JATEN16637Redacted.pdf

Control No: JA-TEN-16-637

Contractor: Brand Name Justification VISLINK

Program/Equipment: Video Telemetry System

Version – MAY 2016 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

JUSTIFICATION REVIEW DOCUMENT

FAR SUBPART 13.5 SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL

ITEMS – SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

Program/Equipment: US Army Aberdeen Test Center (ATC) located at Aberdeen

Proving Ground Maryland, requires the purchase Video Telemetry Systems HDX100, HDX1100 Aircraft Transmitter & L2174 Diversity Receivers

Authority: Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items, 41 U.S.C. 1901 as implemented by FAR Subpart 13.5.

Amount:

Prepared by:

Contracting Officer:

Technical:

Requirements:

Reviews: I have reviewed this justification and find it adequate to support sole source.

Chief, Automotive Instrumentation Division:

Signature: Date:

FAR Subpart 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items –

Brand Name Justification and Approval

1. Contracting Activity: Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground, Tenant Contracting Division (ACC-APG, TD), 6001 Combat Drive Aberdeen Proving

Ground, Maryland 21005-1846.

2. Description of Action: US Army Aberdeen Test Center (ATC) located at Aberdeen Proving

Ground Maryland requests a firm fixed price purchase order to purchase five (5) Video Telemetry Systems Aircraft Transmitters HDX100 HDX1100 and three (3) L1700 and Diversity Receiver

Systems, as stated in Paragraph 3, specifying manufacture brand name VISLINK, 101 Billerica Ave, Building 6, North Billerica, MA 01862. The Government projects award for September 2016 and Research and Development 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).

3. Description of Supplies/Services: The ACC-APG TD in support of ATC, intends to purchase Brand Name VISLINK high definition video telemetry systems with the following Part Numbers:

(P/N’s HDX-1100C2, HDX-1100, 9000372, 907621-6, HDX-MPEG2-OPT, 9003699, CO470-11, L2174, 9004926, 9004925, 9004927, L9565, L9564, L9553, L3025-4450, L9972, L3025, 9003698, 9003651, ASSY RG6, L1700, 9016171, PA unit, DPA3-ASSY-7065. The specific items designated by the part numbers are required because they are the necessary components of the systems. The systems will be used for transmission of HD video signals from direct fire test vehicles, critical to the safety of the test and for engineering evaluations of the fire control systems.

4. Authority Cited: Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items, 41 U.S.C. 1901 as implemented by FAR Subpart 13.5, restricting consideration to an item peculiar to one manufacturer. Proprietary design/equipment, brand-name product, peculiar to one manufacturer.

Substantial duplication of cost to the Government, which is not expected to be recovered through competition.

5. Reason for Authority Cited: US Army Aberdeen Test Center (ATC) requires five (5) Video

Telemetry Systems Aircraft Transmitters HDX100 HDX1100 and three (3) L1700 and Diversity Receiver Systems, manufacture brand name VISLINK. The systems will be used for transmission of HD video signals from direct fire test vehicles, critical to the safety of the test and for engineering evaluations of the fire control systems. The Government owns existing VISLINK high definition telemetry systems, owned and operated by Aberdeen Test Center that satisfies all of the unique direct fire testing demands. Additional identical systems are required to fully support upcoming tests and to facilitate the government migration of its telemetry operations out of upper L band due to the outcome of AWS-3. Only VISLINK can manufacture an identical system to the ones already in use. The VISLINK system is the only one capable of meeting the environmental rigors of military testing. The VISLINK systems provide real-time sight and weapon pointing assessments by fire control test personnel. Without adequate VISLINK equipment, these critical assessments cannot be made in a timely fashion. Lack of these VISLINK assets can result in safety incidents, where tank crew actions cannot be quickly monitored and possibly corrected by the test team before any rounds are fired downrange. ATC is currently supporting the Abrams SEPv3 and Bradley ECP2 test programs with VISLINK equipment, albeit without any spares. Suspending operations to accommodate an alternative solution is totally unacceptable to the program managers and their test schedules. The ACAT I programs cannot be delayed by such events, without catastrophic fiscal ramifications. Also these additional VISLINK assets are required in support of the STRYKER 30mm program.

There are not enough VISLINK assets currently on hand to properly equip the Abrams SEPv3, Bradley ECP2 and STRYKER 30mm test vehicles simultaneously. The VISLINK system is the only one capable of fully supporting not only h.264 but also MPEG2 high definition video low delay encoding. The VISLINK system is also the only one capable of transmitting two standard definition videos simultaneously. Full interoperability of the equipment with the existing systems is imperative to maintain the ATC op tempo. Other vendors of telemetry equipment do not have the low latency HD video capability required by ATC. Purchase of incompatible systems from another manufacturer will result in lost test time, test delays and possibly safety issues due to lack of interoperability with existing VISLINK equipment at the test sites. Delays and unacceptable additional cost estimated to be approximately $500,000 would also be incurred upon the government to rework existing test fixtures, to rewrite a complete specification package and cabling designed, which work specifically with the VISLINK system. Test fixtures and electrical harnesses are now in place that are specifically designed for the VISLINK units. These are crucial requirements of the government that can only be satisfied by the VISLINK brand product.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: VISLINK is the sole manufacturer their proprietary specific and high definition video telemetry system. However, VISLINK has authorized re-sellers across the Continental United States. This procurement is being competed as a brand name VISLINK on FEDBIZOPPS, with solicitation W91ZLK-16-T-0207. The additional systems can only be performed and accomplished by the VISLINK brand.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: The Aberdeen Test Center and the Contracting office will continuously conduct market research to see if there are any new products being introduced to the market that can better suit the Army’s needs. If a new product is introduced that can better suit the

Army’s need, research will be done to determine if it is cost effective to procure for future efforts.

Every effort will be made to compete to the maximum extent possible and to increase competition before any subsequent acquisition of the future equipment. Market trends of this type of equipment are tracked by ATC throughout the year.

8. Market Research: Extensive market research was conducted by ATC Electronic Engineer and ACC-APG TD Contracting Officer within the past few months. Market research consisted of reviewing applicable periodicals, trade show brochures and the internet using a search on high definition video transmitters. Also GSA Advantage Website was utilized, to conduct market research. The market research concluded that the VISLINK products are the only ones capable of meeting the needs of the government and are the only ones compatible with the existing units owned and successfully operated by the government.

9. Interested Sources: To date, no other sources have written to express interest in the acquisition.

10. Other Facts: Procurement History

(1) Contract numbers and dates of the last several contracts for these same requirements.

W91ZLK-14-P-0550 brand name or equal awarded 18 September 2014, W91ZLK-15-P-0197 brand name awarded 11 June 2015

(2) VISLINK is the sole manufacturer of this specific high definition video telemetry system.

VISLINK has authorized re-sellers across the Continental United States.

(3) VISLINK equipment procured in the past satisfied the needs of ATC for a ruggedized, low latency HD video transmission system operating in lower C band (4400MHz – 4900MHz).

The VISLINK systems have worked well. The needs of the government for this type of equipment has not changed since this initial procurement, but the rise in workload and continued desire to migrate from standard definition to high definition video as well as moving operations from upper L band to C, require additional interoperable assets to be obtained.

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.

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.

Typed Name: Date: 23 August 2016

Title: Electronics Engineer Signature:

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. The basis for this determination used to determine fair and reasonable price will be price analysis, IGCE and competition.

Typed Name: Date:

Title: Contracting Officer Signatur

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

Typed Name: Date:

Title: Contracting Officer Signature

Typed Name: Date: 23 August 2016