SSJ_Redacted.pdf

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

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This Sole Source Justification (SSJ) is to request authority for Other Than Full and Open Competition supporting requirements generated for the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex (WR-ALC)/402 Aircraft Maintenance Group (402 AMXG). The contracting activity for this requirement is Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC)/PZIMA. The purchase request number supporting this contracting action is: .

Due to the circumstances described herein, the activity requests authority to acquire C130 Prop Shop Test Stands using Other Than Full and Open Competition as prescribed by 10 U.S.C. 3572, Implementation of Simplified Acquisition Procedures (41 U.S.C. 1901). This acquisition will result in the award of a new contract which will be Firm Fixed Price (FFP) with a delivery schedule of 20 months after contract award for C130 Prop Shop Test Stands.

This requirement is for the procurement of the C130 Prop Shop Wingstands (NP2000/54H60 compatible). This will be a turnkey solution that shall include shipping, delivery, rigging, installation, leveling, utilities connections, initial training, and five years of sustainment. The test stands shall be capable of testing 54H60 and NP2000 propeller control assemblies of the C130 aircraft in accordance with manufacturer's specifications while under simulated flight conditions. The projected requirements are as stated below.

The nominal contract line-item numbers (CLINs) structure for the C130 Prop Shop Wingstand NP2000 compatible is as follows:

CLIN DESCRIPTION COST QTY U/I Unit Price Total Est Cost

DAFFARS 5313.501 - 10 U.S.C. 3572, Implementation of Simplified Acquisition Procedures (41 U.S.C. 1901)

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

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The agency's minimum needs can only be satisfied by the unique supplies or services available from Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Collins Aerospace) for the C-130 prop shop test stands that test legacy 54H60 and are NP2000 compatible.

There are six test stands, in total, in the C-130 prop shop that test 54H60 and are NP2000 capable prop assembly components. All machines, with exception of one, are well past their useful life of 20 years, and do not consistently operate properly or with precision. The shop has recurring downtime that often generates significant maintenance costs and additional hours of work in the form of overtime and rework. This is due to the constant inaccuracies of testing (over-torquing of components) and breakdown failures of the machines during testing of the 54H60 prop assembly components. It is rare for all six machines to be in operational capacity at the same time.

Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Collins Aerospace) is the original manufacturer of the GS1400-all test stands and they hold proprietary rights to the technical data used to perform operational evaluation.

The 402 Aircraft Maintenance Group has determined that award to any other source would result in substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition and unacceptable delays in fulfilling the Government's requirements. The time it would take to reverse engineer and integrate subcomponents would lead to substantial additional time during the effort. The estimated mechanical engineering time is shown in the below table.

Tasks Estimate Engineers Hours Cost (months) Develop technical requirements/specifications 3 2 1040 Preliminary design phase 6 2 2080 Critical design phase 12 2 4160 Identify COTS subsystems and components 3 2 1040 Final design 6 2 2080 Procure components and material 24 1 4160 Assembly 2 2 693 Controller setup/programming 3 1 520 Develop work and maintenance instructions 2.5 1 433 Initial testing/system prove out 3 2 1040 Operator training/start-up support 2 1 347 Total 66.5 17593

In order to reverse engineer this effort, it would take approximately 5.5 years and to pursue a competitive acquisition strategy in comparison to the estimated 20 months lead time expected with an acquisition directly from Collins Aerospace. This is an unacceptable delay in fulfilling an immediate need. Additionally, each year the government continues to utilize the existing test stands as opposed to

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

March 2023 Page 4 of 6 new test stands is estimated to cost due to the additional downtime, corrective maintenance, rework, and overtime. These factors contribute to the unacceptable delay in support of C130 depot activity, causing critical harm to the Government and other depot customers, specifically the ability to timely deliver properly tested pump housing assemblies, valve housing assemblies, and pitch lock regulators. Without these C130 propeller assembly components, overhauled propeller assemblies will not return to the fleet and C130 aircraft will ultimately be grounded. Furthermore, the cost to reverse engineer and compete these stands would outweigh the anticipated savings of competition.

Accordingly, Collins Aerospace is the only vendor capable of providing the requirements described in Section III above without the United States Air Force experiencing substantial duplication of cost that could not expected to be recovered through competition and unacceptable delays in fulfilling its requirements.

A Sources Sought (SS) / Request for Information (RFI) synopsis was posted to SAM.gov on 30 April 2024 with a response date of 29 May 2024 under Solicitation Number L4WC26. The SS requested responses from interested vendors that possess the expertise, capabilities, and experience to meet qualification requirements for this effort. Two vendors responded to the SS/RFI. The vendors were evaluated for their capability and determined to be not capable based on whether they have access to the proprietary data necessary to support this repair effort. The incumbent, Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Collins Aerospace) was determined to be the only capable vendor.

The requirement will be synopsized in SAM.gov in accordance with FAR 5.201. It is anticipated that sources having an interest in subcontracting may be identified through synopsis. Any source who responds to the Government as a result of this synopsis will be identified to the prime contractor as a potential subcontracting possibility.

This acquisition will follow procedures of FAR 13.5, Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items. The overall cost of this acquisition will be negotiated in accordance with procedures in FAR Part 12 and FAR 13.106-3(a)(2), and a statement of price reasonableness ensuring the ultimate price to the Government is fair and reasonable. Additional pricing methodologies to negotiate fair and reasonable price may include reviewing publicly offered catalogs, comparison to historical contractor sales, and/or analysis of limited cost or pricing information provided by the contractor. In the event that limited cost or pricing information is made available, the Government's negotiation objective will be developed using local technical analysis and direct and indirect rate factors recommended by the Defense Contract Management Agency.

Market research was conducted 24 October 2023 to 29 May 2024 in accordance with FAR Part 10.001 and 10.002. The Market Research Report was completed on 30 May 2024. The market research techniques used are as follows:

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

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As described in Section VI above, a SS was posted to SAM.gov on 30 April 2024 with a response date of 29 May 2024 under Solicitation Number L4WC26. posted to SAM.gov advising industry of the pending acquisition and soliciting inquiries from interested vendors. Two vendors responded to the SS. The vendors were evaluated for their capability and determined to be not capable based on whether they have access to the proprietary data necessary to support this effort. The incumbent, Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Collins Aerospace) was determined to be the only capable vendor.

Queries were conducted within Government databases and various internet searches (IHS Haystack, GSA Advantage, and Google) were performed using North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) NAICS Code 336413 (Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing) and keywords “hydraulic” to search for potential vendors including any 8(a), HUBZone, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business, Women Owned Small Business and all Small Businesses. The queries returned several small businesses; however, they are not capable of providing the required C130 Prop Shop Test Stands capable of testing 54H60 and NP2000 propeller control assemblies in accordance with manufacturer's specifications while under simulated flight conditions.

The C130 Prop Shop is considered a commercial item as defined in FAR 2.101. The C130 Prop Shop Test Stands capable of testing 54H60 and NP2000 compatible is used by both the military and the commercial aviation industry.

The market research concluded Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Collins Aerospace) is the only vendor capable of fulfilling the Government's requirement.

See Section VI above.

The plan to remove or overcome barriers to competition is to inquire with Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Collins Aerospace) their interest in selling the technical data package to the Government.

Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Collins Aerospace) will be contacted prior to any purchase for the C130 Prop Shop Wingstands (NP2000 compatible). Additionally, the team will continue to perform market research surveys to garner additional vendors who can supply the same form, fit, and function capabilities of the current C130 Prop Shop Wingstands (NP2000 compatible).

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

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