B01_Attachment_-__Brand_Name_Only_Justification_Attachment_(SIGNED)_0002.pdf

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition

(FAR Subpart 13.5 in accordance with 41 U.S.C. 1901)

1. Contracting Agency and Activity.

The Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey, Reston Acquisition Branch, plans to contract by means other than full and open competition. This document sets forth the justification and approval as required under 41 U.S.C. 1901 as implemented in FAR Subpart 13.5.

2. Nature of Action Being Approved.

This is a requirement to obtain a firm fixed price award for the purchase of a brand name only replacement and services fire suppression control panel from Siemens. This requirement will be competed on SAM.gov with the anticipated PoP date of 12/15/2021 – 02/01/2022. The service is needed to maintain the safe operation of IT Services for the South Atlantic Water Science Center in Norcross Georgia.

3. Description of Supplies or Services.

A replacement control panel for the Information Technology Server Room in the Norcross Science office of the South Atlantic Water Science Center will be purchased and installed.4.

Estimated Dollar Value. The quote received from Siemens was for $7,111.14. The quote is good for 90 days but given the time of the FY this likely will have to be revised upward on actual purchase.

5. Statutory Authority. The proposed action may be awarded without full and open competition under 41 U.S.C. 1901 as implemented in FAR Subpart 13.5.

6. Rationale Supporting Use of Citation in No. 5.

This is a replacement panel for a preexisting Siemens fire suppression system that includes several components including the suppression tank, sensors, pull stations etc. When the system was installed initially the cost was about $20,000. Fire suppression vendors will not “mix and match” components, nor will they replace on another vendors central component equipment because of the liability involved (they will replace peripherals). Therefore, either the system panel is upgraded by Siemens for the cost of about $7,200 or the whole system is replaced for about $20,000. Because the rest of the system is in good working order this cost differential cannot be justified.

7. Other Information.

I have discussed this with my long-time fire system contractor who does maintenance on this system and on others and they assure me that they will not replace a vital system component such as a control panel as this would place in a position of liability.

8. The Efforts to Identify Additional Sources Including the Market Research Conducted.

I asked VSC Fire and Security my long-time fire system contractor who does maintenance on this system and on others and they assure me that they will not replace a vital system component such as a control panel as this would place in a position of liability.

I also discussed this with the building lessor who has scores of properties similar to ours and she indicated that she has never found a contractor who would replace a central system component of a fire suppression system.

9. Future Plans to Permit Competition. Continuous market research will be conducted to locate additional carriers of the service required.

10. Recommendation and Certification from Program Office

Based on the above, I recommend this acquisition be conducted on the basis of other than full and open competition. I certify that technical data which form a basis for this justification that are the responsibility of technical or requirements personnel are complete and accurate.

Tonja R. Clark 12/6/2021

Name Signature Date

11. Certifications from the Contracting Officer:

a. The award represents a fair and reasonable price to the Government based on published prices of the services requested. Market research identified SPOT, LLC as the only provider capable of providing the services required for the USGS owned SPOT equipment. A memo was provided by SPOT, LLC stating they are the only provider of the GPS satellite services for the SPOT devices.

b. All of the requirements of the Competition in Contracting Act, (41 U.S.C. 253), as implemented in the Federal and Interior Acquisition Regulations, have been considered in preparing this justification. This justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

13. Approvals

12/7/2021

X Daniel J Galvin Daniel J Galvin Contracting Officer Signed by: DANIEL GALVIN