Simplified Acquisition Sole Source Justification (FAR 13.5) REDACTED.docx

JUSTIFICATION REVIEW DOCUMENT

FAR PART 13 Justification and Approval Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

Program/Equipment: The Manufacturing Science and Technology Branch within the DEVCOM U.S. Army Research Laboratory requests an Impact Innovations Cold Spray System

Authority: Title 10 United States Code 3205 as implemented in Federal Acquisition Regulation 13.501(a)(2)(i) – Sole source justification for acquisitions of commercial products or commercial services where only one responsible source will satisfy agency requirements.

Amount: $664,374.00

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

Program Manager:

FAR Part 13 Justification and Approval Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

Requiring Activity: The Manufacturing Science and Technology Branch within the DEVCOM U.S. Army Research Laboratory, 6300 Rodman Rd, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005

2. Contracting Activity: United States (U.S.) Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG), Adelphi Contracting Division, 2800 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD 20783-1138.

3. Description of Action: Request approval to award a new $664,374.00 firm fixed price (FFP) purchase order (PO) for Impact Innovations GmbH (NCAGE Code: CG665) brand name cold spray system and supporting equipment. This procurement will be competed as a brand name sole source amongst third party resellers of Impact Innovations products. The PO will be fully funded using appropriate Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Research Development Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) funds.

4. Description of Supplies/Services: The Manufacturing Science and Technology Branch within the DEVCOM U.S. Army Research Laboratory requires brand-name equipment manufactured by Impact Innovations for Cold spray system equipment including, but not limited to, spray applicators, powed feeders, nozzles and injectors, and ancillary equipment for APG. The required delivery of all equipment is within 90 days of contract award. The total estimates order value is $664,374.00

5. Authority Cited: 10 United States Code as implemented in Federal Acquisition Regulation 13.501(a)(2)(i) – Justifications and approvals are required under this subpart for sole-source (including brand-name) acquisitions or portions of an acquisition requiring a brand-name.

6. Reason for Authority Cited:

a. The Manufacturing Science and Technology Branch within the DEVCOM U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is responsible for the installation and usage of the the Cold Spray system at APG. This requirement is for the purchase of a new Impact Innovations cold spray system to support the Army Manufacturing Technology ‘Rapid Additive Manufacturing for Accelerated Munitions Production’ Program to compare performance of other cold spray systems, support large caliber rotating bands and scale printing of UAS and counter-UAS munitions. This effort directly supports Department of War Critical Technology Area (CTA) #6, Scale Hypersonics, described in a memo from the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering on 13 November, 2025. The Impact Innovation system will also be used to support other mission essential programs including: Cold Spray AM of Large Caliber Rotating Bands, and scaled printing of UAS and counter-UAS munitions.

ARL currently uses various Cold Spray systems in its Army Manufacturing Technology Program to develop Rapid Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology to print large scale sub-structure components for hypersonic vehicles, addressing a critical supply chain bottleneck for the Department of War. Under this program, ARL will evaluate various cold spray systems, including an Impact cold spray system, for printing these large scale structures. Evaluation metrics shall include mechanical coupon testing and full-scale prototypes. ARL needs to purchase an Impact cold spray system to perform the evaluation.

The Impact Innovations cold spray system is necessary to perform the evaluation of the various cold spray systems that will enable APG to verify performance metrics, compare to existing systems, and develop new manufacturing solutions for Army weapon systems. Key performance metrics include the maximum operating pressure and temperature that can be sustained by the system for persistent everyday operation. Minimum requirements are the system must be able to hold 62 bar pressure and 1000˚C through a nozzle orifice of 2.7 mm diameter. Additionally, Impact holds patents on specific aspects of the system that would prohibit direct replacement by alternative brand names. Ultimately, these systems act as a mission critical tool to develop new manufacturing solutions for Army weapon systems to help the warfighter.

