A03_-_Simplified_Acquisition_Sole_Source_Justification_-_Redacted.pdf

Control No: JA-19-Adel-042

Contractor: Renishaw

Supply/Service: AM 400 Laser Powder Bed Fusion System

MAPAPP Version – November 2015

Last adjusted by Adelphi on 1/10/2017

JUSTIFICATION REVIEW DOCUMENT FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

FAR PART 13 SIMPfLIFIED ACQUISITION JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR

OTHER THAN

FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Program/Equipment: One (1) AM 400 Laser Powder Bed Fusion System

Authority: 41 U.S.C. 1901(e)(2), implemented by FAR 13.501(a) -- Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

F 16.505(a)(4) – Restricting consideration to an item peculiar to one manufacturer.

Amount: $ 754,083.00

{Redacted}

Reviews: I have reviewed this justification and find it adequate to support other than full and open competition.

Program Manager:

X

Program Manager

Legal Counsel:

Legal Counsel

Supply/Service: AM 400 Laser Powder Bed Fusion System

Version – November 2015

JUSTIFICATION REVIEW DOCUMENT FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

FAR PART 13 SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR

OTHER THAN

FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity: Adelphi Contracting Division, Army Contracting Command- Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG), 2800 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD 20783.

2. Description of Action: The U.S. Army Research Laboratory’s (ARL), Weapons and Materials Research Directorate (WMRD), Materials Manufacturing Technology Branch (MMTB) requests a firm fixed price (FFP) type contract to procure one (1) AM 400 Laser Powder Bed Fusion System manufactured by Renishaw, Inc. 1001 Weseman Drive, West Dundee, IL 60118. The Government projects award for this requirement no later than April 2019 and fiscal year 2019 Army Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) funds will be used.

_X_ An acquisition plan is not required because this procurement either does not meet the threshold at Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement 207.103(d)(i), or is an R&D acquisition and does not meet the definition of services in 10 U.S.C. 2330(c)(2).

3. Description of Supplies/Services:

The Weapons and Materials Research Directorate (WMRD)’s Materials Manufacturing Technology Branch (MMTB) requires critical capabilities for the planning, assessing and conducting of applied research programs to develop innovative print production, processing, manufacturing and repair technologies. {Redacted}

{Redacted}

The Renishaw manufactured 3D Printer goes by the tradename: AM 400 Laser Power Bed Infusion System which has these salient characteristics/specifications:

• Minimum build area of 250 millimeters (mm) in width by 250 mm in length by 300 mm in height in order to produce demonstration components for combat vehicles.

• Thermal energy source of a 400 watt (W) Ytterbium (YB) fiber laser that can rapidly melt metallic materials, with melting temperatures, up to 3000 degrees.

• The option to use a self-contained vendor approved adapter kit that requires less than one (1) liter (L) of powder to operate. This capability is required in order to maximize research flexibility in the cases where feedstock powders are generated in small, less than < one (1) liter, laboratory scale batches.

• A build chamber that has an open architecture platform and possesses a front-end glove box style handling system for safe recovery and cleaning of parts after they are built, as well as manipulating tools inside the chamber while under an inert atmosphere.

Supply/Service: AM 400 Laser Powder Bed Fusion System

Version – November 2015

• Laser beam modulated to possess a modulation control for maximizing process design flexibility and linkages with numerical process models that can optimize the process to minimize residual stresses, distortions, and defects in parts.

• Focus diameter in 70 micrometers, which the Government requires to produce high resolution components possessing features with sub 100 micron features sizes.

Shipment to Government sixteen (16) weeks after receipt of order (ARO)

Estimated cost is as follows:

AM 400 Laser Powder Bed Fusion System: $593,639.00 Accessories/Installation/Warranty: $160,444.00 Total Value: $754,083.00

4. Authority Cited:

41 U.S.C. 1901(e) (2), implemented by FAR 13.501(a) -- Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

5. Reason for Authority Cited:

WMRD MMTB requires special and unique 3D printing capability in order to maximize their research flexibility. With various requirements presented from soldiers requiring equipment adaptation, reproduction, and/ or repair, there is a need of specific printing technology of which only Renishaw, Inc. has currently available, specifically with their AM 400 Laser Powder Bed Fusion System. This is a 3D printer that provides the option to use a self-contained adapter kit that requires less than one (1) liter (L) of powder to operate. It also has a build chamber that possesses the front-end glove box style handling system for safe recovery and cleaning of parts after they are built. This front end box style allows the ability to manipulate tools inside the chamber while under an inert atmosphere that can minimize residual stresses, distortions, and defects in parts.

