19AQMM26F1639 Restricting Competition for Commercial Products and Services Under the SAT -BRAND NAME HI EW Media Destroyer_Redacted.pdf
PDF 451 KB Posted
- Attached to
- Award 19AQMM26F1639
- Solicitation number
- 19AQMM26F1639
About this file
This is a justification document for restricting competition below the simplified acquisition threshold for a federal procurement by the U.S. Department of State's Global Acquisitions office.
The Department of State seeks to solicit and award a delivery order for a Media Destroyer system and related supplies and services on behalf of the ESOC West facility (DT/EI/IM/HI – Media Destroyer requiring activity). The acquisition supports upgrading ESOC West's media destruction capabilities for hard drives of different types—both solid state and magnetic—that previously contained unclassified and classified data. The system must comply with all federal security requirements and NSA-mandated destruction standards for classified materials. The Government requires MDS Option 2: Complete Ultimate-4 Suite (SKU ULTIMATE-004), which includes the Kobra SSD solid-state disintegrator (NSA/CSS EPL-listed, sub-2mm particle), IRONCLAD SSD Destruction Verification System, TS-1XT IRONCLAD Degausser (NSA/CSS EPL-listed, 20,000 Gauss), PT828HDD Hard Drive Shredder (DIN 66399 H-4, 38mm), dual IRONCLAD audit and verification for magnetic and solid-state streams, installation coordination and operator training, and freight (estimated and billed at actual cost).
The Contracting Officer has justified restricting competition under FAR 12.102(a) on a brand-name basis, determining that only the manufacturer's brand-specific components satisfy minimum needs. Market research confirms no other manufacturer's products are compatible with ESOC West's existing infrastructure without unacceptable cost, delay, or security risk. NSA/CSS compliance specifically requires the integrated combination of the Kobra SSD disintegrator and TS-1XT degausser available only through MDS, and the proprietary IRONCLAD dual-stream verification platform is required to meet NSA auditability requirements and integrate with NSA-approved destruction devices. The Contracting Officer has determined anticipated pricing will be fair and reasonable based on market research and comparisons to previous purchases, noting that multiple authorized resellers of the brand-name items can provide competition on pricing among certified resellers.
View the file
On GovTribe
Work with this file
- Download the original file
- Contacts named in this file
- Similar government files
- Ask GovTribe AI about this file
Text version
These systems enable ESOC West to destroy sensitive and classified hard drives in house in full compliance with NSA guidance. The estimated value for the entire period of performance is
SECTION 4: IDENTIFICATION OF THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING
OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 12.102(a), the Contracting Officer has deemed only one source reasonably available based on the following:
☒ Brand-name
SECTION 5: DEMONSTRATION THAT THE PROPOSED CONTRACTOR’S
UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS OR THE NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION REQUIRES
USE OF THE AUTHORITY CITED
Only the manufacturer’s brand specific components satisfy the Government’s minimum needs.
Market research confirms that no other manufacturer’s products are compatible with ESOC West’s existing infrastructure, and alternative equipment cannot be modified to achieve compatibility without unacceptable cost, delay, or increased security risk.
NSA/CSS compliance requires use of NSA‑Evaluated Products List (EPL) destruction equipment, and the required configuration is available only through MDS. To meet NSA/CSS sanitization standards for both classified SSDs and magnetic HDDs, the destruction system must combine an NSA‑evaluated SSD disintegrator and an NSA‑evaluated HDD degausser in a single integrated package. Only the MDS solution provides the Kobra SSD disintegrator and the TS‑1XT degausser in a fully compliant, interoperable configuration.
Audit and verification requirements necessitate the IRONCLAD system. The IRONCLAD dual‑stream verification platform, proprietary to MDS, provides complete, automated destruction tracking and documentation for SSD and HDD workflows. No equivalent verification system exists that meets NSA auditability requirements or integrates with NSA‑approved destruction devices.
Switching manufacturers would jeopardize security and operational continuity. Introducing mixed‑vendor or non‑integrated components would create verification gaps, increase risk of non‑compliance with NSA standards, and disrupt established classified‑media destruction workflows. Only the MDS suite delivers the required interoperability, security controls, and continuous NSA‑aligned destruction assurance.
SECTION 6. DETERMINATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THE
ANTICIPATED COST TO THE GOVERNMENT IS FAIR AND REASONABLE
The Contracting Officer determines that the anticipated price(s) will be fair and reasonable based on market research, comparisons to previous purchase prices found reasonable, and comparisons with similar items in related industry.
The program office has confirmed that the requested products are available through several resellers. As this is a brand‑name justification, no one contractor’s unique qualifications are superior to another. Market research concluded that several resellers are available as long as they are certified resellers. Because multiple authorized resellers can provide the required brand‑name items, the Government can still obtain fair and reasonable pricing through competition among certified resellers.
By signing the justification, the Contracting Officer makes a determination that the to the Government is expected to be fair and reasonable.
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .