Extended Temperature Range Absolute Encoder

This award derives from the Proposed Contract Action (FA8751-14-Q-0168). Award was made under FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures and Other Than Full and Open Competition (FAR 6.302-1) authority. A redacted Justification and Approval (J&A) document is attached to this notice.

AFRL requires 15 extended temperature range absolute optical encoders for use on the outdoor antenna positioner systems at the Newport Research Site. These devices will be part of the systems that feed positioner location data (azimuth and elevation) to the data acquisition systems.

The same encoders were purchased in 2013 as they were the only encoders available that met the extended temperature range for the AFRL requirement -40 degrees Celsius to 90 degrees Celsius. After the purchase additional electronics had to be designed and built, along with significant software development, to integrate the encoders into existing data acquisition systems.

The Government has determined that no other source can meet the requirement as if other than the specified encoders are purchased than the government must reinvest the time and cost to redevelop the hardware and software to interface to this device. Furthermore, months of additional testing will be required to substantiate the viability of any new encoder. Such that this substantial duplication of cost is not expected to be recovered through competition.