SHIP REPAIR

The Southeast Regional Maintenance Center (SERMC) awarded a sole-source delivery order, N40027-26-F-0115, to BAE Systems, Inc. for urgent repair work aboard the USS IWO JIMA (LHD 7) following a casualty encountered during deployment. The action was taken under FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(A) due to the critical and time-sensitive nature of the repairs, which required immediate attention to restore the ship’s operational readiness. The work was performed while the vessel was in port in Jacksonville, Florida, with the contracting office based in Mayport, Florida. The delivery order was issued under the base indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract N00024-24-D-4229, utilizing established ceiling rates for labor, materials, and subcontractor costs without a detailed line-item breakdown. The award was justified on the grounds that BAE Systems, Inc. was the only entity capable of executing the complex repairs within the narrow timeframe necessitated by operational constraints, eliminating the possibility of competitive bidding. Although the contract was digitally certified on May 5, 2026, and publicly posted on May 12, 2026, no specific start or end dates, delivery schedule, pricing figures, or cost estimates were disclosed. Inspection and acceptance occurred on-site at the vessel’s port location, with government oversight conducted by SERMC personnel, including Jose E. Marin, who certified the action. No standard contract clauses, evaluation factors, or offeror representations were documented, and no packaging, marking, invoicing, or accounting details were provided. The procurement relied entirely on the urgency of the mission and the contractor’s unique capability as the basis for award, without competitive processes or formal compliance with typical FAR subpart provisions beyond the justification for non-competition.