Extended Temperature Range Absolute Encoder

Added: Mar 14, 2014 2:16 pm This is a Notice of Proposed Contract Action under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures (FAR 13) and Other Than Full and Open Competition (FAR 6.302-1)   Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. This notice is for information only; a solicitation will not be issued. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTATION. No contract will be awarded on the basis of offers received in response to this notice. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 423690 with a small business size standard of 500 employees.

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 intends to negotiate a sole source contract with BEI Sensors, 7230 Hollister Ave., Goleta, CA 93117.

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.

This is a notice of proposed contract action and not a request for competitive proposals; however, all responsible sources may submit a capability statement or proposal, which shall be considered by the agency. All inquiries should be sent by email to Andrey.Selyuzhitskiy@us.af.mil. Responses must be submitted by the date/time listed on the notice. Any response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government in future procurements.

Responses received will be evaluated; however a determination by the Government not to compete the proposed procurement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The Government anticipates an award date on or before 4 April 2014.

A Sole Source Justification will be attached to the subsequent Notice of Award.