36C25020B0005-084.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Justification and Approval

For

Other Than Full and Open Competition

Arjo Patient Lifts

Acquisition Plan Action ID: VA250-14-AP-12787

1. Contracting Activity: Depar tment of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office (NCO) 10, 260 E. University Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45219.

The Requesting Agency is VISN 10, VAMC Medical Center, Engineering Service (138), 3200 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45220.

2. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Processed:

Engineering Service is requesting approval to use other than full and open competition to solicit a Brand Name Only for the Arjo Patient Lift System, for use on Project No. 539-330, Correct Med Unit Patient Privacy Issues (6th Floor). This project will be awarded as a new Firm-Fixed Price contract. This Justification and Approval (J&A) is submitted pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C 2304 (c) (1) or 41 U.S.C. 253 (c) (1), which provides that full and open competition need not be obtained where there is “only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.” Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 6.302-1(c) “Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.”

3. Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet the Agency’s Needs:

The subject project involves the construction of new inpatient bed rooms, as an expansion of the existing 6th floor inpatient bed unit. Each new patient room will be constructed with a patient lift system, as required to allow the Nursing Staff to safely move the patients without injury to patient or staff member. The existing unit has patient lifts manufactured by Arjo. Due to staff familiarity from a functional and maintenance standpoint, it would be in the best interests of the Medical Center to construct these new rooms to match the existing patient bed rooms on the unit which includes a patient lift system by the same manufacturer as those currently on the unit. The Estimated Value of the Arjo Patient Lift System is . The estimated value of the Correct Med Unit Patient Privacy Issues (6th Floor) project is

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other than Full and Open Competition:

(X) (1) Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements per FAR 6.302-1;

( ) (2) Unusual and Compelling Urgency per FAR 6.302-2;

( ) (3) Industrial Mobilization, Engineering, Developmental or Research Capability or Expert Services per FAR 6.302-3;

( ) (4) International Agreement per FAR 6.302-4 ( ) (5) Authorized or Required by Statute FAR 6.302-5;

( ) (6) National Security per FAR 6.302-6;

( ) (7) Public Interest per FAR 6.302-7;

5. Demonstration that the Contractor’s Unique Qualifications or Nature of the Acquisition Requires the Use of the Authority Cited Above (applicability of authority):

Nursing staff rotate among the patient rooms. Therefore, it is important from a patient care perspective to keep the equipment consistent on a single Inpatient Unit. Such consistency is a critical element in providing efficient and safe patient care. Since the Nursing staff is familiar with the operation of the existing Arjo Patient Lift Units currently being used on their ward, and since these current Arjo Patient Lift Units will remain in the existing patient bed rooms, it is in the Medical Center’s best interest to install matching patient lift systems in the new patient bed rooms.

6. Description of Efforts Made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as deemed practicable:

Research has shown that in the industry, it is standard for each patient lift manufacturer to have their own unique functions and operations, which puts a burden on the Nursing Staff to have a mix of different manufactures through a single inpatient bed unit. There is just too much at risk from a patient safety standpoint to attempt to intermingle manufacturers on patient lift system. This solicitation will be publicized via Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps). The Approved Justification and Approval (J&A) for Arjo Patient Lift System will be posted with the solicitation.

7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the Anticipated Cost to the

Government will be Fair and Reasonable:

Determination of fair and reasonableness of cost will be based upon a complete price analysis and Independent Government Cost Estimate. The anticipated cost will be considered fair and reasonable.

This project will be issued as an Invitation for Bid (IFB). Tradeoffs and Evaluation Factors are not applicable for this project.

8. Description of the Market Research Conducted and the Results, or a Statement of the Reasons Market Research Was Not Conducted:

Market research has been previously conducted for prior projects concerning this subject. Arjo patient lift systems are currently located throughout the entire hospital.

9. Any Other Facts Supporting the Use of Other than Full and Open Competition:

Maintenance, while secondary to the issues of patient and staff safety, is another important factor to consider. Engineering is charged with maintaining these units. A malfunctioning unit needs to be placed back into service as quickly as possible. Attempting to introduce a different manufacturer with different operational and functional requirements would no doubt compromise the ability of maintenance staff to respond to their tasks efficiently.

10. Listing of Sources that Expressed, in Writing, an Interest in the Acquisition:

See Section VI above.

11. A Statement of the Actions, if any, the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome any Barriers to Competition before Making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required:

Solicitations for future requirements will utilize “brand name or equal” language, if it is in the Government’s best interest to do so. The current requirement must be solicited using a brand name description because the Government needs to create an exact copy of a system/item that is currently in use.

12. Requirements Certification: I certify that the requirement outlined in this justification is a Bona Fide

Need of the Department of Veterans Affairs and that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in the justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

12/28/2018

Zachary Schmidt Date Project Engineer, Engineering Service VAMC – Cincinnati, OH

13. Approvals in accordance with the VHAPM Part 806.3 OFOC SOP

a. Contracting Officer's Certification (required): I certify that the foregoing justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

2-24-2019

Ronald T. Heidemann Contracting Officer Network Contracting Office (NCO) 10

Date