Notice of intent to issue a sole source award

The Department of the Navy Military Sealift Command has issued a Special Notice announcing its intent to make a sole source award to Raytheon for troubleshooting services aboard the USNS ROBERT F. KENNEDY (T-AO 208). This notice, posted on June 9, 2025, pertains to navigational bridge equipment maintenance and crew training services. The acquisition falls under the simplified acquisition threshold and represents a deviation from full and open competition procedures. The Military Sealift Command is the issuing agency responsible for operating government-owned and chartered vessels in support of U.S. military operations. The notice serves as advance notification to the contracting community of the government's intention to proceed with this sole source procurement.

The primary objective of this procurement is to obtain crew training and equipment troubleshooting services for the vessel's navigational bridge systems during a specific performance period of June 12-17, 2025. The government's justification for sole source selection is based on Raytheon's restrictive rights as the original equipment manufacturer, with their equipment specifically designed and manufactured to fit the T-AO 208 vessel configuration. The equipment must comply with American Bureau of Shipping and U.S. Coast Guard ship class configuration rules, which further restricts potential vendors. No other contractors are eligible to participate in this procurement due to Raytheon's proprietary design and manufacturing specifications. The notice indicates that the acquisition will proceed under simplified acquisition procedures, with Raytheon identified as the only qualified vendor capable of performing the required services. Contractors interested in this type of work should note that eligibility is limited to those with original equipment manufacturer rights and specific technical capabilities for this vessel class.