The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Directorate of Procurement intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with the Missile Defense Systems Division of The Boeing Company, 6633 Canoga Avenue, Canoga Park, CA 91309-7922 in accordance with 10 U.S.C 2304c(1) and FAR 6.302-1; Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy the agency requirements. The Office of the Secretary of Defense has designated USSOCOM to lead the program to conduct an advanced concept technology demonstration (ACTD) of an advanced tactical laser system. The ACTD is intended to demonstrate the tactical utility of a laser system. The reason justifying the lack of competition is that the Department of Defense guidelines for ACTDs provide that ?technologies proposed for incorporation into an ACTD should not be in the 6.1 (basic research) or 6.2 (applied research) budget categories.? Furthermore, the technologies must have been successfully demonstrated at the subsystem or component level and at the required performance level prior to the start of the ACTD. Therefore, any contractor participating in this ACTD must have a system that meets the tenets of the ACTD guidelines. Based on our knowledge of the market, Boeing is the only contractor with a laser system that meets the ACTD technology readiness levels. Boeing has designed, fabricated, and demonstrated a 20kW Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) that eliminates the effluents by using a sealed exhaust system. The concept and 20kW prototype developed by Boeing is the only existing technology that is mature enough to be demonstrated under an ACTD. Boeing has patents for the critical design features of the Sealed Exhaust type of COIL technology, which is the advancement that allows this type of laser to merit ACTD approval. The 20kW system development is an important step in making it low-risk to scale up to a larger system. An even lower power device preceded this 20kW design. This second device validated the process for going to higher power as primarily a function of lengthening the active chamber. As the developer only The Boeing Company has the expertise to perform the ATL ACTD. Award to any other source would not meet the ACTD technology readiness requirements. Given the level of technology readiness of other contractors, the Government would be required to spend significant (millions) dollars to fund basic laser research to get them to a technology readiness level comparable to Boeing. Award to a source other than Boeing would not allow USSOCOM to meet the criteria to execute an ACTD program and/or demonstrate the tactical utility of an advanced tactical laser. The government anticipates awarding from two to four separate contracts related to this announcement for a period of approximately five years with a potential maximum of up to $250,000,000. All responsible sources may submit a proposal that shall be considered by the agency. Any questions regarding the above requirement should be submitted in writing via fax or email to Ms. Jacqueline (Jackie) Foreid-Germain,
[email protected], fax (813)828-7504. See Note #22.