A.02.05 Garlock Brand Name Determination BETA SAM.pdf

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Control Number 20-0011_________

SINGLE BRAND DETERMINATION

Far Subpart 13.106-1(b)

1. CONTRACTING AGENCY: US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Walla Walla district, McNary Lock and Dam project, PO Box 1230, Umatilla OR 97882.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION: Approval is being requested for a new firm-fixed-price, brand name, purchase order for the delivery of 3 Sets of “Garlock Turbine Blade Runner Packing” Seals. Each turbine has 6 blades so McNary requires 18 seal stacks.

Each seal stack has eight layers: four flexible Style 435 V-Rings, two top Style 261RH (Rock Hard) support adapters and two bottom Style 261RH (Rock Hard) support adapters. Garlock 3000 shims may be used as necessary.

3. DESCRIPTION OF THE SERVICES/SUPPLIES: A brand name justification is being sought to provide a commercial item, off the shelf, from a distributor who is able to supply the Garlock Turbine Blade Runner Back-to-Back Packing brand seals.

4. AUTHORITY CITED: FAR 13.106-1 (b) Soliciting from a single source. (1) For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand name, or industrial mobilization).

5. REASON FOR AUTHORITY CITED:

A. BACKGROUND: Turbine Blade Runner Packings were installed to keep oil from leaking between the hub and the turbine blades. The original McNary drawings called for the Garlock Turbine Blade Runner Packing. The Garlock Turbine Blade Runner Packing is the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and the only turbine blade runner packing proven to stop leakage at McNary Dam. McNary is currently experiencing failure of the seals recently installed by another manufacturer and require the Garlock Brand Turbine Runner Packing.

B. JUSTIFICATION: Garlock brand Turbine Blade Runner Packing Seals are the only seals that have been proven to provide the tight seal necessary at McNary Dam. Other brand seals have not provided the seal necessary to avoid oil leakage. The unique characteristics of Garlock’s Turbine Blade Runner Packing are the only Turbine Blade Runner Packing known to work at McNary Dam. The Garlock 261 Rock Hard adapters, which are composed of unique blend of natural rubber with 5.5 ounce cotton, provide the strength and rigidity needed to compress and expand the softer inner chevrons. These flexible Style 435 V-Rings are composed of a unique blend of 70 durometer nitrile and 10.8 ounce cotton. Their exact shape dimensions are proprietary. The 3000 Garlock shims (ASTM line callout:

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F712100A9B4E22K5L101M5) allow us to adjust the stack to the exact height and width needed to provide a leak-tight seal.

C. IMPACT: If alternative seals are purchased and fail in service, oil can leak into the river and expose the Agency to potential Clean Water Act violations. The Agency would also incur added time and money while the turbine generator is taken out of service for another seal replacement. At minimum power generation of 40 MW, and an estimated $33 per MW-hour, every week Unit 5 is down costs over $200,000 in lost power generation. This time of year, our units typically run at 60 MW, not the minimum 40 MW, which works out to over $330,000 per week.

D. ALTERNATIVES: If McNary cannot purchase functional seals then the turbine hub will need to be drained of oil and the turbine blades fixed in place. The Kaplan runner would lose the valuable flexibility that an adjustable unit offers. When the runner is fully functional, operators can change the angle of the turbine blades to allow them to meet the regions fluctuating power requirements and maximize operational efficiency. With the blades fixed in place the Kaplan runner is no longer fully functional.

6. DETERMINATION OF FAIR AND REASONABLE COSTS:

7. EFFORTS TO OBTAIN COMPETITION: It is anticipated that there are multiple distributors of the Garlock brand Turbine Blade Runner Packing.

8. MARKET RESEARCH: The seals described in the technical specification are essential to the Government’s requirements, and market research indicates other companies’ similar products do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet, the agency’s needs.

I certify that the information supporting this brand name determination is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge based on the supporting data provided by technical or requirements personnel.

Prepared by: Alan Inglis Title: Contract Specialist Signature: ____________________

DETERMINATION: In accordance with the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 13.106-1 (b) and based upon the foregoing, I hereby determine that a brand name procurement is authorized and is in the best interest of the Government.

Approved by: Jani Long Title: Contracting Officer Signature: ____________________

Reviewed for legal sufficiency: Theresa Hampson Title: District Counsel Signature: _____________________