b. Alternatives: VRC Metal systems and SPEE3D are brand name alternatives to Impact Innovations, but neither meets ARL’s requirements. ARL currently owns VRC Metal Systems cold spray systems and has active cooperative agreements with partners who own SPEE3D cold spray systems. Therefore, ARL is currently able to get comparative results from both VRC Metal Systems and SPEE3D cold spray systems.

c. Development of an alternate brand name system with the same capabilities as the Impact system is estimated to exceed $1M cost and 12 months time. The equipment is being procured specifically to support an Army Manufacturing Technology program with a period of performance of 3 years beginning FY26 and ending FY28. The equipment must be procured by the end of Q3 of FY26 to avoid delays to the overall program timeline. A completely open solicitation in which other brand names are considered might cause delays to the overall program execution, which would delay the delivery of a manufacturing solution for a critical Army weapon system. Opening the solicitation to other brand names would require additional time and money for the other brand names to develop proposals and modify their products to meet minimum requirements. If brand name sole source justification is not approved, the procurement would be unnecessarily delayed to allow other brand names to generate proposals. This would lead to a delay of the overall program and possible cancellation.

d. Impact if not approved: Failure to procure Impact Innovation cold spray systems will result in a delay in execution of the Army Manunfacturing Technology project ‘Rapid Additive Manufacturing for Accelerated Munitions Production’. ARL will be required to develop a new system capable of meeting the gas pressure and temperature requirement. An overall switch from the existing Impact Innovations solution to another manufacturer would result in higher cost to the government to develop an alternative solution.

Based on the above stated proprietary nature of the Impact Innovations equipment, APG’s performance requirements and the duplication of cost for non-Impact Innovation solutions, it is determined that Impact Innovations brand-name equipment are the only brands capable of fulfilling the Government’s requirement and any other brand-name product lacks the features, does not meet, or cannot be modified to meet the requirements. Additionally, based on the market research section below, the required Impact Innovations equipment are available through brand name sole source acquisition.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: ARL will continue to perform regular market research to evaluate potential sources in the future to determine whether any other source has emerged that can fulfill the Government’s requirements. In the future, similar products in the marketplace will be evaluated for suitability to manufacture weapons systems components and a fully competitive acquisition will be considered.

8. Market Research: Market research was conducted from August 25, 2025 to September 25, 2025 by a Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) at ARL, Isaac Nault, a physical scientist with over 6 years of experience and conducted market research by querying Governmentwide databases of contracts for the required supplies, searching the General Supply Schedule (GSA) website, and contacting knowledgeable people/subject matter experts (SME) within Government and industry. Market research determined there are multiple vendors that are authorized re-sellers of the required Impact Innovation brand-name supplies.

The other companies previously evaluated prior to purchasing Impact Innovations, VRC Metal systems and SPEE3D, do not meet the performance metrics that are specifically being targeted with this acquisition (maximum operating pressure and temperature). It was determined that other companies’ similar products are not compatible and cannot be modified to be compatible with the current cold spray system and therefore pose significant risks discussed previously. Due to the aforementioned, the intent of this procurement is to limit competition among the approved Brand Name resellers of Impact Innovation in an attempt to ensure the Government procures Impact Innovation specific brand-name equipment at a fair and reasonable price.

9. Interested Sources: Impact Innovations is interested in supplying the equipment. Third party resellers Solvus Global and ES3 may also be interested in supplying the equipment.

10. Other Facts:

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.

Name: Isaac Nault Title: Technical Point of Contact

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.

Name: Brandon McWilliams 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 __ Price analysis __ Should-cost

__ IGE

__ Audit:

__ Other: Quote from resellers and the evaluation criteria of

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

__ will be required.

__ 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.

__ 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.

Name: Joseph Dellinger Title: Contracting Officer

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

Name: Joseph Dellinger Title: Contracting Officer

Approval Based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the procurement of Impact Innovations cold spray equipment. The estimated value of the new contract action is $664,374.00 with a delivery date of 90 days after award for the equipment. The approval is subject to availability of funds, and provided that the services or supplies herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

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