Sole Source Justification_Redacted.pdf

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

FOR AN ACTION EXCEEDING THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD

USING SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS

(AUTHORITY: FAR 13.501(a), 41 U.S.C. 1901)

1. Agency and contracting activity.

Agency: Department of Commerce (DOC) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Ocean Services (NOS) National Geodetic Survey (NGS)

Contracting Activity: DOC.NOAA Acquisition and Grants Office (AGO) Eastern Acquisition Division (EAD) Norfolk, VA

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

NOAA AGO EAD intends to award a Sole Source contract to Micro-g Lacoste, a small business, for one (1) A10 Field Absolute Gravity Meter and three (3) Scintrex-MGL Land Gravity Monitoring Systems. Each Scintrex-MGL Land Monitoring Systems is comprised of a gPhoneX Relative Gravity Meter and the Odin Leveling Platform. A firm-fixed-price (FFP) contract is expected for award. The Contracting Officer has determined that the requirement is commercial in nature and the equipment will be procured in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.5, Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items.

3. Description of supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the total estimated value).

To provide NGS the ability to efficiently collect high quality terrestrial gravity data, NOAA requires one (1) A10 Field Absolute Gravity Meter and three (3) Scintrex-MGL Land Gravity Monitoring Systems, each comprised of a gPhoneX Relative Gravity Meter and the Odin Leveling Platform. The specifications are as follows:

Item 1: A10 Field Absolute Gravity Meter

A10 Field Absolute Gravity Meter: Field ready absolute gravity meter that must include the following items/features:

• Performance Specifications o Accuracy: 10 microGal (µGal) Absolute Gravity or better o Precision: 10 µGal in 10 minutes or better, at a quiet site

• External and internal structure engineered for a variety of terrains, environments, and locations able to operate with minimal field team intervention between -18 to +38 degrees Celsius.

• Internal temperature control accurate to 1 degree Celsius or better

• Automatic leveling accurate to 20 arcseconds or better

• Includes data collector able to do the following:

o Data Collection and Storage o Able to sense and log barometric pressure o Apply real-time gravity corrections for tides, ocean loading, polar motion, and atmospheric attraction

• Drag-free chamber housing for freefalling prism.

• Built in device to isolate the gravity meter from long period (20-30 second or longer) seismic activity

• Frequency stabilized HeNe laser

• Built in Rubidium atomic clock for instrument timing.

• 12 Volt Direct Current power base with 100-240 Volt Alternating Current power supply included o Full Load: 25 Amps (300 Watts) o Average Load: 16 Amps (200 Watts)

Item 2: Scintrex-MGL Land Gravity Monitoring Systems

Part number 862039: gPhoneX Lab Relative Gravity Meter: Must include the following items/features:

• Zero-length Spring Sensor with electronic feedback, ceramic level sensors, and ambient and internal pressure and temperature sensors

• Performance Specifications o Resolution: 0.1 microGal (µGal) or better o Precision: 1 µGal or better at a quiet site o System noise: (0.1 µGal)/(square root(Hertz)) or better at a quiet site o Total Range: worldwide o Feedback Range: +/- 100 milliGal or larger

• Timing Box, including:

o Rubidum Clock o GPS Receiver

• Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) (APC or equivalent)

• AC to DC Power Converter

• Carrying Cases for Sensor and Timing Box/UPS

Part number 101550002, Odin Leveling Platform. Must include the following items/features:

• Tilt stability of 0.2 arcseconds, Root Mean Square (RMS) or better

• Dynamic range of ±1000 arcseconds or better

• Response time: ≤5 minutes

• Operating temperature between 0 and 40 °C

WARRANTY

One (1) year warranty is required on all items.

The expected delivery date for all items is September 29, 2023. The estimated value is .

4. Statutory authority permitting the sole source (including brand name) acquisition.

☒ 41 U.S.C. 1901, using SAP up to $7.5M as authorized by FAR 13.500(a) and implemented by FAR 13.501(a).

□ 41 U.S.C. 1903, using SAP up to $15M for contingency operations as authorized by FAR 13.500(c) and implemented by FAR 13.501(a).

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

The contracting officer has determined the following circumstances justify the use of a sole source as supported below:

Only one source - 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.

The NGS requires one (1) A10 Field Absolute Gravity Meter and three (3) Scintrex-MGL Land Gravity Monitoring Systems, each comprised of a gPhoneX Relative Gravity Meter and the Odin Leveling Platform in order to provide NGS the ability to efficiently collect high quality terrestrial gravity data.

The A10 Portable Absolute Gravity Meter is robust and portable and is capable of being operated from a vehicle or any other 12-volt DC source. This gravity meter has the ability to set up at remote sites indoors and outdoors during mild to moderate inclement weather conditions. The A10 Absolute Gravity Meter is easy for one (1) person to carry, set up, and operate without any assistance, which is pertinent for NGS operations since it requires constant human presence while operating. It is also capable of meeting NGS’s precision requirements of 10 µGal in 10 minutes or better at a quiet site and NGS accuracy requirements of 10 microGal (µGal) Absolute Gravity or better. Since this is an absolute gravity meter, the accuracy of these readings are critical. Worldwide, only one company manufactures an instrument capable of meeting these requirements, the United States based Micro-g LaCoste, a small business, with their model A10 Portable Absolute Gravity Meter.

The Scintrex-MGL Land Gravity Monitoring System is the only relative gravity meter on the market that can meet NGS’s unique portability requirement. Since relative gravity meters are for immediate use, this factor is essential to the NGS mission. NGS requires relative gravity meters that can be placed in a lab setting and moved to a different lab setting every 6-24 months to monitor long term/seasonal changes to the gravity field over time. The Scintrex-MGL Land Gravity Monitoring System is easy to pick-up and move without a forklift, requires minimal power consumption, and does not require frequent maintenance or refilling with chemicals such as helium, which is prohibited in a lab setting.

This gravity meter can be be left alone and does not require a constant human presence. The Scintrex- MGL Land Gravity Monitoring System has a metal spring sensor, which reduces the footprint and allows the system to be portable. Further, the entire system uses less than 150 Watts and is highly transportable (about the size of a toaster oven). Micro-g LaCoste is the only manufacturer of a lightweight, low power, and continuous gravity meter. Furthermore, the gPhoneX when paired with a corresponding Odin leveling platform (that allows for high tilt stability of 0.2 arcseconds, Root Mean Square (RMS) or better) meets the precision needs of 1 µGal or better at a quiet sitefor NGS. Through market research Micro-g LaCoste was confirmed as the only authorized seller in the United States of

10. List of the sources that expressed a written interest in the acquisition.

No sources expressed verbally or in w1iting an interest in this acquisition.

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 the supplies or services required.

Due to the AlO Field Absolute Gravity meter and Scintrex-MGL Land Gravity Monit01ing System being the only gravity meters in the market that meet the specified po1tability needs and Micro-g LaCoste being the only seller within the United States, there are no other capable sources at this time.

Any subsequent acquisition for the AlO Field Absolute Gravity Meter and Scintrex-MGL Land Gravity Monitoring System will be reviewed and market research will be conducted to consider other options based on an analysis of the required equipment and Inission requirements, along with industiy standards and improvements.

Page 5 of5