Trophon purchase and sales methodologies

I was interested to see that the US Military Academy at West Point has just issued a solicitation for a couple of trophon units and all associated consumables https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&tab=core&id=c214ecd59c43cab008af1459953c56f8.

What interested me in particular was the purchasors proposed method of procurement - an on-line reverse auction among suppliers. So, I am guessing here that the reverse auction participants could only be the NAN direct sales team and GE, which seems a bit weird and artificial, given that: 1) GE is a NAN distributor; and, 2) NAN direct should always be able to undercut GE on price.

I'm not sure why the purchasor would not just engage in a "sole source procurement" with NAN. Maybe someone on the NAN thread who knows something about procurement can clarify?

cheers
zeno9