SSJ_Final - Redacted.pdf

This is a Department of the Air Force Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition document for a sole-source contract award valued under $10 million, requiring CO certification as J&A approval.

The document justifies the award of a firm-fixed-price contract on a sole-source basis to Agilent Technologies, Inc. for two Liquid Chromatograph Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (LC-ICP-MS) units supporting the USAFSAM/OEA Industrial Hygiene Laboratory (IHL). The requirement is to procure analytical instruments necessary to provide the IHL capability for analysis of hexavalent and trivalent chromium in customer-supplied samples as required by DAFMAN 48-146, Section 3.3.2, and meet detection limits established by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). The statutory authority for sole-source procurement is cited as 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1), establishing that only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

The justification establishes that Agilent Technologies, Inc. is the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and sole developer of the proprietary MassHunter software required for data continuity and compatibility with the IHL's existing validated laboratory methods. Awarding to another source would result in unacceptable mission delays and cost duplication not recoverable through competition. Market research confirmed that while Agilent can provide the majority of required items through its GSA Federal Supply Schedule and AbilityOne sources, no other GSA vendor meets the government's critical software and data integration requirements. The IHL processes in excess of 3,700 samples annually and requires transition from older technology (IC-UV/Vis) to LC-ICP-MS methodology to manage high sample throughput, prevent mission backlogs, and ensure timely and accurate analysis to protect Air Force personnel health.