A14__JOFOC_Open_Market_redacted_1.doc

Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition Bureau of Land Management FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) Simplified Acquisitions

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting office.

Bureau of Land Management, El Centro Field Office, 1661 S 4th Street El Centro, CA 92243.

2. Description of supply or service required to meet the agency’s needs.

One of the key functions and responsibilities of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) EL Centro Field Office is to provide public safety including emergency medical and rescue services on public lands for public lands visitors. One way in which the BLM fulfills this responsibility is by providing public safety through visitor services program in areas of high visitation of recreation from public land visitors. The areas which the public land visitors use and recreate on are in remote and austere environments typically for off-highway vehicle recreation on sand dune terrain features which include soft and deep windblown sand drifts which create large steep sloped dune fields across a large area. This terrain makes traditional vehicle use difficult to impossible and requires specially designed vehicles to navigate across. The main vehicle the BLM uses to navigate across these sand dunes are sand rails. These are tubular framed, rear engine placement vehicles with large specially designed tires which allows for maximum traction with reduced weight. Currently, the BLM El Centro Field Office operates specially modified sand rails which allow for a driver, rear occupant, and secured litter for supine evacuation of an injured or ill person across remote and austere terrain to an area accessible by ground or air ambulances for further treatment and transport to hospital.

The purpose of this procurement is to ensure the following BLM rescue sand rails will remain in service over the 2024-2025 Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area season to provide emergency medical and rescue services. Although BLM understands there can be unavoidable breakdowns and driver errors that cause damage to the vehicle, the objective of this procurement is to minimize the chance of mechanical failure and ensure vehicles are safe for employee operation.

3. The rationale or circumstances for limiting competition.

Funco Motorsports designed and manufactured the BLM’s search and rescue sand rails.

Funco Motorsports has proprietary and exclusivity rights for use of King shocks with integrated airbag spring suspension components, and other vehicle specific parts and equipment that are proprietary to Funco Motorsports. Proprietary parts include but are not limited to the Frame/ Chassis, all suspension components to include control arms, spindles, and rear trailing arms, and sway bars, Steering Linkage, steering rack, gear shift linkage, wheel hub assemblies, dashboard, body panels, fuel tanks, air ride suspension system, king shock tuning, adjustments and settings, and King airbag shocks. No other manufacturer can use these suspension or other vehicle specific components. Also, no other manufacturer has an equivalent systems or parts available on the current market. The use of these components is essential and critical to the operational success of search and rescue medicine in the El Centro Field Office.

Funco Motorsports has specially designed and manufactured search and rescue sand rails for BLM El Centro Field Office’s use with success for the past years, and are very familiar with the design, equipment requirements, and agency needs to be operationally successful in this terrain. The purpose of this procurement is to ensure the BLM rescue sand rails will remain in service over the 2023-2024 Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area season to provide emergency medical and rescue services. Although BLM understands there can be unavoidable breakdowns and driver errors that cause damage to the vehicle, the objective is to minimize the chance of mechanical failure and ensure vehicles are safe for employee operation and transportation of rescues.

These vehicles are used to support one of the key functions and responsibilities of the BLM ECFO is to provide public safety including emergency medical and rescue services on public lands for public lands visitors. One way in which the BLM fulfills this responsibility is by providing public safety through visitor services program in areas of high visitation of recreation from public land visitors. The areas which the public land visitors use and recreate on are in remote and austere environments typically for off-highway vehicle recreation on sand dune terrain features which include soft and deep windblown sand drifts which create large steep sloped dune fields across a large area. This terrain makes traditional vehicle use difficult to impossible and requires specially designed vehicles to navigate across. The main vehicle the BLM uses to navigate across these sand dunes are government owned sand rails.

4. A description of the Market Research (MR) conducted and the results or a statement of the reason MR was not conducted.

BLM El Centro Field Office staff researched other manufacturers and sand rail service businesses. These manufacturers include: Offroad Buggy Supply, and Glamis Fab by Joe Fab. None of these companies can provide the services that Funco is able to provide because of their proprietary King airbag spring shock system, and other vehicle specific parts and equipment.