MQ-4C Universal Lifting Sling

The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst intends to solicit and negotiate on a sole-source basis with VEP Manufacturing Inc., CAGE Code: 5C905 for the procurement of the Universal Lifting Sling, Part Number (P/N) 4106AS0150-2, NSN: 1730-01-665-8764, and for the upgrade of the Universal Lifting Sling, PN: 4106AS0150-1, NSN: 1730-01-665-8764 to P/N: 4106AS0150-2. This procurement is in support of the MQ-4C MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) Program, United States Navy. The Universal Lifting Sling is required to safely hoist different MQ-4C air vehicle components. The Government intends to solicit this requirement under the authority of FAR 12.102(a), which states, for decisions to restrict competition for acquisitions valued at or below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT), to document the decision that only one source is available, and the basis for the decision. A solicitation will NOT be posted following the close of this synopsis, unless alternate offerors are identified. The Universal Lifting Sling is a designated Aviation Critical Safety Item. DFARS 209.270-3(a) states that "the head of the contracting activity responsible for procuring an aviation or ship critical safety item may enter into a contract for the procurement, modification, repair, or overhaul of such an item only with a source approved by the head of the design control activity." For these particular items, the technical authority is NAWCAD Lakehurst. VEP Manufacturing Inc., is currently the only approved source for this item. In order to award to any company other than the approved source, an engineering and quality assurance audit would need to be performed on an interested company. The audit process generally takes 12 months, which is an unacceptable delay to contract award and delivery. The required SE is the only part validated and verified for compatible use on the MQ-4C Triton, and no other items can be sourced to meet this requirement. Alternate offerors