Notice of Intent to Sole Source

The Department of the Army Materiel Command Joint Munitions Command has published a Notice of Intent to Sole Source for preventive maintenance and service of an Instron 5965 Low Force Universal Testing System. The equipment is required for use on bomb lines at McAlester Army Ammunition Plant. The agency intends to award a sole source purchase order using simplified acquisition procedures under FAR 6.302-1, which allows for "other than full and open competition" procurement. Illinois Tool Works Inc, identified as the original manufacturer, is the only authorized supplier capable of providing the required maintenance and calibration services. The notice was posted on June 24, 2025, with responses due by July 1, 2025.

The purpose of this notice is to inform the contracting community of the government's intent to proceed with a non-competitive procurement due to the proprietary nature of the equipment and services required. The maintenance involves specialized proprietary parts and software calibration that can only be performed by Illinois Tool Works' trained field staff, justifying the sole source approach. This is explicitly stated as not being a request for offers, and any decision by the government not to compete the procurement based on responses to this notice remains at the government's sole discretion. Contractors have until July 1, 2025, to provide information, though eligibility is effectively limited to Illinois Tool Works Inc as the original equipment manufacturer. The government indicates that information received will typically be used only to determine whether future competitive procurements might be possible for similar items.