A02 - M7A3 CS Slugs Sole Source Justification 20JUN2025 CCS_signed_Redacted.pdf

CUI

Control No: 25-XXX

Contractor: Defense Technologies Supply/Service: Fuel Mix Slugs for the M7A3 Grenade

Est Dollar Value:

JUSTIFICATION REVIEW DOCUMENT

FOR LIMITED SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

Supply/Service: Fuel Mix Slugs for M7A3 Grenade

Authority: Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1(a)

Prepared by: Jamon I. Thomas PN: (520) 715-1210 Contract Specialist Email: jamon.i.thomas.civ@army.mil

Contracting Officer: Nathanial S. Tutor PN: (570) 693-1285 Contracting Officer Email: nathanial.s.tutor.civ@army.mil

Reviews: I have reviewed this justification and find it adequate to support limiting competition.

Controlled by: Army Contracting Command – Rock Island / OQB CUI Category: BUDG, PROCURE, PROPIN Distribution Statement: FED ONLY POC: Nathanial S. Tutor, nathanial.s.tutor.civ@army.mil, (520) 693-1285

Contractor: Defense Technologies Supply/Service: Fuel Mix Slugs for the M7A3 Grenade

Est Dollar Value:

Department of the Army Limited Source Justification

Order under General Services Administration Multiple Award Schedules

1. Contracting Activity: U.S. Army Contracting Command – Rock Island (ACC-RI), Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, IL 61299-8000.

2. Description of Action: The Project Manager – Close Combat Systems requests a procurement with Defense Technology LLC (Def Tech) (Cage 04WZ5) for CS/Fuel/Oxidizer Mix Slugs in support of the M7A3 CS Grenade program. The slugs contain a respiratory irritant called o-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (CS), and the program/grenade name is commonly referred to as the M7A3 CS Grenade. The CS/Fuel/Oxidizer mix slugs are commercially available, and ACC-RI will execute this action as a sole source procurement to Defense Technology LLC. ACC-RI projects award for United Sates Marine Corp (USMC) funds will be used. An acquisition plan is not required because this procurement does not meet the threshold at Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement 207.103(d)(i)(B).

The Government has never procured this CS/fuel/oxidizer mix in “slug” configuration.

The last CS military specification pellet procurement would have occurred in the 1992 timeframe when PBA last produced this grenade. After the unavailability of the military specification CS pellets was discovered during the recent technical data package certification, DEVCOM AC and DEVCOM CBC began to investigate commercial payload alternatives. This CS/fuel/oxidizer slug configuration produced by Defense Technology was found through experimentation by DEVCOM CBC to be an acceptable alternative to the military specification payload containing the now unavailable military specification CS pellets, fuel and oxidizer.

3. Description of Supplies/Services Description of Supplies/Services:

The CS portion of the CS/Fuel/Oxidizer Mix Slugs is the key component within the M7A3 Grenade which vaporizes and condenses in the atmosphere creating the CS cloud of respiratory irritant when employed against hostile forces in support of USMC requirement for ~17K M7A3 CS Riot Control Grenade (DODIC: G963) to be .

M7A3 CS Riot Control Grenade is a burning grenade that outputs a respiratory irritant called o-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (CS), is built with the same metal parts as the M18/M83 Smoke Grenade and utilizes the M201A1 fuze. The grenade disperses irritant for while the solid CS fill is vaporized and condenses in the atmosphere. Each grenade is filled with ~ 300 grams of CS and pyrotechnic mix.

CS/Fuel/Oxidizer Mix Slugs are utilized within local Law Enforcement and Government Agencies for Riot and Crowd Control. It is also utilized in research facilities and industrial/commercial use such as synthesis of certain medicines, lubricants, and

Contractor: Defense Technologies Supply/Service: Fuel Mix Slugs for the M7A3 Grenade

Est Dollar Value:

photosensitive emulsions. The CS/Fuel/Oxidizer Mix Slugs is a commercial component that will make up a part of the M7A3 CS Riot Control Grenade.

The proposed task order will include a base period of performance from as well as one evaluated option. PM-CCS estimates a dollar value of , inclusive of all options, based on the Independent Government Estimate.

4. Authority Cited: FAR 6.302-1(a). Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized.

5. Reason for Authority Cited:

In summarization, due to the following reasons:

Market Research accomplishments through experimentation and analysis with the

Def Tech CS / Fuel Mix Slug configuration Commercial availability Lack of responses from industry Financial budget

Def Tech is the only source of a Commercially available CS/Fuel/Oxidizer Mix Slugs that will allow the USG to achieve the requirements of the M7A3 CS program and meet Customer Required Delivery Date (CRDD) for the USMC.

Contractor: Defense Technologies Supply/Service: Fuel Mix Slugs for the M7A3 Grenade

Est Dollar Value:

6. Market Research:

To meet specifications and find sources of military specification CS pellets, ACC-RI posted a Sources Sought announcement to SAM.gov and subsequently extended the announcement four (4) times to generate responses:

Initial: 02 Sep 2022 Extension 1: 23 Sep 2022 Extension 2: 14 Oct 2022

Extension 3: 11 Nov 2022 Extension 4: 26 Nov 2022

Zero (0) responses were received for all announcements/subsequent extensions posted.

In parallel, the IPT began reaching out to known CS suppliers via email and phone calls:

To further market research efforts and evaluate existing CS pellets available in the marketplace, the IPT ordered CS pellet samples from Def Tech on 31 Oct 2022.

After learning the Def Tech CS pellets are not made to the military specification, the IPT requested information from the vendors listed above for facilitation to produce sugar-coated CS pellets. Responses were received as follows:

The IPT determined that facilitation of Def Tech or to meet Government specifications was not within budget availability and not in the best interest of the Government. Furthermore, CSI was only willing to provide Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) tactical CS grenades, which would NOT meet Government environmental and storage requirements.

In March 2023, the Chemical Biological Center (CBC) in Edgewood, MD received and tested the CS pellet samples from Def Tech. Initial testing of the Def Tech CS pellets in M7A3 CS grenades yielded a longer burn time (almost double) than expected. It was learned that the CS pellets from Def Tech also include fuel and oxidizer in the mix.

While fuel and oxidizer are necessary during CS grenade assembly, they are traditionally separate ingredients in the production process.

Market research discussions continued with Def Tech and an onsite facility visit was conducted in September 2023. During this site visit, the IPT discovered a second form

Contractor: Defense Technologies Supply/Service: Fuel Mix Slugs for the M7A3 Grenade

Est Dollar Value:

factor of CS: CS / Fuel / Oxidizer Mix Slug. The CS / Fuel / Oxidizer Mix Slug is a pressed, donut shaped configuration.

The IPT ordered samples of the CS / Fuel / Oxidizer Mix Slug as well as CS / Fuel / Oxdizer Mix pellets to conduct side by side comparative testing. This comparative testing was completed in , with the CS /Fuel / Oxidizer Mix Slug configuration demonstrating favorable results in all categories: handling, assembly, lag time to start burning, and overall burn time.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: The Government will continue to assess market conditions and capabilities related to CS format and availability.

8. Procurement History: These CS / Fuel Mix Slugs have not been previously procured by the Government.