SPRBL1-20-R-0030_Redacted.pdf

Defense Logistics Agency Justification and Approval for Other Than

Full and Open Competition

1. Contracting Activity: DLA Land at Aberdeen

Attn: DSCC-ZLAB 6565 Surveillance Loop

BLDG 6001 C1301

Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005-1846

2. Description of Action:

This Justification and Approval requests approval to procure the Advanced Battery Chargers (ABC) National Stock Number (NSN) 6130-01-660-3696, P/N BTC-70100, and PP-8498/U Soldier Portable Chargers (SPC), NSN 6130-01-495-2839, P/N BTC-70801 on a sole source basis from Bren-Tronics, Commercial and Government Entity Code (CAGE) Code: 51828 .

Both chargers are universal and utilize adapters to charge a variety of standard military batteries. These are commercial chargers.

Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 13.5 procedures are being used for this procurement. Army Working Capital Funds will be used to fund this effort.

The estimated contract dollar value for this acquisition is

3. Description of Supplies/Services:

The scope of this effort covers the delivery of new ABC and SPC chargers.

Item Name Supplier P/N NSN Qty Advanced Battery Charger BTC-70100 6130-01-660-3696 697 Soldier Portable Charger BTC-70801 6130-01-495-2839 200

The ABC is a next generation smart charger, which enables communication between the charger and smart batteries. The SPC has been the preferred Army charger for almost 20 years. Both chargers utilize adapters to interface between the charger and a battery. The ABC is backwards compatible with adapters made for the SPC. Both chargers are used to charge batteries in support of numerous communications-electronics equipment currently fielded including secure radio transceivers, global positioning systems, chemical alarms, and counter improvised explosive device (IED) equipment. It is essential that the Government acquire the ABC and SPC chargers to continue to support these systems.

4. Authority Cited:

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 10 U.S.C.

2304(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, “Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.”

5. Reason for Authority Cited:

The only approved manufacturer with the comprehensive knowledge and expertise necessary to produce the required items for this action is Bren-Tronics. Bren-Tronics is the only approved source and the Government does not possess the detailed technical documentation that describes all required form, fit, and function characteristics of the individual components of the ABC or SPC. The SPC, while initially designed to meet US Army requirements under Technical Requirements Statement A3281306, is a vendor-controlled configuration and has been in the field for almost 20 years. The ABC was built in accordance with a Performance Specification developed by the United States Marine Corps and is a vendor-controlled configuration as well. The only configuration information purchased by the US Government was a Design Review Information Package, which is not suitable for competitive procurements. Each item, with vendor-controlled configurations, have been offered for sale in the commercial marketplace without further alteration.

The Acquisition Method Reasoning Code (AMRC) for the ABC is 3H. The “3” denotes that the item is being acquired for the second or subsequent time, directly from the actual manufacturer. The “H” signifies that the Government physically does not have in its possession sufficient, accurate, or legible data to purchase this part from other than current source.

The Acquisition Method Reasoning Code (AMRC) for the SPC is 3Q. The “3” denotes that the item is being acquired for the second or subsequent time, directly from the actual manufacturer. The “Q” signifies that the Government does not own the data or rights to the data needed to purchase this part from additional sources.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition:

In an effort to locate potential sources capable of providing the ABC and SPC, the Government issued a Sources Sought Notice (SSN). The technical experts supporting the Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) posted the SSN on beta.SAM.gov from 7 January 2020 to 7 February 2020. The market survey is fully discussed in Paragraph 8, below.

In accordance with FAR 5.201, this proposed action was synopsized on beta.SAM.gov on 22 May 2020. In addition, this J&A will be made available for public inspection via beta.SAM.gov, after award, in accordance with FAR 6.305.

7. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination:

As the Contracting Officer, I hereby determine that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable based on the use of some combination of cost/price analysis, a comparison of proposed prices with an Independent Government Estimate, past purchases, or informal cost data. Certified cost or pricing data will not obtained in accordance with 41

U.S.C 3502, and Class Deviation 2018-O0015.

8. Market Research:

Only one interested party Revision Military Technologies LLC, CAGE Code (30VZ5), 7 Corporate Drive, Essex Junction, Vermont 05452-4434 responded to the sources sought announcement and submitted information on the Galvian NERV CENTR charger.

The ABC is listed on Bren-Tronic’s website with instructions to contact a sales representative for purchase. The GSA Advantage (gsaadvantage.gov) website was searched 11 February 2020 using the Bren-Tronics part number, the NSN, and the term “ABC.” No matching results were found. A web search conducted the same day using the Bren-Tronics part number resulted in several sites that provided an option to request quotes for the ABC. None of these sites indicated that it was a stocked item. An additional web search on July 6, 2020 also brought up multiple sites where the ABC was available under a request for quote. The search also located a sale of the ABC on GovPlanet.com where it sold for $360 on September 24, 2019 at auction. A second search of GSA Advantage under the Bren-Tronics part number “BTC-70100” found the ABC charger listed

The SPC is listed for sale on Bren-Tronic’s website and on GSA via multiple vendors.

A web search conducted indicated it was for sale by ArmyProperty.com as well as several sites offering surplus items.

9. Other Facts:

a. Procurement History:

• Advanced Battery Charger: No production quantity contracts previously issued. The previous contract was the development contract issued by the Marine Corps under M67854-16-D-5009.

• Soldier Portable Charger: DAAB07-01-D-A504 ($1,422.35 EA-$1,532.10 EA) and SPRBL1-11-C-0011 ($1,891.17 EA)

b. Acquisition Data Availability: The Government does not possess the data needed to purchase this part from additional sources.

10. Interested Sources:

Revision Military Technologies.

11. Actions to Increase Competition:

The Government will continue to conduct market research to ascertain if there are changes in the marketplace that would enable future actions to be competed.