justification.docx

Control No. J&A 16-435

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

(Simplified Acquisition Procedures under FAR Part 13 Not Exceeding $650K)

1. Agency/Contracting Activity: Army Contracting Command - Aberdeen Proving Ground,

2. Description of Action:

Pricing: x Firm-Fixed Price Time & Materials Cost

For Hybrid Contracts, list percentage of each type of pricing:

Firm Fixed Price Time & Materials:

Cost:

Funds: x Operations and Maintenance, Army (OMA) Other Funds: FY16

Fiscal Year of Funds: 2016

Name of Proposed Contractor(s): Anger Associates Inc.

PO Box 369 Milford, MI 48381-0369

(248) 685-8148

3. Description of Services or Supplies:

Purchase of a robotic system that is installed in a tactical or combat, land-based, wheeled vehicle to perform precise repeatable actions and measure the performance capabilities of the vehicle. The robotic system shall consist of components to control the steering, acceleration, and braking of the vehicle by manipulating the steering wheel, accelerator pedal, and brake pedal.

a. The vehicle steering wheel robot is a device used to precisely control the steering wheel angle of a vehicle for the execution of highly-repeatable steering and handling maneuvers. The steering wheel angle profile is programmed into the controller prior to the execution of the test maneuver, and the robot uses a feedback loop to sense and adjust steer angle to meet the profile. Vehicle speed and other vehicle response data signals can be interpreted by the controller and used as criteria for starting or stopping the maneuver. The controller also outputs the steering wheel angle and torque at periodic time intervals.

b. The vehicle pedal robot is a device used to precisely control the accelerator and brake pedals of a vehicle. The brake pedal can be controlled by pre-programming pedal position or application force profiles in open loop mode (i.e. the pedal is applied without regard to vehicle response) or it can be controlled in a closed-loop mode (vehicle in the loop) by sensors external to the robot, such as vehicle acceleration or brake system pressure. The accelerator pedal can be similarly controlled by an open-loop position profile or by a closed-loop vehicle speed profile. Vehicle speed and other vehicle response data signals can be interpreted by the controller and used as criteria for starting or stopping the maneuver. The controller also outputs the brake pedal position and force at periodic time intervals.

c. The steering wheel robot and the pedal robot can be combined into an integrated system which can control the speed and direction of a vehicle for the purposes of conducting highly-repeatable objective dynamic testing. Testing can be conducted in an open-loop configuration, where vehicle inputs are made without regard to the resulting reaction of the vehicle. Additionally, available systems offer path-following capability, allowing the vehicle to be tested on defined courses or paths with a level of consistency not attainable by a human driver. Because the systems are controlled by a single point, the steering wheel and pedal robots must be from like-manufacturers to be used in conjunction.

4. Authority: FAR 6.302-1. Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, 10 USC 2304(c)(1).

5. Reasons for Authority Cited:

a. Nearly all currently-available commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) steering controllers are designed for high-rate, low-torque testing for passenger cars or high-torque, low-rate power steering failure testing of passenger cars and heavy trucks. The dynamic testing of medium and heavy tactical vehicles conducted by ATC requires a combination of high steering rate and moderately high steering torque. Additionally, the armored tactical vehicles that ATC tests have interior environments that are dissimilar from passenger vehicles. As a result, some of the steering robots that are currently available, such as those that give significant design consideration to preserving air bag functionality and mount behind the steering wheel, would not be easily or efficiently adaptable to the vehicles that ATC tests. Anthony Best Dynamics (ABD) offers the only steering robot identified by market research as being adequately specified. ABD is the sole manufacturer of the SR60 steering robot. Anger Associates is the US supplier for ABD.

b. Two manufacturers offer steering robots and pedal robots which can be combined to form an integrated driving robot, but the robots cannot be combined across differing manufacturers. Because the ABD SR60-Omni(2) is the only suitable steering robot for ATC’s needs, the pedal robot must also be sourced from ABD.

c. If this sole source justification is not approved, the ability of ATC to continue testing electronic stability control compliance will continue to be limited by the rate and torque capabilities of the currently-fielded steering robot. ATC will also be unable to conduct a variety of tests which require a vehicle pedal robot or the coordination of a steering wheel robot and a pedal robot.

d. There is a reasonable basis to conclude that the agency’s minimum needs can only be satisfied by unique supplies available from only one source.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: A detailed search of the World Wide Web was conducted to identify vehicle steering wheel and brake pedal controllers. Vendor brochures were acquired and a list of standard and available features were compiled. Salesmen from each vendor were contacted. Vendors provided recommendations to meet AID’s requirements and details about each recommended system.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: Vehicle steering wheel and pedal robots are highly-specialized systems. There are only three known companies that manufacture steering and pedal robots of any specification, to include Heitz Automotive Testing, Anthony Best Dynamics, and Vehico. ATC researched offerings from all three manufacturers.

This acquisition is a one-time action. If a future need arises for a steering wheel or pedal robot, each company (or any company which develops an applicable product) will be considered.