In-Situ Integrated Direct Laser Heating System

This requirement must include the following primary system and sub-components:

• One (1) 10 kilo-Newton load capacity actuator with high resolution (HiRes) load cell

• One (1) Centralizing X-stage platform

• One (1) Multi-function test hub for five (5) volt Transistor-Transistor-Logic (TTL) trigger and two (2) analog-to-digital (A/D) channels

• One (1) 100 W laser heating with pyrometer feedback control

• One (1) Chamber fan assembly to cool actuator

• One (1) Engineering controls for laser safety interlocks

• One (1) set of tensile test grips

This requirement must include on-site installation for the primary system and sub-components outlined above.

This requirement must include one (1) day of onsite training for five (5) end users at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.

Completion Date: Within seven (7) months after contract award (ACA) Total Value:

Delivery Location: Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), MD

4. Authority Cited: 41 U.S.C. 1901(e)(2), implemented by FAR 13.501(a) -- Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

5. Reason for Authority Cited: As described at FAR 6.302-1(a)(2), when the supplies or services required by the agency are available only from one responsible source, or for DoD, NASA and the Coast Guard, from only one or a limited number of responsible sources, and no other types of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, full and open competition need not be provided for.

DEVCOM ARL [redacted] requires one (1) 10 kN Mechanical Loading Stage with an In- Situ Integrated Direct Laser Heating System to [redacted].

In support of this mission, DEVCOM ARL requires the proposed 10 kN Mechanical Loading Stage with an In-Situ Integrated Direct Laser Heating System to:

1) Have an actuator with a minimum force capacity of 10 kN or greater to [redacted].

2) Have in-situ integrated laser heating system capable of reaching temperatures up to 2500 degrees Celsius (°C) with heating rates adjustable from 100 to 1000°C/second. The laser heating must have a closed loop feedback control to ensure proper temperature has been reached and maintained while test specimen is undergoing loading. In addition, the directed heat energy from the laser source must offer an open style platform, i.e. the laser head must be situated a few mm away from the specimen surface.

3) Must be compatible with the existing Government-owned Psylotech 1.6 kN micro test system (µTS).

4) Be available in a benchtop form factor and not floor standing model mechanical load frame. Due to laboratory space restrictions, the physical dimensions shall not exceed approximately 700mm x 200mm x 120 mm (height x width x depth), and the weight must not exceed 25 kilograms.

Based upon market research, Psylotech, Inc. can meet all four (4) aforementioned minimum requirements for a 10 kN Mechanical Loading Stage with an In-Situ Integrated Direct Laser Heating System.

Attempting to acquire an alternative 10 kN Mechanical Loading Stage with an In-Situ Integrated Direct Laser Heating System from a source/manufacturer other than Psylotech, Inc. would require DEVCOM ARL to invest more than [redacted] in unnecessary duplicative costs for new technology from a new source/manufacturer.

Additionally, end users would require [redacted] hours [redacted] to be retrained to operate both the alternative 1.6 kN system and the alternative 10 kN system. Currently, there are [redacted] users for the existing DEVCOM ARL-owned Psylotech 1.6 kN μTS.

Thus, the estimated total for the additional training labor cost is approximately [redacted] in unnecessary duplicative costs to DEVCOM ARL.

Due to the aforementioned, Psylotech, Inc is the only source that can meet all of DEVCOM ARL’s minimum requirements outlined above. Psylotech, Inc. does not have any authorized resellers of the required 10 kN 10 kN Mechanical Loading Stage with an In-Situ Integrated Direct Laser Heating System.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: In accordance with FAR 5.201 and DFARS 205.205- 71, DFARS 206.302-1(d), and DFARS Procedures, Guidance, and Information (PGI) 206.302-1(d), an Intent to Sole Source Synopsis was posted to SAM.gov on 8 April 2025 and closed on 23 April 2025. One (1) response was received from ADMET, Inc.

However, in ADMET, Inc.’s response, they confirmed that they are unable to meet the subject requirement for a 10 kN Mechanical Loading Stage with an In-Situ Integrated Direct Laser Heating System but wanted to express their interest in this field of technology and provide DEVCOM ARL with their capability statement for future DEVCOM ARL requirements related to this field of technology. Upon review of ADMET, Inc.’s response, DEVCOM ARL confirmed that ADMET, Inc. cannot meet the requirement. To date, no source other than Psylotech, Inc. and ADMET, Inc. have written to express interest in this requirement via the Notice of Intent to Sole Source posting.

Additionally, no source has challenged DEVCOM ARL’s intent to sole source this requirement to Psylotech, Inc.

a) Effective competition: Effective competition is not anticipated for this procurement based upon DEVCOM ARL’s market research and Intent to Sole Source Synopsis findings which failed to identify any alternative manufacturer to Psylotech, Inc. that can satisfy DEVCOM ARL’s minimum requirements outlined in Section 5 above. Market research identified three (3) other potential sources for the required 10 kN Mechanical Loading Stage with an In-Situ Integrated Direct Laser Heating System: Deben UK Ltd; Kammrath & Weiss GmbH; and TA Instruments. However, none of the other three (3) potential sources could meet all of DEVCOM ARL’s minimum requirements from Section 5 for the reasons outlined in Section 8 below. Additionally, as mentioned previously, ADMET, Inc. also could not meet DEVCOM ARL’s minimum requirements.

b) Subcontracting competition: A Subcontracting Plan is not required as this is a commercial purchase under $750,000.00.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: DEVCOM ARL will continue to monitor the commercial 10 kN Mechanical Loading Stage with an In-Situ Integrated Direct Laser Heating System marketplace for other potential sources and systems to increase future competition for this requirement and any associated parts and repairs. DEVCOM ARL will continue to pursue web searches, consultations with knowledgeable Government, university, and industry personnel, and attend trade shows or web-based communications to help locate alternative manufacturers that can provide the required 10 kN Mechanical Loading Stage with an In-Situ Integrated Direct Laser Heating System technology. DEVCOM ARL [redacted] could not compete this requirement as only Psylotech, Inc. could meet DEVCOM ARL’s requirement for a Mechanical Loading Stage with an In-Situ Integrated Direct Laser Heating System that met all requirements outlined in Section 5 above.

