Sole Source Justification IDSS Revised 1_Redacted.pdf

Sole Source Justification (SSJ)

Under Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items pursuant to FAR Subpart 13.5

Sole Source Justification

Date: _8/11/2020________________ PR Number: 20117126_________

Pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 1901 as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart

13.5 and consistent with the content requirements of FAR 6.303-2.

1. Agency and Contracting Activity.

The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Acuisition, in support of the Non-Intrusive Inspection Program Management Office (NII-PMO), intends to award a sole source contract.

2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

CBP intends to award a sole source contract to Integrated Defense & Security Solutions (IDSS), 85 Swanson Road, Suite 110 Boxborough, MA 01719. This action is being taken pursuant to FAR 13.501.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

The requirement is to acquire four (4) IDSS Detect 1000 CT scanners, plus up to four years of preventative and corrective maintenance and operator training courses, for the detection of narcotics in mail and packages arriving at International Mail Facilities (IMFs) and other mail inspection facilities. The estimated total value to include 4 option years for sustainment/maintenance is :

4. Identification of the authority.

This action is being taken under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 1901.

5. Demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited.

This requirement is to acquire 4 IDSS CT scanners to enhance the interdiction of narcotics during operations at International Mail Facilities (IMF) and mail inspection facilities. This effort will allow CBP to leverage IDSS’s unique cutting edge proprietary technology in addressing CBP’s mission to detect dangerous narcotics and specifically synthetic opioids.

IDSS is the only company that provides CT scanners and proprietary maintenance that meet the government’s needs in the interdiction of synthetic opioids within the international mail stream. Based on an assessment of market capabilities and demonstrations/results of the Opiod Detection Challenge, it was determined that IDSS’s Detect 1000 is the only CT scanner parcel x-ray system available that provides automated detection of synthetic opioids that meets our needs described herein. The system was tested at the Transportation Security Laboratory (TSL) against synthetic opioids in a stream of commerce scenario. The IDSS Detect 1000 is the only scanner that can offer an average scan time of less than 10 seconds that provides greater than 60 percent probability of detection of opioids in quantities of 100 grams or more at demonstrated false detection rate of ten percent or less in a simulated stream of commerce environment. In addition, the IDSS Detect 1000 was the only CT system to achieve TSA APSS Level 1 Detection Certification Tests. The APSS specification represents a substantial increase in detection performance over previous TSA specifications. The specification defines multiple levels of performance represented by numerically increasing “levels”. Each level addresses additional threats, requires detection of even smaller quantities, and drives the systems to higher level of performance. IDSS is the first company to take its performance to the next level, achieving Level 1 in the most recent testing. IDSS is also the only source available to provide preventative and corrective maintenance of its proprietary products.

6. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable.

The Sole Source award will be advertised via beta.Sam.gov.

7. Determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

The contracting officer determines that the anticipated price(s) will be fair and reasonable based on a market survey of similar CT scanners with similar capabilities and the Independent Government Cost Estimate.

8. Description of market research.

CBP- NII PMO utilized internet research, historical documents, and institutional knowledge to conduct preliminary market research and to develop performance specification requirements. The market research revealed that only the IDSS CT scanners could provide the technology currently required to meet the government’s needs for enhancing the interdiction of synthetic opioids and other illegal narcotics.

There were 8 Finalists selected by an expert review panel and judges from an initial 83 submissions to the OPIOID Detection Challenge conducted by CBP in collaboration with DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) beginning in February 2019:

• IDSS (winner) -- computed tomography

• One Resonance, LLC (runner-up) – nuclear quadrupole resonance

• Dynaxion – neutron scanner

• Battelle – combined dual-energy radiography and hyperspectral imaging

• Halo X-Ray Technologies – x-ray diffraction

• GTBM, Inc. – ultrasound

• Vadum, Inc. – nuclear quadrupole resonance

• XID, LLC – x-ray diffraction

9. Any other facts supporting the justification.

If the IDSS CT scanner Detect 1000 is not selected for award, CBP’s synthetic opioid interdiction operations at the IMFs and other mail facilities will be detrimentally impacted, thereby increasing the threat to the public of synthetic opioids entering the United States where the opioid problem has been declared a National Public Health Emergency.

10. A listing of the sources, if any that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

In an effort to identify and leverage cutting edge technologies addressing CBP’s mission to interdict dangerous narcotics, including synthetic opioids, CBP, in collaboration with DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) conducted the Opioid Detection Challenge. This open innovation prize competition called on global innovators to propose and develop rapid, nonintrusive detection tools to aid CBP in detection of concealed synthetic opioids smuggled within the international mail stream. At the end of an extensive process, which included interagency assessment of 83 proposals followed by rapid prototyping, S&T-led testing, and expert judging of six (6) working prototypes, IDSS’s Detect 1000 computed tomography system emerged as the overall grand-prize winning technology.

11. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for supplies or services required. (Include a

Sole Source Justification statement of actions taken or will be taken to increase competition for future acquisitions of the same item/service).

CBP will continue to interact and collaborate with industry in search of existing and emergent cutting edge technologies that enhance CBP’s ability to perform its mission of detection and interdiction.

RFIs, Industry Days and open challenges will be conducted regularly.

12. CBP intends to post the requirement pursuant to FAR 13.501(a)(1)(iii) and 6.305(a).

13. Technical/Requirements Personnel Certification. I certify this requirement meets the Government’s minimum need and that the supporting data, which forms a basis for this justification, is complete and accurate.

Technical Representative/COR Date

Sole Source Justification

14. Contracting Officer Certification and Approval*

Contracting Officer: Not exceeding $700K Date

*Note: In accordance with FAR 13.501(a)(2)(i), for contracts exceeding the SAT but not exceeding $700,000, the contracting officer’s certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the ordering activity contracting officer’s knowledge and belief will serve as approval.

15. Approval:

Procuring Activity Advocate for Competition Date $700K to not exceeding $13.5 mil