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Contract Opportunity

United States Department of Agriculture

Limited Source/Brand Name Justification

FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) – Simplified Acquisitions

Control No. 12639523P0052

Identification of the agency and the contracting activity.

Requiring Activity: USDA-APHIS-PPQ-PRF, Phoenix, AZ

Contracting Activity: USDA-APHIS-MRPBS, Minneapolis, MN

Description of supply or service required to meet the agency’s needs.

Irradiator door hinges and opener actuator must be replaced due to excess wear beyond adjustment corrective potential. The door is part of irradiator shielding, which is tightly regulated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in addition to USDA internal procedures. Failure of hinges or opener actuator system results in door jamming, rendering the system inoperable and may compromise worker safety if handled improperly.

The rationale or circumstances for limiting competition.

13.106-1 (b) (i) Soliciting competition Soliciting from a single source

The installed irradiator is Foss Therapy model 484F-C. Foss Therapy is the manufacturer and is both qualified and authorized by US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the California Radiologic Health Branch (CRHB) to work on shielding on this machine type. Since the work involves irradiator shielding, the vendor must be authorized by NRC and relevant state authority to work on that aspect of the machine. Foss Therapy is authorized to work on their own machines in this context. This work must be completed as soon as possible to avoid the door sag causing the door to jam, potentially open, and thus render the unit inoperable and halting the entire Navel Orangeworm (NOW) sterile insect technique program. The Phoenix Rearing Facility is the only facility capable of mass-producing and sterilizing NOW for the program, and this irradiator is the only machine which sterilizes the insects prior to shipment.

A description of the market research conducted and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

There is no other vendor authorized for this requirement and the urgent need of the program precludes the possibility to wait additional months while other vendors consider whether to apply for authorization, and then the consequent wait for review and authorization by NRC and California (and other relevant state) nuclear regulatory authority.

SAM.gov Sole Source Notice PR1082026 Published 10/26/2022 and closed on 11/10/2022. No Responses

Estimated price, including all options, if applicable.

The estimated cost is $ 70,324.00 to replace the hinges and door opener actuator, and to fully integrate the replacement actuator into the control and safety systems. The work will require approximately 2 weeks, will require an authorized welder or millwright to perform the welding portion of the work, and will require moving and temporarily reorienting the asset in order to ensure proper replacement and post-replacement function, shielding, and safety.

Recommended source(s).

Foss Therapy is the recommended source, because they are the only entity authorized by NRC, the California nuclear regulatory authority, and the manufacturer to provide this work during the current production break, and have the asset in fully operating condition and functioning as new by or before January 10th.

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