YPG JA 2025_52_Final Signed_Redacted_Final Version.pdf

This is a Justification Review Document for Sole Source acquisition under FAR 13.501 for U.S. Army Yuma Test Center (YTC) Vaisala Radiosonde supplies. The U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command-Yuma Proving Ground (MICC-YPG) seeks a Firm-Fixed-Price Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract with Vaisala Incorporated, 194 S Taylor Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027-3024, valued at $3.525 million for a five-year ordering period from November 9, 2025 through November 8, 2030. The contract will supply expendable Vaisala RS41 GPS type radiosondes (model numbers RS41-SG, RS41-SGM, and RS41-SGE) for the YTC Meteorology Team's DigiCORA Upper Air Sounding System, with maximum annual quantities of 4,000 units per year and minimum orders of 30 radiosonde units. Additional ordering capability extends to other Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) centers including White Sands Missile Range, Aberdeen Proving Ground, and Dugway Proving Ground.

The justification demonstrates that Vaisala is the only responsible source capable of satisfying the Army's requirement due to proprietary design, compatibility with existing ground station equipment, encrypted data transmission capabilities, and standardization across 26 upper air systems valued at over $2.6 million currently deployed across ATEC test ranges. The document identifies three alternatives considered (competitive acquisition, GSA schedule reorder, and competitive IDIQ) and explains why each is unacceptable, citing incompatibility issues, higher costs ($1.2 million estimated startup costs for alternative systems), and operational constraints. A Sources Sought Notice posted January 21, 2025 yielded two responses (InterMet and Graw), both technically unacceptable due to incompatibility with Vaisala ground stations and lack of encrypted radiosonde options. The Alternate Advocate for Competition approved the justification on July 16, 2025, effective award date November 2025 using Fiscal Year 2026 Research, Development, Test & Evaluation funds.