SSJ for beta.SAM.pdf

ERDC Control No. 20-1843

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

1. Agency/Contracting Activity: Engineer Research and Development Center Construction and Engineering Research Laboratory (EDRC CERL)

2. Description of Action:

Nature: New Requirement Follow-On Requirement Mod to Existing Purchase Order/Contract Number

Pricing: Firm-Fixed Price Time and Materials

Funds: OMA Other Funds: Army RDT&E

3. Description of Supplies/Services:

a. The total estimated dollar value of the proposed action is $454,299.00

b. The Government has a requirement for two (2) medium sized unmanned ground vehicles

(UGV), and associated accessories, with the option to purchase two (2) additional vehicles and associated accessories.

4. Authority: FAR 13.501(a)

5. Reason for Authority Cited: The Robotics for Engineer Operations (REO) Research and Development (R&D) program requires medium-sized UGVs to be utilized as a prototype capability development platform inside the new 16,000 sqft Robotics Research Facility, in Champaign IL. This platform must also be able operate in outdoor environments that are challenging due to the terrain and weather features (off road surfaces, water barriers, etc.). The platform must have a well-established and stable low level motor controller, eliminating the need to develop these controllers rather than focusing on development of autonomous task execution.

The platform must have out of the box Robotic Operating System (ROS) integration, be able to carry up to 500 lbs of payload (battery, sensors, onboard computers), and must have at a minimum- radio frequency based line-of-sight remote control capability.

The Argo J5/Clearpath Warthog is a medium sized, highly customizable robotic platform that can easily adapt to mission specific payloads or configurations. The platform provides 4X4 wheeled or track-based traction, which allows it to operate in challenging terrains that are typically encountered during Combat Engineer operations. Argo J5 is just the base platform without any autonomy, whereas, Clearpath Warthog is the same platform with autonomy built-in out of the box. Clearpath is the only company that integrates the Argo J5 products with ROS capabilities.

The J5/Warthog utilizes differential steering that allows it to have a zero turn radius and low center of gravity for great stability. In addition, the platform is fully amphibious and is controlled by a line-of-sight Radio Frequency remote controller.

The J5 platform has the following physical characteristics:

Maximum land payload: 600 lb

Footprint: 60x54.5 in.

Base weight: 615 lb

Battery Capacity: 9.5 kWh

Maximum land speed: 12 mph

The J5/Warthog, with ROS capabilities added by Clearpath, is the only UGV that meets all of the requirements listed above. In addition, ERDC-CERL already owns an ARGO J8 platform and two Clearpath Jackal platforms. ERDC-CERL has invested approximately two years of development effort into these platforms and has built considerable experience and expertise that can be leveraged by continuing with this family of products.

6. Actions to Increase Competition: A notice of intent to sole source was posted to beta.SAM from February 14th-21st, 2020 and no responses were received.

7. Market Research:

(1) The Government has made a determination that no other source offers a product which meets or can be modified to meet this requirement. There are no other commercially available robotic platforms with the capabilities identified above. The companies that were looked into in addition to Clearpath are Fetch Robotics, Pal Robotics, Robotnik, Yujin Robotics, Robotis, Shadow Robot, Husarion, and Neobotix. In addition, the Army has recently selected General Dynamics Multi-utility Tactical Transport as the platform of choice for the Squad Multi-purpose Equipment Transport Program of Record, which is based on the Argo/Clearpath J8 base platform. Acquisition of the J8/Warthog will help align the capabilities being develop at ERDC-CERL with the rest of the Army.

(2) In order for the UGV to operate on a DoD installation it must meet certain Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements. The IP Code (or International Protection Rating, sometimes also interpreted as Ingress Protection Rating*) consists of the letters IP followed by two digits and an optional letter. As defined in international standard IEC 60529, it classifies the degrees of protection provided against the intrusion of solid objects (including body parts like hands and fingers), dust, accidental contact, and water in electrical enclosures. The standard aims to provide users more detailed information than vague marketing terms such as waterproof. The mobile base must have a minimum solid object protection level of 5; Dust Protected, ingress of dust is not entirely prevented, but it must not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the equipment; complete protection against contact. The mobile base must have a minimum liquid protection level of 2; Dripping water when titled up to 15 degrees, vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect when the enclosure is tilted at an angle up to 15° from its normal position.

(3) The Warthog (J5 base) is preloaded with ROS packages. This is a critical requirement for the robotics research. For the ERDC-CERL robotics research to be transitioned to the acquisition community all products must be compliant with the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research Development & Engineering Center (GVSC, formerly TARDEC) architecture, the Robot Tool Kit (RTK). RTK uses ROS, specifically ROS Indigo. ROS is currently under further development with Mississippi State University in partnership simulator for simulating UGVs in realistic terrain. This tool will be used by the CERL robotics team.

(4) Mobility of the platform is key to fully demonstrating the possibilities of automated construction, since realistically the size of workspace is unpredictable. A medium platform with high mobility allows for demonstration of tasks in spaces of varying sizes with unique obstacles. The Warthog (J5 base) chassis is small enough to traverse safely within the robotics indoor lab space and robust enough to work outdoors in various climates. It is critical that the device used for this research is mobile enough to work both indoors and outside. The overall size and the high level of mobility of the Warthog (J5 base) platform allows the robot to maneuver inside a research facility. The research team needs high levels of mobility to develop and test algorithms for movement and maneuver with obstacle detection and avoidance in a realistic construction site environment.

Mobility is also required to demonstrate automated processes, such as autonomously scanning and characterizing a construction site, automated assembly of construction components, retrieving, utilizing, and storing of materials and equipment. In addition, a smaller and highly mobile platform can also be used to demonstrate deconstruction tasks.

(5) The Warthog has the ability to have wheels or tracks and is fully amphibious. The size of the Warthog allows it to be large enough to put all our necessary sensors onboard, work within our indoor lab space, and be able to perform in various weather conditions outside in an operational environment. These are requirements for our research and allow us to

(6) Market research was conducted in September-December 2019.

8. Procurement History:

Previous Purchase Orders(s) or Contract(s): Yes No

Purchase order or contract number:_______________ Was action competed? Yes No If action was not competed, state the cited authority, summarize rationale:______________________________________________________________________

9. Additional information to support the justification: None

10. Technical/Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which is included in the abbreviated J&A is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Submitted By:

Position Title:

Email Address:

Signature:

Date:

11. Fair and Reasonable Price Determination: As Contracting Officer, I hereby determine that the anticipated cost to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable.

Basis for the determination: price analysis techniques.

12 :

I hereby certify that this Justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. Based on the foregoing, I approve this sole source justification subject to availability of funds, and provided that the services and supplies herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition

Signature:______________ Typed Name:

Title:

Date: