Redacted Justification & Approval (J&A)
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Land Warren has published a Justification & Approval (J&A) for a proposed sole-source, Firm-Fixed-Price contract with Caterpillar Inc. (CAGE 11083). This J&A outlines the rationale for procuring 318 diesel engine assemblies (NSN 2815-01-578-3605, Part Number 501-9544) for the Medium Dozer (D7R) as a one-time buy. The procurement is justified under 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) and FAR 6.302-1, citing "Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements."
Purpose & Justification
The J&A details the critical need for these specialized diesel engine assemblies, which are major powertrain components designed and developed by Caterpillar. The primary justification for sole-sourcing is Caterpillar's ownership of the Technical Data Package (TDP). The government does not possess rights to this proprietary data, and acquiring it or reverse engineering the components is deemed prohibitively costly and high-risk. Integrating a different, commercially available engine is also considered high-risk due to design, reliability, and testing requirements, with no assurance of sustained demand or cost recovery through future competition. Revising Technical Manuals for a new engine would incur significant costs.
Market Research
Market research included posting a Sources Sought Notice, which resulted in two vendors (BHPE LLC and Choate Engineering Performance LLC) expressing interest, but they were determined unacceptable. Further research by GVSC CE/MHE engineers and online searches for alternative manufacturers using the part number and NSN yielded no viable options.
Contract Details
- Contract Type: Firm-Fixed-Price
- Quantity: 318 units (one-time buy)
- Estimated Total Value: [Redacted]
- Set-Aside: None specified (sole-source justification)
- Subcontracting: If not awarded to a small business, the contract will include FAR clauses related to "Utilization of Small Business Concerns" and "Competition in Subcontracting."
Contact Information
For inquiries, contact Timothy Nichols at timothy.nichols@dla.mil or 586-467-1190.
Publication Date
This Justification was published on February 20, 2026.