Sole Source Justification.docx

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION FOR SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITIONS

To: Code 02 Simplified Acquisition Branch Subj: SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

Sonatech 879 Ward Drive Santa Barbara, CA 93111

1. RATIONALE FOR SOLE SOURCE BASED ON CONTRACTOR’S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS OR NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION

The SonaTech model EA-020-1 Twisted Bicone Array (TBCA) hydrophone stave is a unique and custom device that is the principal component used in the U.S. Navy’s High Gain Measurement System (HGMS) used to measure and characterize submarine acoustic signatures. Currently, a total of 128 of these TBCA hydrophone staves are installed in eight HGMS arrays deployed at STAFAC (AUTEC in The Bahamas), SEAFAC (Back Island, AK) and the NSWCCD Acoustic Research Detachment (ARD – Bayview, ID). Four of these stave assemblies are damaged and require repair.

As the designer and fabricator of the hydrophone staves, SonaTech is best placed to complete the repairs of the damaged stave assemblies.

The processes for fabricating the hydrophone staves that satisfy all of the measurement performance specifications, including reliability, maintainability, and availability, while continuously submerged in seawater, have only been demonstrated by the SonaTech Model EA- 020-1 staves that are installed at the STAFAC, SEAFAC,and ARD measurement facilities.

SonaTech, by means of competitively awarded contracts spanning 12 years (2006-2017) and valued over $16 million, have developed the capabilities and processes to build this hydrophone stave. These same technologies will be utilized to repair the staves to their original working order.

SonaTech possesses proprietary domain knowledge (i.e., design, manufacturing, and test processes) for the TBCA hydrophone and stave design and fabrication which will be used to repair the stave assemblies to meet their original performance requirements. The U.S. Navy does not own the design or manufacturing drawings and documentation for the hydrophone assemblies used in the staves and would therefore have to re-invest significant resources including funding and manpower to educate a new vendor on the operation and requirements of the staves, and then to determine the appropriate repair.

Pursuant to FAR Part 6.302-1 (a) (2) (ii) (A) and FAR Part 6.302-1 (a) (2) (i) (B) it is in the best interest of the government to procure this service from Sonatech.

2. MARKET SURVEY

A market survey was performed and no other vendors are capable of manufacturing these beacons.