66--Optical Haze Meter

Introduction: Pursuant to FAR Subpart 13.106-1(b)(1), the U.S. Army RDECOM Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Division, on behalf of the Warfighter Science, Technology, and Applied Research Directorate (WarSTAR) at the Natick Soldier Research, Development, & Engineering Center, intends to award a firm fixed price purchase order on a sole source basis to: BYK Gardner Incorporated, a small business located in Columbia, MD 21046. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. No solicitation document is available. 1. Nature and description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs: BYK-Gardner USA manufactures a unique optical haze measurement instrument in the Haze Gard Dual that is designed with an open sample area which allows for the testing of full-size eyewear lenses in transmission mode (thru the lens). The unique features also include the desired ability for instrument self-diagnosis, reference beam, ability to export data to a computer, and fully enclosed optics for accurate haze readings in a compact bench-top instrument. 2. A demonstration that the proposed contractor is the only source available to provide these services or goods (i.e. unique qualifications, proprietary rights, etc.): Other haze measuring instruments either work oniy in reflectance-mode (bouncing a beam of light off the surface of the sample) or do not include a large enough sampling area to insert full-size eyewear goggles for transmission-mode haze evaluation. This Haze Gard Dual has capability of measuring in both compensation and non-compensation methods, which are two different international standard methods. This is the oniy instrument that has capability of measuring these two methods. 3. A description of the market research that was conducted and the results, or a statement of the reason a market research was not conducted: An internet search of the haze meter market was performed identifying several makers of portable handheld haze meter instruments that only work in reflectance mode. None of those reflectance based instruments would fit Natick's technical needs. Also, there is no other instrument capable of measuring two different test methods according to the two international specifications. 4. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition: As mentioned above, BYK Haze Gard Dual also capable of measuring total transmittance and transmission haze according to two international specifications (IS0 13468 and ASTM D 1003) which can be very useful for research purposes. 5. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required: None 6. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement to the U.S. Army RDECOM Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Division via e-mail to: [email protected] no later than noon on January 19, 2010. Contracting Office Address: RDECOM Contracting Center - Natick CCRD-NA-SU, Natick Contracting Division Kansas Street, Building 1 Natick, MA 01760-5011 Point of Contact: Steven Streeter, Contract Specialist (508) 233-5704 [email protected]