Special Notice to Sole Source Purchase of Supply BLS Gas Flow Controller

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory (GSL), Structural Mechanics Branch (SMB) intends to award a sole source basis in accordance RFO FAR 13.101(b) to Stumptown Research & Development LLC, 104 Eastside Drive, Suite 110, Black Mountain, NC 28711-8208, as the sole manufacturer and only responsible source that can provide a 8-ft x 8-ft Blast Load Simulator (BLS-8).  This acquisition is being conducted under RFO FAR Part 13, Simplified Procedures for Noncommercial Acquisitions.  

The Structural Mechanics Branch (SMB) of the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory (GSL) of the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) currently conducts R&D by operating an 8-ft x 8-ft Blast Load Simulator (BLS-8) and an Advanced Blast Simulator (ABLS-12) that are used to evaluate structural targets subjected to shock waves produced by either compressed or combustible gasses.

Items included in this acquisition are:

One (1) combustible Gas System Flow Controller for the BLS-8.  

The Stumptown Research and Development, LLC Compressed Gas Driven Simulator must include: the ability to adhere to the same specifications as the existing combustible BLS Gas System Flow Controller. The components must consist of one main Valve Rack and one Driver Valve Rack.  The main Valve Rack must house the flow controllers, flame arresters, driver isolation valves, and the driver.  The Driver valve rack must house the spring return isolation valves, venturi evacuation pump, and electric match connection.  The gas delivery system must be controlled with a provided Control Unit, which is equipped with an Emergency Shut Off (E-Stop) switch and performs multiple operations simultaneously.

The intended procurement will be classified under North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 333998 - All Other Miscellaneous General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing, with a size standard of 700 employees.  This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotes and no solicitation document exists for this requirement.  However, parties interested in responding to this notice shall submit capable quotes, including price, sufficient to determine capability in providing the brand-name supply.  All capability statements received by the closing date of this publication of this synopsis will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

This announcement fulfills the synopsis requirements under RFO FAR 5.101(a). USACE ERDC intends to release a solicitation no sooner than thirty (30) days after publishing this synopsis. This Special Notice of Intent (NOI) is not a request for competitive quotes. Meaningful submissions received in response to this notice will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether a competitive procurement is in the best interest of the Government. If no meaningful, written submissions are received by the date listed below, which reflects at least fifteen (15) days after the publication of this notice, the solicitation will be issued as a sole source requirement to Stumptown Research and Development, LLC. 

Capability statements shall be submitted only by e-mail as a Microsoft Office Word, Microsoft Office Excel, or Adobe PDF attachment to Shinita.M.Jordan@usace.army.mil and Sonia.J.Boyd@usace.army.mil.  Statements are due by 3:00pm Central Time, Friday, 05 June 2026.  No phone calls will be accepted.