SOLICITATION NOTICE
99 -- Seismic Power Boards
- Notice Date
- 6/5/2012
- Notice Type
- Justification and Approval (J&A)
- NAICS
- 334519
— Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, AF ISR Agency, AF ISR Agency/A7KR, 1030 S Hwy A1A (Bldg 989), Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, 32925-3002, United States
- ZIP Code
- 32925-3002
- Solicitation Number
- FA7022-12-P-0000
- Archive Date
- 7/1/2012
- Point of Contact
- Holly B. Johnson, Phone: 3214948354, Patricia K. Bosinger, Phone: 3214940998
- E-Mail Address
-
holly.johnson@patrick.af.mil, patricia.bosinger@patrick.af.mil
(holly.johnson@patrick.af.mil, patricia.bosinger@patrick.af.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Award Number
- FA7022-12-P-0003
- Award Date
- 6/1/2012
- Description
- I. CONTRACTING ACTIVITY a. Requiring Activity: Air Force Technical Applications Center/LSL 1030 South Highway A1A Patrick AFB, FL 32925 b. Procuring Activity: AF ISR Agency/A7KRA 1030 South Highway A1A Patrick AFB, FL 32925-3238 c. Purchase Request Number: F3KTK61342A001 d. Period of Performance: 1 May 12- 31 Aug 12 II. NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION BEING PROCESSED Approval is requested to award a new Firm Fixed Price contract in accordance with FAR 6.302-1 Other than Full and Open Competition, Sole Source conditions to Geotech Instruments, LLC, 10755 Sanden Drive, Dallas, TX 75238-1366 to procure Power Boards. Geotech is the sole U.S. developer of seismic hardware for our agency's fielded equipment. Geotech is the only contractor capable of providing parts and materials for their proprietary equipment used as part of the International Monitoring System. III. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES/SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE AGENCY'S NEEDS The following part is AFTAC/LS requirement for this acquisition: QUANTITY DESCRIPTION PART NUMBER 20 each Power Board, P/N 990-60112-0101 Geotech instruments provides seismic wave detection at long-range and teleseismic locations around the world for the United States Atomic Energy Detection System (USAEDS) as well as the United Nation's Provisional Technical Secretariat's International Monitoring System network of stations. Geotech instruments provide ultra-low noise, low-power, and low-cost monitoring capabilities that cannot be provided by any other commercial sensor. The estimated cost is $28,200. IV. STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION The statutory authority for this acquisition is 10 U.S.C 2304(c) (1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1. In accordance with FAR 6.302-1 (b) (1) (ii), only one source is available for this acquisition. V. DEMONSTRATION THAT THE CONTRACTOR'S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS OR NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION REQUIRES THE USE OF THE AUTHORITY CITED FAR 6.302-1 (b) (1) (ii), ONLY ONE SOURCE IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS ACQUISITION. (1) The system is a combination of proprietary software and hardware designed to collect, monitor, and analyze field seismic data. Equipment within the system has been certified by the international community and has gone through extensive waveform characterization, equipment type certifications, and calibration comparison testing. These test and certifications are critical to ensure compliance with both AFTAC's and the International Monitoring Systems basic detection and reporting requirements. The data also is critical to AFTAC's mission and to ensure worldwide compliance of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. The sustainment support elements for this equipment is established to include; configuration management, sustainment engineering, field and depot maintenance, technical documentation, engineering drawing packages, and training. This unique requirement to monitor field seismic data lead to a very small commercial basis to select from. Once the vendor was selected, it is very costly to maintain a standard configuration at 35 stations across 7 continents. The equipment in proprietary and parts from other companies are not suitable for the Geotech equipment. Therefore, this acquisition is for continued sustainment of a highly specialized equipment suite. (2) Geotech is the sole responsible source and US developer of hardware for field seismic instrumentation that currently has been verified as meeting all AFTAC requirements for borehole seismometers. The Air Force Technical Application Center's critical mission is supported by highly specialized equipment and cannot afford to deal with untested equipment and data standards. In order to use the existing data and equipment standards for field seismic system collection, monitoring, and analysis as well as maintain required configuration control Geotech's proprietary hardware needs to be used as the instrument for the data acquisition system. (3) The Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) believes there would be a substantial duplication of cost (buying new seismometers, new spare parts, cost of installation, cost of training, testing, etc.) to the government with unacceptable delays in fulfilling AFTAC requirements through open competition. Open competition would require vendors to provide a certifiable seismic instrumentation that meets international requirements and comply with the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Equipment certification is performed by Sandia National Labs, where extensive waveform characterization and type certification of each major component of the system is performed. Following certification the equipment is normally placed in a real world test scenario and monitored for 1 year. 1 year test is crucial to ensure equipment meet mission reliability requirement and to perform calibration comparisons on the equipment as it goes through seasonal changes. Changes to current configuration would require an additional analytical