Description
Sole Source Justification : The statutory authority for use of 'other than full and open competition' for this transaction is 41 USC 253(c)(1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Requirement: Portable (battery operated) high intensity laser based forensic trace evidence detection system with emission at 532 nm. Coherent, Inc. is the only commercial source for high power 532 nm lasers that permit battery operation. Additionally, only Coherent Inc. has designed and engineered a system specifically for the forensic community, which incorporates and meets our specific needs. We have reviewed the available alternate candidates that have been targeted toward the laser based forensic market and have them lacking in a number of areas, portability (weight), the ability to function in a remote location (battery operation) and performance (lack of interference lines or speckle). While most of the alternate offerings are based on industrial or lab based lasers, only Coherent has packaged a solid state laser with the reliability requirements specific to the forensic market. This is also a key reason for their superior reliability. Basic Performance Requirements: •A. The solid state, air-cooled, laser must produce 6.25 Watts of Continuous Wave (CW) output power at 532 nm. The output of the hand piece must be 5W +/- 5% in a broad uniform beam. •B. The hand piece output power must be continuously variable from 0.5W the minimum laser power with 0.1 W resolutions. •C. CRITICAL - Emission must have very low speckle. No speckle should be visible to the naked eye in the beam. Any speckle affects the quality of photographic recordings. •D. The subsystem must allow for either AC power (110V-220V auto-switching power supply for international use) or integrated battery power. The system must be able to switch between AC and battery power without disruption of the laser. Plugging the unit into AC power must allow for continues charging of the battery while the unit is in operation. •E. For portability the unit, with battery installed, can weight no more than 42 lbs. Without the battery, the unit can weigh no more than 33 lbs. Low Weight and Small Size : The Tracer offers a complete laser package with the lowest weight and smallest footprint in the forensic laser market. The system is designed to be carried with a minimum amount of weight, without requiring a wheeled system. Benefits : A low weight and small footprint allows the Tracer to avoid the problems associated with a device attached to wheels. Wheels add weight, cause the system to experience more potentially damaging shocks, and are virtually impossible to use on sand or rough surfaces. Additionally, wheels have the potential to create static discharge - a risk for locations that potentially involve explosive devices, and they can damage a crime scene since the wheels are physically touching potential evidence. F. For portability the battery must be an integral component of the system, adding a separate battery unit as an option is not acceptable and it should provide for 90 minutes of continuous operation assuming a fully charged battery. What is being specified and why: Integrated Lithium-Ion Battery : With the insertion of the small 9-lb lithium-ion battery module, the Tracer can typically operate for 90 minutes at the 5W power level and typically 60 minutes at the maximum power setting. Benefits : The battery allows the user to operate the system where a power source does not exist; therefore, maximizing the time to start investigating a scene. Reliability of Battery Cells Used in TracER : Coherent's supplier builds in excess of 100,000 battery packs a year and has experienced no instances of catastrophic failure-to-date. Differentiation Between "Lithium Ion" and "Lithium" Batteries : There is a significant difference between Lithium batteries and Lithium Ion batteries. In Lithium Ion batteries, there is no metallic lithium present inside the cell and as a result they have a much higher factor of safety in their design. This is reflected in the reduced requirements for shipping purposes. (All Lithium batteries must be shipped as class 9 hazardous goods, whereas small Lithium Ion batteries below 95Wh can be shipped unrestricted as long as the batteries have passed the UN-mandated transportation test. G. System must permit the control of the laser from hand piece or from power unit. Unit should be able to switch from to three power settings on the hand piece, including: low power, high power and a customer-set value from hand piece. What is being specified and why: Unique Multi-Function Hand Piece : On/Off Toggle and Three Power Settings. Benefits : The multi-function hand piece allows user to control laser power level (2 pre-set and 1 customer setting) without going back to the control unit, a useful feature for a laboratory environment when there are several workstations sharing the laser or in the field when the work requires used of the laser in hard-to-reach locations. Additionally, the Tracer's on/off toggle =switch allows the user to utilize the laser without constantly depressing a "dead man" switch. •H. The fiber optic cable should be at least 5 meters in length; the fiber should be armored (rugged casing) and bleachable. •I. For field deployment (reliability and portability) the system must utilize an internal shock/suspension apparatus to isolate the electronics and laser from external shocks and vibrations which impact the outer frame. It is not acceptable that the shipping case provides this protection since the intent to use the laser in the field without the extra weight of the case. •J. For the purpose of minimizing any delay if a product failure occurs, the manufacturer must provide an "exchange" based service strategy, where the manufacturer stocks replacement systems and has a target of shipping from stock within 48 hours of notification of a failure. What is being specified and why: Manufacturer Stocks Replacement System s which are exchanged with the customer's system to minimize down-time. Benefits : Coherent established a "fast response" strategy where the goal is to ship a replacement system from inventory within 48 hours of notification of a failure. Coherent's strategy avoids the long delays associated with a Depot Repair service strategy, which requires the customer to return their system if a repair is needed. •K. Made in the United States of America, by a US based company. What is being specified and why: Manufactured and supported from California . The Tracer is made in the United States of America. Other vendors provide systems which are either made entirely overseas or assembled in the USA using imported lasers. Benefits : (1) Coherent has experienced engineering and technical support for all components of the Tracer in the USA- language and time zones will not be a problem. (2) The "Buy American Act" mandates that any foreign made products must have 6% increase on the quoted price. For reference: http://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/Subpart%2025_1.html There are No other sources that meet the demands for support of our forensic activities. Coherent is the sole source for the Tracer Laser System. They are completely responsible for the engineering, manufacturing and distribution of the laser system. Coherent has no additional distributors. Coherent is fully responsible for the warranty and service on the system.