Notice of Intent to Award Sole Source - Teledyne Webb Research

Notice of Intent to Award Sole Source

NAVOCEANO intends to NON-COMPETITIVELY award a firm fixed price contract for below referenced supply requirement per FAR 13.501(a). No additional solicitation will be issued. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency within 5 calendar days after the date of this notice. 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.

Requirement: The Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) has a requirement to procure Maritime Acoustic Collection and Ocean Sampling (MACOS) batteries, payload bays and other maintenance items to support glider operations. Teledyne Webb is the only authorized reseller of MACOS batteries and payload bays.

Intended Source: Teledyne Webb Research

Rationale for non-competitive award: The Maritime Acoustic Collection and Ocean Sampling (MACOS) glider system, a system designed by US Navy’s Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC), is a data collection system used by NP5 to collect sub-bottom data and ambient noise. For the MACOS glider, NIWC utilized parts that are exclusively manufactured by Teledyne Webb. NP5 requires MACOS batteries and parts to support the MACOS glider system as part of its survey mission to deploy the MACOS glider.

All electronic components and materials of the MACOS glider system are proprietary and cannot be replaced with after-market parts or generic parts. Teledyne Webb is the only principle source for parts. The MACOS glider units are a highly complex system that contains specialized hardware and software. Only proprietary certified Teledyne Webb parts can safely be used to repair and maintain the MACOS systems. Any other manufactured parts are not compatible with the MACOS systems and would cause fatal malfunctions and destroy the operability of the MACOS systems. Thereby, ceasing all mission capabilities. NP51 requires these parts to repair and maintain the MACOS gliders and to ensure that the Acoustic Surveys occur without fault, procurement of the necessary replacement parts is key. 

Failure to acquire these parts will eliminate NP5's ability to collect sub-bottom data with the MACOS glider. This will impact the HFBL and ambient noise databases that are used by the naval community to help predict detection and counter detection of both surface and submarine threats directly resulting in the possibility of loss of U.S. Naval vessels. No alternative solution exists. No other vendor provides the capabilities needed to repair and maintain the MACOS glider systems that will generate seismic data for upload to HFBL and ambient noise databases. The affects described above will impact all fleet operations and mission areas including Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Mine Warfare (MIW), Naval Special Warfare (NSW), Expeditionary Warfare (EXW), and Navigation (NAV).

Anticipated Award Date: 21 January 2022

Delivery Date: 25 weeks after date of contract (ADC)