SSJ_Redacted.pdf

Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104

Document Number: 26-067

SOLE SOURCE 3DB Labs Spectrum Analyzer Suite JUSTIFICATION

1. Identification of Agency and Contracting Activity.

The requiring activity is the Joint Staff Security Office (JSSO) Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM);

the contracting activity is NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Norfolk Contracting Department, Pentagon Directorate.

2. Description of the Action Being Approved.

This is a sole-source action to be awarded as a new commercial items contract pursuant to the simplified procedures for certain commercial products and commercial services set forth at FAR Subpart 13.5 with 3dB Labs, Inc. The award of a Firm Fixed Price purchase order is anticipated.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

The proposed acquisition is for the procurement of five Radio Frequency (RF) Spectrum Analysis Suites and required accessories for JSSO TSCM. The JSSO TSCM team requires five (5) MONARCH RF Spectrum Analyzer Suites with SCEPTRE RF analysis software. The MONARCH RF Spectrum Analyzer Suites provide a customizable hardware and software package for secure communications that are uniquely configured and can be adjusted based on the JSSO TSCM mission requirements and temporary duty travel locations and conditions. The specific suites that JSSO TSCM requires are the MONARCH-LT-16-10G-ITARSM435CX- 16TB configured with five (5) Omnidirectional Antenna and accessories kits capable of receiving up to 40GHz and one (1) PCR4200 four-channel Software Defined Radio with a range up to 20 GHz and one (1) four-element antenna array capable of receiving up to 18GHz. The Independent Government Estimate for the Monarch RF Spectrum Analysis Suites, inclusive of the SCEPTRE RF analysis software and accessory kits, and training courses totals

The resultant Purchase Order will be funded with FY26 Operations & Maintenance, Defense-wide (O&M, DW) appropriations. These funds are currently available. The required delivery date is 140 days after date of Award. The requested supplies and services represent the minimum requirements of the government.

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Sole Source.

The statutory authority permitting this sole source action is 41 U.S.C. 1901, Simplified acquisition procedures - a sole source acquisition using simplified acquisition procedures for the acquisition of commercial items, as implemented by FAR 13.501(a).

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

The Joint Staff (JS) Security Directorate (JSSO) Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) Branch is responsible for ensuring that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS) and all Joint Staff facilities and activities involving sensitive information are properly safeguarded against Foreign Intelligence operations, technical surveillance penetrations, or hazards and physical security weaknesses which could result in the unauthorized access to classified or sensitive material.

Compromising emanations and unauthorized signals pose a significant threat to the sensitive and classified information processed by the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The JSSO TSCM team requires the sophisticated, configurable and customizable hardware and software tools manufactured by 3dB Labs, Inc. to detect, analyze, and thwart these technical security threats.

The required RF Spectrum Analyzer Suite and associated software and accessories must be configured to support a frequency range up to at least 40GHz, as well as contain an omnidirectional antenna capable with a frequency range up to at least 40 GHz. Additionally, the RF Spectrum Analyzer Suite software must be compatible with multiple Software Defined Radios (SDR) for customization based on JSSO TSCM mission requirements and existing equipment, and be capable of the following: Software-driven wideband swept spectrum scanning > 200 GHz/second; Recording of spectrum, pre-demodulation, audio, PDW; Analog and Digital Demodulation of Amplitude Modulation (AM), Frequency Modulation (FM), Phase Modulation (PM), Single Sideband (SSB), Frequency Shift Keying (FSK), Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK), Phase Shift Keying (PSK), Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) as well as a double demodulation capability; Configurable processing and displays; Ability to pause real time, look back, zoom, place markers; Digital video demodulation and decode; and Database of recordings with flexible tagging. The required RF Spectrum Analyzer Suite must also maintain light weight and small size for worldwide portability within the JSSO TSCM team kits which are limited in weight and dimensions due to airline luggage restrictions. 3dB Labs Inc. is the sole manufacturer of the MONARCH Spectrum Analyzer suites, which are customized to the mission needs of JSSO TSCM as defined herein and can be configured as a small, lightweight spectrum analyzer capable of scanning a vast portion of the RF spectrum quickly and in robust detail. 3dB Labs Inc., also manufactures and maintains the powerful software tools included in the SCEPTRE Software suite allowing technicians to effectively analyze signals of interest. 3dB Labs, Inc.

