ACC-WRN-16-2062.doc

Department of the Army Limited Source Justification for Purchases under $150,000 Purchase Request #: 0010871068

1. Contracting Activity: The Army Contracting Command-Warren (ACC-WRN) is the procuring activity for this action.

2. Description of the Supply or Service Purchased: The Center for Military History (CMH) currently has a requirement to procure an M1860 Henry Rifle (Serial Number: 3355) and a US 3-inch Ordnance Rifle on a full-scale reproduction carriage, number 1. This is a display requirement for the National Museum of the US Army (NMUSA). The rifle is designated for NMUSA Case 06.02.02.05, “Maintaining the Force,” which deals with maintaining troop strength and discussed the creation of the Invalid/Veteran Reserve Corps. The brass-framed Henry rifle serial # 3355 is one of only some 14,000 Henry rifles manufactured between 1860 and 1866. From the Winchester Firearms records, this early Henry was produced in the last quarter of 1863 at the New Haven Arms Co. facility in New Haven, Connecticut. The brass frame has wonderfully delicate after-market engraving on both sides. Of the 24 Henry rifles known to exist with similar engraving 13 are identified to members of Company B, 3rd U. S. Veteran Volunteers. This regiment was formed in 1865 for one-year service in General Hancock’s 1st Veteran Army Corps. Private Lewis Reibrecht of Company B, 3rd U.S. Veteran Volunteers is believed to be the individual who did all the engravings as so many engraved Henry rifles belonged to members of one particular company. The interesting thing about Reibrect’s work is that though each weapon has some of the same decoration he used different symbols on each weapon to help set it apart. It should here be pointed out that the men of the 3rd U.S.V.V. were given ownership of the Henry rifles issued to them by the Government as a further incentive to enlist. Therefore the after-market engraving was tolerated. This is not only a rare Civil War weapon identified to a regiment but it is also a work of fine art.

The proposed source of the procurement is:

The Horse Soldier 219 Steinwehr Avenue Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325 (717)334-0347

(717)334-5016

Email: infot@horsesoldier.com

Cage Code: 0RTH2

DUNS: 624428587

3. Dollar Amount: The estimated total purchase price is $100,000.00. The type of funds is Fiscal Year 16 Operation and Maintenance, Army (OMA).

4. Authority Cited: The authority permitting other than full and open competition is FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) under the caption “Soliciting from a Single Source, for purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, which permits the Contracting Officer to solicit from one source if the Contracting Officer determines that only one source is reasonably available based on the circumstances of the procurement.”

5. Reason for Authority Cited: Finding specific rare historic objects is no easy task. The term “rare” implies there are very few; a dilemma when obtaining rare objects within a Collections Content Plan and Scope of Collections. In general, the number of collections containing rare historic objects, in particular collections containing firearms and associated items, are not known to the general public and limited to a very small number for the following reason:

a. The availability of individual items are very low in numbers. Demand is high among very few people which drive up competition to obtain the individual items.

b. The cost of individual items is exceptionally high.

c. The high historic and monetary values make them targets of criminals.

As these rifles relate to individual Soldiers, and each rifle cannot be duplicated, the rifle has “provenance.”

Provenance is a fundamental principle of archivists worldwide and an accepted standard of the Society of American Archivists. Provenance refers to an individual, family, or organization that created or received items in a collection. Original order is a fundamental principle of archives. The main purpose of maintaining records in original order is that it preserves existing relationships and evidential significance that can be inferred from the context of the records. The Center of Military History cannot adequately interpret US Army history without provenanced items. Due to the age of the artifacts, there are even fewer examples known to exist.

6. Market Research: A curator at the United States Army Center of Military History conducted market research to establish the fair market values of each item. Internet searches were conducted in April 2016.

7. The POC for this action is Dieter Stanger: dieter.stenger.civ@mail.mil or (703)805-7476.

8. Technical Certification: I certify this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Name: Dieter Stenger Title: Curator Signature:

Date: 20160609

9. Contracting Officer Certification: I certify this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Name: Richard Harris Title: PCO

Signature: //signed-RH// Date: 09 August 2016

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