RedactedJAPFM.pdf

Program/Item: M777A2 Legacy PFM Buy Est. Amount: $777,482.70

Control No: CAO 14-0349

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. CONTRACTING ACTIVITY:

The US Army Contracting Command- New Jersey

2. DESCRIPTION OF ACTION:

a. The proposed “Other than Full and Open Competition” contracting strategy is a sole source Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract modification to W15QKN-11-C-0103 with Triumph Actuation Systems – Connecticut, Inc., located in Bloomfield, Connecticut. The proposed contracting action covered under this Justification and Approval is for the procurement of sixty (60) Primer Feed Mechanism (PFM) Tray Assemblies and sixty (60) PFM Body Assemblies to support M777A2 LW155 Howitzer Systems for the United States. The period of performance would begin 01 October 2014.

b. The type of funds contemplated to be used for this procurement are FY14

Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicle funding.

c. An Acquisition Plan is not applicable as this requirement does not meet the dollar threshold prescribed in Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 207.103(d)(i)(B)

3. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES:

a. In 2005, the contract for the full-rate production of the PFM was solicited on a full and open competition basis. The winning offeror was HTD Aerospace, now known as Triumph Actuation Systems - Connecticut, Inc., Bloomfield, Connecticut.

b. While a very experienced producer of high tolerance aircraft parts, Triumph struggled for the first two years of the contract. After an enormous amount of work by both government personnel and Triumph, there was finally success in manufacturing the component parts as well as integrating them. Since that time, Triumph has improved to the point that they are successfully meeting their schedule with quality parts which meet the Government’s requirements for this item. In June 2009 an order was issued resulting in prohibiting the firing of M232A1 Charge-5H on the M777A2. This restriction was a result of significantly degraded reliability of the PFM and the breech mechanism while firing the M232A1 Charge-5H during testing from September 2008 through April 2009.

The resulting damage of PFM components causes misfires and can "deadline" the M777-series towed howitzer within less than fifty (50) rounds. As a result, the Modular Artillery Charge System (MACS) Mitigation Initiative (MMI) was initiated

9. INTERESTED SOURCES:

a) To date, no other sources have written to express an interest.

b) Notices required by FAR 5.201 shall be published and any bids or proposals received shall be considered.

10. OTHER FACTS:

a) Procurement History:

1) Current Contract Number: W15QKN-11-C-0103 Contractor: Triumph Actuation Systems – Connecticut, Inc Award Date: 4 February 2011 Period of Performance: 31 July 2014 Item(s): PFM Assemblies Type of Contract: Firm Fixed Price Ceiling Amount: $18,032,714.71 Competition Status: Sole Source; FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii)(A)

Summary of Paragraph 7: While a Government owned Level III TDP with associated drawings and technical data of the LW155 design is available and adequate for competition, full and open competition is not practical at this time for the follow-on procurement of 120 PFM, optional quantity of 150 PFM’s, and its associated PFM spare parts. This is the final known buy of these items and some eight years of experience has demonstrated no other firm would have the capability to successfully produce this item without two years of trial and error. As the LW155 program progresses through fielding and into sustainment, it is envisioned that specific subsystem components may be broken out for spare parts acquisition. Such decisions would be made after an analysis on a case-by-case basis. It is also contemplated that technology insertions and other upgrades will be pursued for the LW155 following full-rate production. This includes the eventual replacement of the PFM with a laser ignition system which would eliminate the need for the extremely tight tolerance PFM metal parts. This development and future production of the laser ignition system will be competed to the maximum extent possible.

In 2011, the sole source procurement was believed to be the last known buy of the legacy configuration Primer Feed Mechanisms, however circumstances changed. At the time it was anticipated that the MMI Configuration would be implemented as the PFM configuration on the howitzer, it was not anticipated that technical problems would arise to necessitate the procurement of additional legacy configuration Primer Feed Mechanisms.

d) Subcontracting Competition:

Subcontracting competition by the prime contractor will be maximized by the Contracting Officer through publication of the solicitation notice required by FAR

5.201 and the contract will include FAR Clause 52.244-5 entitled “Competition in Subcontracting.”