review of data quality and timeliness to ensure compliance with International Monitoring System and AFTAC mission requirements. Logistics and supportability elements would need to be revamped to support a different equipment suite, impacting sustainment engineering, field and depot maintenance, documentation, and training. The total delay would most likely extend between 3-5 years depending on the outcome of the certification testing and the life cycle and product support planning and implementation. These delays in procurement would drastically impact AFTAC's ability to sustain the current system and ultimately cripple AFTAC's mission to ensure worldwide compliance of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. (4) Accordingly, Geotech is the only firm capable of providing the supplies described in Section III above without the U.S. Air Force experiencing unacceptable delays in fulfilling its requirements and would cost the government money. (5) Geotech Instruments, LLC provides seismic instrumentation for seismic wave detection at long-range and teleseismic locations around the world for the United States Atomic Energy Detection System (USAEDS) as well as the United Nation's Provisional Technical Secretariat's International Monitoring System network of stations. Geotech Instruments, LLC provides ultra-low noise sensors which are matched to each legacy seismic system location for pre-amplification and impedance needs that cannot be provided by any other commercial sensor manufacturer. The sensors, their associated spare parts and support equipment requirements that support our legacy system and that meet our current maintenance concept repair needs are crucial to meeting national and international requirements without changing the current system infrastructure; these changes if required are estimated between 18 and 52 million dollars world-wide. Geotech Instruments, LLC seismic sensors are the only units that meet current (USAEDS) specifications and would be used on specified new installations and for spares on existing systems. (6) The power boards will go into Geotech's Model KS-54000 three-component seismometer, designed for ultra low-noise monitoring for frequencies from 0.003 to 14 Hz, being below the New Low Noise Model for frequencies up to 14 Hz. The KS-54000 instruments have been a vital component in the test ban monitoring programs, as well as in global seismological studies. Typical installations are in cased boreholes at depths of approximately 100m to maximize isolation from cultural surface noise. Installation in boreholes is an international requirement, which comes with specific support equipment concerns and parts qualification to work in this type of environment. IAW FAR 6.302-1, Geotech Instruments, LLC is the only source capable of providing the repair maintenance and sustainment parts suitable for the equipment already deployed around the world. VI. DESCRIPTION OF EFFORTS MADE TO ENSURE THAT OFFERS ARE SOLICITED FROM AS MANY POTENTIAL SOURCES AS DEEMED PRACTICABLE There is only one responsible source as the seismic equipment is proprietary to Geotech Instruments, LLC. AFTAC utilizes over 60 broad band Geotech instruments and 250 short period Geotech instruments at seismic monitoring locations around the world. No other manufacturer makes or supports the Geotech seismometers as shown in the lack of response to the sources sought. Therefore, in order to obtain the proper components to utilize this highly specialized equipment, AFTAC must go to the original source. A synopsis/ Notice of Intent will be posted of Federal Business Opportunities for 15 days. If any sources respond, they will be evaluated. VII. DETERMINATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THE ANTICIPATED COST TO THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE FAIR AND REASONABLE In accordance with FAR 6.303-2(a)(7) the Contracting Officer has determined that the anticipated cost to the government will be fair and reasonable. Using the Price Analysis method the contracting officer will be able to determine that the proposed cost will be fair and reasonable. Price analysis will be performed by comparing proposed prices with the Independent Government Estimate and previous buys. VIII. DESCRIPTION OF THE MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED AND THE RESULTS, OR A STATEMENT OF THE REASONS MARKET RESEARCH WAS NOT CONDUCTED A sources sought was published on FEDBIZOPS.gov and we did not have any companies respond. Geotech Instruments, Inc is the only manufacturer that will meet AFTAC's current mission requirements. See section VI. IX. ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION No other facts pertain to this effort. X. LIST OF SOURCES, IF ANY, THAT EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THE ACQUISITION A sources sought was out from 11 April 2012 until 20 April 2012 and we did not receive a response from any company. XI. A STATEMENT OF THE ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS TO COMPETITION BEFORE MAKING SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITIONS FOR THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED The nature of the service and procurement of this acquisition and the surrounding circumstances described in this document preclude any steps to increase competition. XII. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S CERTIFICATION The Contracting Officer's signature on the Coordination and Approval Document provides evidence that he has determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of his knowledge and belief (FAR 6.303-2(0)(12)). XIII. TECHNICAL/REQUIREMENTS PERSONNEL CERTIFICATION As evidenced by their signatures all the Coordination and Approval Document, the technical and/or requirements personnel have certified that any supporting data contained herein, which is their responsibility, is both accurate and complete (FAR 6.303-2(b)).
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