25Q2517_ABB ATO Phase 4_Sole Source Justification.pdf

April 2025

SOLE SOURCE (INCLUDING BRAND NAME) JUSTIFICATION FOR

CERTAIN COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

1. IDENTIFICATION OF AGENCY AND CONTRACTING ACTIVITY: Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Mid-Atlantic (NAVFAC MIDLANT), Contracting Core, Norfolk, Virginia proposes to enter into a sole-source contract under simplified procedures for certain commercial products and services.

2. NATURE/DESCRIPTION OF CONTRACT ACTION: This is a sole source justification action for ABB, Inc. conducted using the procedures of FAR subpart 13.5. The placement of a firm, fixed price order is anticipated.

3. DESCRIPTION OF REQUIRED SUPPLIES/SERVICES: The work consists of services necessary for conducting the Risk Management Framework (RMF) and upgrade of existing steam plant control systems located at Lafayette River. The ABB DCS is the primary system used for centralized command and control of the Industrial Control System vital to the operation of thermal production facilities. The resulting contract will be a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract for a 12-month period. The estimated total cost for this procurement is approximately $590,000.00.

4. IDENTIFICATION OF THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING OTHER

THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION: This action is conducted pursuant to 10 USC 3204(a)(1).

5. DEMONSTRATION THAT THE PROPOSED CONTRACTOR'S UNIQUE

QUALIFICATIONS OR NATURE OF THE ACTION REQUIRES USE OF THE

AUTHORITY CITED: The use of the authority cited in Section 4 is deemed appropriate as

ABB’s Distributed Control System (DCS) is the primary system used for centralized command and control of the Industrial Control System vital to the operation of thermal production facilities. The contractor currently provides all services necessary for maintenance of hardware and software.

ABB’s DCS uses custom designed processors as controllers and uses both proprietary interconnections and communications protocol for communication. Input and output modules form component parts of the DCS. The processor receives information from input modules and sends information to output modules. The input modules receive information from input instruments in the process (or field) and transmit instructions to the output instruments in the field. Computer buses or electrical buses connect the processor and modules through multiplexer. Buses also connect the distributed controllers with the central controller and finally to the Human–machine interface (HMI) or control consoles.

ABB’s servers and applications processor is included in the system for extra computational, data collection, and reporting capability. Based on information received from remote stations, automated or operator-driven supervisory commands can be pushed to remote station control devices, which are often referred to as field devices. Field devices control local operations such as opening and closing valves and breakers, collecting data from sensor systems, and monitoring the local environment for alarm conditions.

ABB’s Distributive Controls Systems is considered to be the brain of the Thermal Commodity

Optimization Network (TCON), which is all of the systems involved in managing the steam plant.

NAVFAC has completed major upgrades and additions to the existing ABB Distributive Controls

Systems throughout the region. These upgrades and additions were completed as part of the TCON, which is an Enterprise Management System designed by ABB.

All of the ABB SPlus servers, redundant servers, clients, and consoles operate using ABB’s software and products which are proprietary. Since ABB’s software is proprietary, ABB is the only company that can provide software support and upgrades. Additionally, ABB maintains ownership of the design documentation for the TCON system and employs the only engineers who are factory trained and certified to perform maintenance on their TCON system.

The scope of work (SOW) is to complete the RMF for the proposed upgraded control system to meet CIO’s authorization to operate (ATO) requirements in accordance with Department of

Defense Instruction (DoDI) 8510.01 “Risk Management Framework (RMF) for DoD Information

Technology (IT)” and implement the hardware upgrades to the steam plant control systems located in building 103 aboard Lafayette River Annex. This is phase four of a five phase approach to obtain

ATO for steam plant DCSs operated and maintained by PW65 core throughout the Hampton Roads

Area. Systems being upgraded are currently supported by ABB through an active and valid ABB

Care Agreement via N4008525P0023 that includes coverage for the software associated with these systems. As such the software licenses will be upgraded free of charge equating to a cost avoidance of $245,825.00. This is a time sensitive requirement

Procuring this hardware and service from another company would require replacement of the

TCON system in its entirety. Replacing the entire TCON system would disrupt mission at commands and would result in a substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition.

6. DESCRIPTION OF EFFORTS MADE TO ENSURE THAT OFFERS ARE

SOLICITED FROM AS MANY POTENTIAL SOURCES AS IS PRACTICABLE,

INCLUDING WHETHER A NOTICE WAS OR WILL BE PUBLICIZED AS REQUIRED

BY FAR SUBPART 5.2 AND, IF NOT, WIDCH EXCEPTION UNDER FAR

5.202 APPLIES: The requiring activity and contracting activity have previously conducted market research to determine if there are any other sources as part of contract N4008524P0029 for authority to operate (ATO) updates to ABB’s DCS system in support of Risk Management

Framework (RMF) and upgrade of existing systems located at Buildings NMC Portsmouth CEP20 and St. Julien Creek Annex 283 and N0008525P0023 to support the Asea Brown Boveri (ABB)

Bailey Net90/Infi90/Harmony Distributive Controls Systems (DCS). Market research was conducted to identify existing contracts within the Department of Defense (DoD). It was determined that the only existing DoD contract that can provide the required hardware, software and services is the current contract, which was awarded on a sole source basis. ABB is the only company that can provide the required hardware, software and services.

Per FAR 10.002(b)(1), market research conducted within 18 months may be used if the information is still current, accurate, and relevant. This requirement will be posted on SAM.gov as a notice of intent. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

7. DETERMINATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THE

ANTICIPATED COST TO THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE FAIR AND REASONABLE.

The Contracting Officer has determined the anticipated cost to the Government of the services covered by this J&A will be fair and reasonable.

8. DESCRIPTION OF THE MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED AND THE RESULTS

OR A STATEMENT OF THE REASON MARKET RESEARCH WAS NOT CONDUCTED.

The requiring activity and contracting activity have previously conducted market research to determine if there are any other sources as part of contract N4008524P0029 for authority to operate (ATO) updates to ABB’s DCS system in support of Risk Management Framework (RMF) and upgrade of existing systems located at Buildings NMC Portsmouth CEP20 and St. Julien Creek Annex 283 and N0008525P0023 to support the Asea Brown Boveri (ABB) Bailey Net90/Infi90/Harmony Distributive Controls Systems (DCS). Per FAR 10.002(b)(1), market research conducted within 18 months may be used if the information is still current, accurate, and relevant. This requirement will be posted on SAM.gov as a notice of intent. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

9. ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN

COMPETITION: All support information is provided in this document under Section 5.

10. A LISTING OF THE SOURCES, IF ANY, THAT EXPRESSED, IN WRITING, AN

INTEREST IN THE ACQUISITION: No sources expressed interesting in this acquisition.

11. A STATEMENT OF ANY ACTIONS THE AGENCY WILL TAKE TO REMOVE OR

OVERCOME ANY FUTURE BARRIERS TO COMPETITION: As stated in Section 6, there are no plans at this time to compete future contracts for the type of supplies/services covered by this document. If a potential source emerges, an assessment will be performed to determine whether full and open competition for future requirements is feasible.