16--SAM.gov Justification Posting

The Department of the Interior, through its Interior Business Center Acquisition Services Directorate, is extending the existing Firm-Fixed-Price Blanket Purchase Agreement BPA #140D0423A0050 with Drone Amplified Inc. for the Alta X (Blue Kit) IGNIS Unmanned Aircraft System from three to five years, with the modified ordering period running from May 19, 2026, to May 18, 2028. This sole source action is justified under FAR 12.102(b) and 41 U.S.C. 1901 due to the unique and proprietary nature of the IGNIS Precision Strike Device integrated onto the Freefly Alta X platform, which provides specialized aerial ignition capability for prescribed burns and backfires in hazardous or inaccessible terrain—capabilities not replicated by any other commercially available UAS. The system is required to meet strict national security and supply chain compliance standards, including FAR Clause 52.240-1, Executive Order 13981, and Secretary of the Interior Order 3379, mandating its selection exclusively from the Department of Defense Defense Innovation Unit’s Blue sUAS list. The total contract ceiling is $10 million, with $6,018,822.89 already obligated under the original term, and no additional funding is being requested for the extension; pricing will remain consistent with the current BPA price list. Performance is not localized but occurs nationwide across Department of the Interior-managed lands, with acceptance taking place upon operational deployment by the Office of Aviation Services. The contracting officer, Elsa Aguon, and contracting officer’s technical representative, Steve Ramaekers, oversee administration from Herndon, VA, and Washington, DC, respectively. No competitive solicitation was conducted, no trade-off analysis was performed, and no evaluation factors were weighted, as the procurement is based solely on the absence of alternative systems meeting mission-critical requirements for low-altitude, nighttime, and long-duration fire ignition operations. The modification does not include new line-item pricing, packaging specifications, or invoicing instructions, relying instead on the existing BPA’s structure, with future system upgrades authorized through bilateral agreement. The entity’s UEI, CAGE code, size status, and socioeconomic certifications are not disclosed, as the sole source justification supersedes typical competitive requirements.