exclusively owns and developed the SCEPTRE software code. Other vendors offer RF spectrum analyzers, but the MONARCH suites with SCEPTRE RF analysis software are the fastest, most capable, most customizable and feature-rich product with a portable form factor on the market. JSSO TSCM has conducted side-by side comparisons during operational missions with other comparable commercially available options, the results of which have shown the MONARCH RF analysis suites and SCEPTRE software are the only suite of products that possess the requisite wider range of capabilities as specified herein to satisfy JSSO TSMC’s mission requirements. The required MONARCH RF Spectrum Analyzer Suite consists of proprietary equipment that is exclusively owned, manufactured, and configured by 3dB Labs Inc. As such, 3dB Labs, Inc. is the only source that can provide the requisite MONARCH RF Spectrum Analyzer Suite configured with SCEPTRE RF analysis software that meets the Government’s minimum needs and is essential to the JSSO TSCM’s mission objectives of safeguarding the JS from potential security threats. No other source can satisfy JSSO TSCM’s requirements.

6. Description of Efforts Made to Solicit Offers from as Many Offerors as Practicable, including a Description of Market Research, if applicable, and a List of Interested Sources, if any.

The contracting activity has processed Sole Source awards to 3DB Labs Inc for essentially the same supplies in both FY 24 and FY 25. It is noted that there were no responses to the pre-solicitation synopsis notice posted to the SAM.gov website on 5 June 2025 for a Sole Source Award to 3DB Labs under purchase order N0018925PZ328 for essentially the same MONARCH RF Spectrum Analyzer Suite. This contract was awarded to 3dB Labs, Inc.

on 24 September 2025 pursuant to the authority set forth at 41 U.S.C. 1901, as implemented by FAR 13.501(a). It is further noted that there were no responses to the pre-solicitation synopsis notice posted to the SAM.gov website on 10 July 2024 for the predecessor contract N0018924PZ405 for essentially the same MONARCH RF Spectrum Analyzer Suite purchased in smaller quantities. This contract was also awarded to 3dB Labs, Inc. on 08 August 2024 pursuant to the authority set forth at 41 U.S.C. 1901, as implemented by FAR 13.501(a). The previous contracts and lack of pre-solicitation responses further substantiate that 3dB Labs Inc. is the only company capable of meeting JSSO TSCM’s requirements. The Contracting Activity performed additional market research beyond what was discussed herein. Internet searches produced no other vendors capable of providing the required supplies and services of this requirement. A combined synopsis/solicitation for the subject procurement will be posted to the SAM.gov website on or around 26 February 2026.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

The Contracting Officer has determined that the anticipated cost to the Government of the supplies/services covered by this Justification will be fair and reasonable.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition.

For the reasons set forth in Paragraphs 5,and 6 NAVSUP FLC Norfolk Contracting Department, Pentagon Directorate has no plans at this time to compete future contacts for the types of supplies and services covered by this document. If another potential source emerges, NAVSUP FLC Norfolk Contracting Department, Pentagon Directorate will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.

As addressed above in paragraph 6 and in accordance with DFARS 206.303-2(b)(i) and PGI 206.304(a)(S-70)), a sources sought notice was issued on 25 June 2025. To date, no sources other than 3dB Labs have expressed an interest in this requirement Additionally, in accordance with DFARS 213.501(a)(i), a copy of the previous justification was included in the review package to assist the approval authority in determining whether the planned actions to remove any barriers to competition cited on the previous justification were completed. The circumstances requiring the acquisition being conducted pursuant to FAR 13.501(a) remain unchanged. Any subsequent follow-on requirements will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Market Research will be conducted for any future requirements to determine if there are any potential sources for competition.

9. Contracting Point of Contact.

The NAVSUP FLC Norfolk Contracting Dept, Pentagon Directorate, point of contact is Kevin Brennan, who may be contacted by e-mail at kevin.m.brennan21.civ@us.navy.mil.