SSJ (Redacted).pdf

This is a Determination & Findings document for a single-source procurement action by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Robotic Aerospace Experiment (RABE) facility located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), Ohio.

AFRL/RABE requires repair and reinstallation services for an Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) detector on an Oxford EDS UltiMax 100 system, which is used in conjunction with a Hitachi NX-9000 Scanning Electron Microscope to analyze and characterize energetic materials. The EDS detector is currently inoperative due to cooling failure and must be removed, repaired, and reinstalled, with subsequent recalibration of the Oxford UltiMax 100 system. Market research conducted through internet searches and industry engagement identified only one capable source: Oxford Instruments America. Oxford Instruments is the sole company with trained, qualified service engineers who possess access to proprietary OEM system information required for maintenance, repairs, and system upgrades. No small business set-aside opportunities were identified for these specialized services, and GSA or GS ScheduleOne options were unavailable. The contracting officer approved this single-source procurement under RFO 13.101(b) (Noncommercial Products and Services) on June 23, 2026, based on the findings that only one source is reasonably available. The sole-source justification letter is referenced in File Item (FI) 358.