Sole Source Notice: Precision Advanced Machining- Sensor Pole Hinge Plate Kits for NOAA/NWS

NOAA, AGO, Eastern Acquisition Division (EAD) intends to issue a new firm-fixed-price (FFP) purchase order to small business entity Precision Advanced Machining on a sole source basis for the purchase of seventy-five (75) Sensor Pole Hinge Plate Kits in support of the Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS) program as a joint effort of the National Weather Service (NWS), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Department of Defense (DOD) for the National Logistics Support Center (NLSC) located in Grandview, MO.

The Government intends to utilize the authority under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106-1(b)(1), Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services will satisfy agency requirements, unless, as a result of this announcement, acceptable responses to this notice are received and a determination is made by the Government to issue a competitive solicitation. The Government intends to award a purchase order to the small business entity Precision Advanced Machining for the procurement of seventy-five (75) proprietary Sensor Pole Hinge Plate Kits, S100-2MT5MP36, NSN: 5999-01-391-2515, for the NWS, NLSC based on their compatibility in form, fit and function with already existing systems as replenishment spares and replacements.

The required supplies or service must be compatible in all aspects (form, fit, and function) with existing systems or equipment and the sole source is uniquely qualified to meet the requirement. The ASOS utilizes the hinge plate kits to support the functioning capabilities of the ASOS ACP/DCP and SCA units. All sensor hinge plates procured from Precision Advanced Machining have undergone and passed extensive first article testing as required by the National Weather Service for a build-to-specifications procurement. The ASOS program also underwent significant and detailed testing of the Hinge plate and the plates passed Quality Control. This sensor hinge plate has, at this time, been certified for use on ASOS. The government has tested and approved first articles built to specifications and drawings from Precision Machining as required by NWS. It would require the government significant additional time and labor to engage another vendor to build first article requirements to the technical specifications and drawings and to further undergo additional required testing of first articles. This would further cause harm to the government, as it would require significant additional funding and additional time to accomplish all necessary testing. These sensor pole hinge plates are a required supply and Precision Advanced Machining has already passed, as previously stated, the first article testing and multiple units have been in the field for more than a year. Research with the quality control division of the National Logistics Support Center revealed that the estimated costs to retest the sensor pole hinge plates would entail the vendor providing the plates to first build and test them at their location, with significant additional costs associated for the potential vendors. First article testing as required by NWS would also require temperature cycle testing. The temperature cycle test is performed to determine the resistance of a device to alternating temperature extremes. It consists of exposing the device to many cycles (usually 500 to 1000 cycles) of high and low temperatures, and primarily tests the device's resistance to fatigue failure ('fatigue' is defined as the failure due to cyclical loads). Once the sensor pole hinge plates are certified by the vendor, they must also pass the rigorous testing provided at the National Logistics Support Center. Estimated costs associated overall are anticipated to exceed $10,000 or more if first articles are received and rejected. In addition, estimated time to complete the testing could require months until these items meet the fit, form and functioning capabilities required to replace existing units.

Manufacturers that propose a solution using other than Precision Advanced Machining sensor pole hinge plate kits, S100-2MT5MP36, NSN: 5999-01-391-2515, must furnish detailed specifications and descriptions to demonstrate their capability to provide the required supplies that satisfy the Government’s needs. To be considered, interested parties must be able to demonstrate their ability to provide comparable sensor pole hinge plate kits that meet the specific characteristics of the S100-2MT5MP36 NSN: 5999-01-391-2515. Capability information shall include, at minimum, name, telephone number, address of customers for which you have previously furnished the required supplies, and a detailed narrative that describes your ability to provide the required supplies as specified. The Government will give price preference to US made products. Interested parties must respond via email to Nikki.radford@noaa.gov prior to the closing of this notice.

The NAICS code for this requirement is 332999. The government intends to solicit and negotiate with the only known source (Precision Advanced Machining) that can provide the required supply. This is not a request for quotes or proposals and there is no solicitation available at this time. The Government reserves the right to solicit quotes based on the receipt of affirmative responses to this posting without further 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.

Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to open competition to businesses other than Precision Advanced Machining.

All contractors doing business with this Contracting Office (Eastern Acquisition Division – Kansas City) must be registered with a valid Unique Entity Identification (UEI) number with the System for Award Management (SAM) website. Vendors can register with SAM at the following website https://www.sam.gov.