Connector plug assembly - sole source

Combined Synopsis and Solicitation

This is a combined synopsis and solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6 –Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Items, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotations are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation will be posted for less than fifteen (15) days in accordance with FAR 5.203(a)(2). 

Request for Quote (RFQ) number is N6660425Q0416.

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport (NUWCDIVNPT) intends to award a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) purchase order to Ametek SCP Inc. on a Sole Source basis in accordance with FAR 13-106-1(b) for Connector Plug Assembly.  The notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the agency. Information received will normally be considered for the purposes of determining whether to conduct a competitive requirement in the future.  

Required delivery is a period of performance 10 days ADC.

This procurement is unrestricted as concurred with by the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport (NUWCDIVNPT) Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) and Small Business Administration Procurement Center Representative (SBA PCR). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 334417. The Small Business Size Standard is 1,000 Employees. 

Incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through the most current Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC). 

The following clauses and provisions apply to this solicitation:

- FAR 52.209-11, Representation by Corporations Regarding Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction under any Federal Law (FEB 2016)

-           FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors--Commercial Products and Commercial Services

-           FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation – Commercial Items;

-           FAR 52.212-3 ALT 1 – Offeror Representations and Certifications – Commercial Items Alternate 1

-           FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions--Commercial Items;

-           FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items;

The following DFARS clauses apply to this solicitation:

252.204-7008, Compliance with Safeguarding Covered Defense Information Controls 252.204- 7009, Limitations on the Use or Disclosure of Third-Party Contractor Reported Cyber Incident  Information

252.204-7012, Safeguarding Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting  252.204-7015, Notice of Authorized Disclosure of Information for Litigation Support

252.204-7018, Prohibition on the Acquisition of Covered Defense Telecommunications Equipment or Services apply to this solicitation. 

Full text of incorporated FAR/DFARS clauses and provisions are may be accessed electronically at https://acquisition.gov/far/ and https://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/dars/dfarspgi/current/index.html.

The use in this solicitation of any Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR Chapter 1) clause with an authorized deviation is indicated by the addition of “(Deviation)” after the date of the clause.  

Payment will be via Procurement Integrity Enterprise Environment (PIEE) (formerly known as Wide Area Workflow (WAWF)).  

This solicitation requires an active registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to award, pursuant to applicable regulations and guidelines. Registration information can be found at www.sam.gov. 

For information on this acquisition contact Jennifer Vatousiou at jennifer.m.vatousiou.civ@us.navy.mil .   

The Submarine Electromagnetic Systems Program Office (PMS435) has tasked the Electronic Warfare (EW) Program with procuring, testing, and installing Multifunction Modular Mast (MMM) Payloads. NUWCDIVNPT, Code 34 supports this effort by integrating and testing these payloads before fleet delivery as part of fleet modernization. This requires procuring a specialized connector assembly from AMETEK to integrate into a test stand, ensuring payload functionality prior to fleet delivery. These connector assemblies are essential for testing during platform installation of the payloads and it would cause significant delays for the fleet should the payloads fail during that time.

The connector assembly, PN: CPA6429, is manufactured solely by AMETEK SCP. The connector mates to the Multifunction Modular Mast (MMM) which has a specialized blind mate connector that is program of record. This connector has undergone rigorous environmental and electrical testing and has received approval from NAVSEA Approval Letter 4720, Serial 392D31/0188, Dated 26 May 2022.

This procurement is sole-source because AMETEK SCP manufactures the specialized program of record mast interface. Redesigning the mast to accommodate a different interface would incur multimillion-dollar costs and significant schedule delays, impacting fleet readiness. The connector assembly drawings are proprietary to AMETEK SCP. Procuring an alternative would necessitate a costly and time-consuming redesign of the mast, requiring new environmental and electrical approvals. Furthermore, switching manufacturers would require duplicative prototyping, testing, and potential redesign, similar to the initial development process with AMETEK. This would result in significant cost and schedule impacts, as detailed in the table below.

These additional costs and schedule delays would significantly impact the MMM Payload program and ultimately hinder fleet modernization efforts.  Therefore, procuring these specific connector assemblies from AMETEK is critical for meeting program objectives and maintaining fleet readiness.

Based on the above, it is not reasonable to conclude the potential savings from competition can offset the duplicative cost and schedule/mission impact associated with purchasing a new brand name product. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the government to solicit this requirement on a sole source only basis.