Notice of Intent to Sole Source, Bender Elements Field Sensors

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Research and Development Center (ERDC), Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory (GSL) intends to issue a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) single source award to University of Illinois, 352 Henry Administration Bldg, Urbana, Illinois, 61801 to procure the Bender Element Field Sensors.

The Airfields and Pavements Branch (APB), Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory at the Engineer Research Development Center (ERDC), delivers new and improved methods for the design, construction, evaluation, rehabilitation and maintenance of structural systems for pavements and other transportation facilities. APB is the Tri-Service (Army, Navy and Air Force) lead for Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation (RDTE) of airfields and pavement technologies. The bender element (BE) field sensor was developed by the University of Illinois through previous research efforts for the direct and accurate measurement of the in-situ modulus characteristics of constructed unbound pavement layers. The BE’s are provided exclusively by University of Illinois. The University of Illinois is the only source that was shown that can build the sensor and meet the required delivery time. The University of Illinois owns the proprietary knowledge for the functionalization of the embedded electronic sensors within the mechanical parts which have been calibrated through extensive testing. The University of Illinois’ proprietary knowledge used for calibration ensures that the BE’s are operational, provide soil strength measures that are accurate and repeatable. Without the purchase of BE’s directly from the University of Illinois the ERDC will not meet its mission requirement.

The award will be issued in accordance with FAR 13.106(b)(1)(i). The applicable North American Industrial Classification System Code (NAICS) code is 334511 (Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing) with a size standard of 1,250 employees. This notice of intent is for information purposes only.  

This notice is not a request for competitive quotes or proposals.  A solicitation will not be issued.  However, all responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the agency.  The information submitted must be provided in sufficient detail to demonstrate the vendor’s ability to fulfill this requirement.  The contractor must also provide a description of their past experience in fulfilling requirements which are the same or similar to this requirement and references for each. 

Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.  A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.  Responses to this requirement may be submitted to Allison Hudson at Allison.B.Hudson@usace.army.mil AND Janalyn Dement at Janalyn.H.Dement@usace.army.mil.  The solicitation number shall be included in the subject line of the e-mail submission.  Responses must be received no later than 1:00PM CST 04 May  2022.