66 -- Laboratory Data Acquisition Chassis (PXI) System

The contract involves the sole-source procurement of a Laboratory data acquisition chassis (PXI) system for the Air Force Research Laboratory's Vehicle and Sensor Architecture (AFRL/VASA) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. The intended vendor is National Instruments Corporation, based in Austin, Texas, with the procurement conducted under the NAICS code 334119, applicable to electronic component manufacturing. This procurement is a non-competitive acquisition as authorized by FAR 13.106-1, meaning the government plans to directly negotiate with National Instruments without soliciting bids from other companies. However, the notice allows for the submission of quotations or responses within ten days, which the government may review to determine if competition is warranted. The solicitation documents are not publicly available, and the synopsis serves only to inform interested parties. The Department of Defense's contracting office at Wright-Patterson AFB is managing the procurement, with Yvonne C. Thacker as the contract specialist contact. The government retains full discretion on whether to proceed with a sole-source contract or open the opportunity to competition based on the feedback received. This acquisition addresses the laboratory’s need for a specialized data acquisition system to support research and testing activities.