4d. J&A for Other Than Open Competition_Redacted.pdf

This is a Justification and Approval (J&A) for Other Than Full and Open Competition document for a fire alarm system retrofit at U.S. Coast Guard Base Boston, Massachusetts. The Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Coast Guard, CEU Providence, is procuring materials and services on a sole-source basis from Johnson Controls, Inc. (1400 Boston Providence Hwy #3250, Norwood, MA 02062) under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 3204(a), which permits procurement when only one responsible source can satisfy agency requirements.

The acquisition involves retrofitting the existing Simplex 4100U Fire Alarm Control Unit in each of nine buildings with Simplex 4100S retrofit kits, replacing all existing smoke and heat detectors with Simplex-manufactured equivalent devices, and adding new Simplex fire alarm devices as determined by the Designer of Record. The current fire alarm system is antiquated and no longer supported by the manufacturer; smoke and heat detectors exceed the recommended 10-year replacement cycle. The contract is Firm Fixed Price, funded through DLM-CSO for Fiscal Year 2025, with an estimated total value provided but redacted in the document. The solicitation number is TBD, with an announcement anticipated on SAM.gov on June 27, 2025. The justification emphasizes that Johnson Controls owns the proprietary Simplex software and is the only source capable of ensuring system interoperability and reliability, as mixing fire alarm devices from different manufacturers would compromise system functionality and safety. The government conducted market research on SBA.gov, DSBS.SBA.gov, Google.com, Johnson Controls' website, and GSA Advantage on June 12, 2025, which confirmed that only Johnson Controls can provide compatible software and devices for system configuration.