43--COMPRESSION SPACER LOAD CELLS

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) intends to award a sole source contract to STRAINSERT COMPANY for the acquisition of twelve compression spacer load cells—six with a 400,000-pound capacity and six with a 500,000-pound capacity. STRAINSERT is chosen due to its prior provision of custom-designed load cells specifically tailored to meet the Huntington District miter gates' stringent requirements. To ensure consistency and maintain the functional integrity of the equipment, the government plans to procure these specialized load cells exclusively from STRAINSERT under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b). This transaction will follow simplified acquisition procedures as outlined in FAR 13, and it is not a competitive solicitation. Although this is a sole source award, the government has invited other interested parties to submit their capabilities and qualifications by 5:00 PM CST on May 8, 2013, for consideration. The procurement falls under NAICS code 334519, relating to measurement instruments, and does not involve a formal solicitation or set-aside status. The contracting approach emphasizes the uniqueness of the load cells developed by STRAINSERT, reflecting the specialized nature of this acquisition to support critical infrastructure projects within the Huntington District.