Additionally, DEVCOM ARL could not separate out portions of the subject requirement for competition or obtain technical data package (TDP) rights as the required items are commercial items and the associated TDP rights are patented technology that is proprietary to Psylotech, Inc.

8. Market Research: Market research was conducted by a DEVCOM ARL mechanical engineer with 35 years of experience during the period of March 2024 to March 2025.

Market research included internet searches for similar systems, searches on FPDS.gov, searches on the General Services Administration (GSA), a telecom meeting with representatives from Psylotech, Inc., and information obtained from vendor booths at technical conferences. To date, there are three (3) potential sources offering mechanical test stages of similar form factor with heating systems other than Psylotech, Inc.: Deben UK Ltd; Kammrath-Weiss; and TA Instruments.

• Deben UK Ltd: Deben UK Ltd can only provide a system with five (5) kN force capacity, which does not meet DEVCOM ARL’s requirement of 10 kN outlined in Bullet 1 of Section 5. Furthermore, Deben UK Ltd can only provide a system that can conduct tensile experiments on small-scale specimens (2 to 10 mm in length) at temperatures up to 525 °C, which does not meet the requirement of temperature heating up to 2500 °C outlined Bullet 2 of Section 5. Deben UK Ltd can also only provide a system that uses IR heating elements, which does not meet the requirement for an in-situ integrated direct laser heating system outlined in Bullet 2 of Section 5. Finally, Deben UK Ltd cannot meet the requirement outlined in Bullet 3 of Section 5 for a system that is compatible with the existing Government Psylotech 1.6 kN µTS due to the proprietary nature of the equipment.

• Kammrath-Weiss: Kammrath-Weiss can only provide a system that can conduct tensile experiments on small-scale specimens (2 to 10 mm in length) at temperatures up to 1200 °C, which does not meet the requirement of temperature heating up to 2500 °C outlined in Bullet 2 of Section 5. Kammrath-Weiss can also only provide a system that uses IR heating elements, which does not meet the requirement for an in-situ integrated direct laser heating system outlined in Bullet 2 of Section 5. Finally, Deben UK Ltd cannot meet the requirement outlined in Bullet 3 of Section 5 for a system that is compatible with the existing Government Psylotech 1.6 kN µTS due to the proprietary nature of the equipment.

• TA Instruments: TA Instruments can only provide a 10 kN floor standing model system that can conduct tensile experiments on small-scale specimens (2 to 10 mm in length) at temperatures up to 350 °C, which does not meet the requirement of a benchtop form factor nor the requirement of temperature heating up to 2500 °C outlined Bullet 2 and Bullet 4 of Section 5. TA Instruments can also only provide a system that uses IR heating elements, which does not meet the requirement for an in-situ integrated direct laser heating system outlined in Bullet 2 of Section 5. Finally, Deben UK Ltd cannot meet the requirement outlined in Bullet 3 of Section 5 for a system that is compatible with the existing Government Psylotech 1.6 kN µTS due to the proprietary nature of the equipment.

9. Interested Sources: See Section 6 above for the synopsis information. One (1) response was received from ADMET, Inc. However, in ADMET, Inc.’s response, they confirmed that they are unable to meet the subject requirement for a 10 kN Mechanical Loading Stage with an In-Situ Integrated Direct Laser Heating System but wanted to express their interest in this field of technology and provide DEVCOM ARL with their capability statement for future DEVCOM ARL requirements related to this field of technology. Upon review of ADMET, Inc.’s response, DEVCOM ARL confirmed that ADMET, Inc. cannot meet the requirement. To date, no source other than Psylotech, Inc.

and ADMET, Inc. have written to express interest in this requirement via the Notice of Intent to Sole Source posting. Additionally, no source has challenged DEVCOM ARL’s intent to sole source this requirement to Psylotech, Inc.

10. Other Facts: None – First time buy

11. Technical Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signer’s Title: Mechanical Engineer

12. Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signer’s Title: Branch Chief

13. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination: I hereby determine that the anticipated cost or price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable.

This determination will be made using the following:

__ Cost analysis _X_ Price analysis __ Should-cost

_X_ IGE

__ Audit:

As a part of this basis, certified cost or pricing data:

__ will be required.

_X_ will not be required and the following exception applies (FAR 15.403):

__ Prices that will be agreed upon are based on adequate price competition.

__ Prices that will be agreed upon are based on prices set by law or regulation.

_X_ A commercial item is being acquired.

__ A waiver has been granted by the head of the contracting activity (HCA) in accordance with DFARS PGI 215.403-1.

__ The contract action is a modification to a contract or subcontract for commercial item(s).

__ The estimated cost of the contract action is less than the threshold for certified cost or pricing data.

14. Contracting Officer Certification: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Approval

Based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the procurement of one (1) 10 kN Mechanical Loading Stage with an In-Situ Integrated Direct Laser Heating System, for an estimate of [redacted], on an other than full and open competition basis pursuant to the authority of 41 U.S.C. 1901 as implemented by FAR 13.501, subject to availability of funds, and provided that the services or supplies herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

(End of Justification)