MMTB has found that the Renishaw AM 400 model has a laser beam that possesses modulation control for maximizing process design flexibility and linkages with numerical process models that can be optimized during the printing process.

Alternative solutions were reviewed and considered, however other manufacturers’ equipment does not provide modulated laser control, open architecture platform for modification of process parameters and integration of in-situ process monitoring equipment, or flexibility for multiple size build platforms within a single machine.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition:

Supply/Service: AM 400 Laser Powder Bed Fusion System

Version – November 2015

In an effort to promote competition, the Government posted a sole source synopsis solicitation on 24 October 2018 to announce to the public of the Government’s requirement for a 3d printer meeting the required specifications listed above in Section3.

There were no submission of proposals received as a result of this posting. However, three small business firms that were under the socio-economic classifications of:

8(a), Service Disabled/Veteran Owned, HUBZone, Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned, Woman-Owned, and General Small Business were contacted on 01/29/2019 to gauge their ability to fill the requirement. Despite eighteen (18) companies being contacted, no company responded with the ability to meet the requirement.

7. Actions to Increase Competition:

ARL will continue to survey the marketplace for potential 3D printer manufacturers that can fulfill the Governments requirement. Any identified sources will be sought after for competitive interest for a resulting follow-on requirement in the future. Small business will continue to be notified of requirements of this nature through email and phone inquiries based on searches of the Small Business Administration’s database. In the future the Government will seek to publish a sources sought synopsis that will display salient characteristics of the 3D printer requirements and pursue an unrestricted procurement to identify both small and large prospective offerors in the 3D printer market. For actual competition to exist other 3D printers would need to increase their ability to operate on lower feedstock powder, increase their fiber laser temperature, and have a larger build area with front glove box entrance capability. Currently only Renishaw, Inc. has the only available 3D printer meeting all of these requirements.

8. Market Research:

Market research was conducted from May of 2017 through July of 2018. Market research was performed by searching the General Supply Schedule (GSA) website, reviewed published literature from Rapid Prototyping, Additive Manufacturing, Journal of Materials (JOM), Advanced Materials; including price comparisons in catalogs:

http://www.3ders.org/pricecompare/3dprinters/ and the RAPID 2017 Official Show Guide 314159.

9. Interested Sources:

Manufacturer:

Renishaw, Inc.

1001 Weseman Dr.

West Dundee, Il 60118

CAGE: 3Y555

http://www.3ders.org/pricecompare/3dprinters/

Supply/Service: AM 400 Laser Powder Bed Fusion System

Version – November 2015

Authorized Reseller:

Machine Tools USA, 62 Heron Harbor Way Hudgins, VA 23076

CAGE:1CY64

10. Other Facts:

No previous procurement history is available as this is a first time buy.

Supply/Service: AM 400 Laser Powder Bed Fusion System

Version – November 2015

11. Technical Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signer’s Title: Materials Engineer

Technical Certifier (Tech)

12. Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signer’s Title: Branch Chief

Requirements Certifier

13. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination: I hereby determine that the anticipated cost or price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable.

This determination will be made using the following:

__ Cost analysis _X_ Price analysis __ Should-cost

__ IGCE

__ Audit:

__ Other:

As a part of this basis, certified cost or pricing data:

__ will be required.

_X_ will not be required and the following exception applies (FAR 15.403):

__ Prices that will be agreed upon are based on adequate price competition.

__ Prices that will be agreed upon are based on prices set by law or regulation.

_X_ A commercial item is being acquired.

__ A waiver has been granted by the head of the contracting activity (HCA) in accordance with DFARS PGI 215.403-1.

__ The contract action is a modification to a contract or subcontract for commercial item(s).

__ The estimated cost of the contract action is less than the threshold for certified cost or pricing data.

Contracting Officer (KO)

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

Contracting Officer (KO)

Approval

Based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the procurement of one (1) AM 400 Laser Powder Bed Fusion System, at the price of $754,083.00, on an other than full and open competition basis pursuant to the authority of 41 U.S.C. 1901(e) (2), subject to availability of funds, and provided that the services or supplies herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

Special Competition Advocate (SCA)

(End of Justification)