59 -- Circularly Polarized Antenna Feed, Retrofitted

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) intends to negotiate on an other than full and open competitive basis with L3 Communications, Essco for the purchase of a Circularly Poarized Antenna Feed, retrofitted for the DATRON 20 foot antenna located at NRL?s Blossum Point Field Site in Welcome Maryland.. This effort provides the existing Datron 20 foot antenna with an additional feed assembly to increase the frequency range to include the Universal S-band frequencies. The Daltron 20 foot antenna currently in place was built and installed by L3 Communications Essco, therefore they have all the relevant system and subsystem experts to make informed decisions quickly and without causing extensive modification or damaging existing software. To meet the compatibility requirement it is necessary for the contractor to be familiar with the design and operation of the existing Datron Antenna System. Because L3 Communications Essco designed and built the Datron System, they are the sole contractor with the knowledge necessary to fulfill this requirement. If another contractor were to provide the hardware this would require extensive training on the system which would have a dramatic increase on the price and leadtime of the effort. Responses to this notice of intent to negotiate L3 Communications should be submitted no later than 15 days from the date of the synopsis.