Attachment 2: SSJ Redacted

DETERMINATION & FINDINGS

Authority to Solicit from a Single Source (at or below the SAT)

1. Agency and Contracting Activity: AFLCMC/PZIBA

2. Nature and/or Description of the Action:
Focusing Schlieren System

3. Citation to the Appropriate Regulation:

(Contracting Officer Instruction: Select the applicable authority for this acquisition)

RFO 8.401 and GSAR 538.7104-3(a) (FSS Orders): The circumstances of the acquisition deem only one source reasonably capable of providing the products, services, or solutions. RFO 11.204(a)(2)(ii) (Brand Name): The particular brand name, product, or feature is essential to the Government's requirements, and market research indicates other companies' similar products, or products lacking the particular feature, do not meet the agency's needs or cannot be modified to meet the agency's minimum needs,.
RFO 12.102(a) (Commercial Products and Services): Only one source is available,. RFO 13.101(b) (Noncommercial Products and Services): Only one source is reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name, or industrial mobilization),.

4. Findings:

The agency requires the procurement of a self-aligned focusing Schlieren (SAFS) system. This is a specialized optical instrument designed to visualize airflow in high-speed wind tunnels. The system must meet the following requirements: - Focusing Capability: Allows for the visualization of a thin, precise plane within the flow field. - Self-Aligning: Enables rapid setup in different facilities. - Vibration Resistance: Designed to operate reliably in a high-vibration laboratory environment. - Compact Design: Utilizes a retroreflective screen, eliminating the need for large external optical components. Market research confirms that only one vendor, RH Technologies, LLC, can supply a system with the unique combination of technical capabilities required to meet the government's needs. The agency requires a self-aligned focusing schlieren (SAFS) system that possesses two critical characteristics for operation in our test facilities: inherent vibration resistance and a design that functions with a passive retroreflective surface. These features are not merely desirable; they are essential for acquiring usable data in the intended operational environment. The system offered by RH Technologies is the only known commercially available product whose underlying technology provides these specific capabilities. Its design, based on a proprietary method licensed from NASA (U.S. Patent 11,650,151),