1.5.1_Brand_Name_Justification_-_Global_Evolve.pdf

JUSTIFICATION FOR BRAND NAME SOLE SOURCE

The justification for the use of brand name sole source is justified by the following facts and rationale as follows:

1. Agency and Contracting Activity. Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region IX, Mission Support Division, 1111 Broadway Suite 1200 Oakland, CA 94607.

2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved. Approval for a brand name requirement for the purchase, design, and installation of new workstations which have the same look and feel as existing workstations to include removal and disposal of existing workstations within the FEMA Region IX Oakland, CA Office.

3. Description of Supplies/Services. The requirement is to provide new Global Furniture - “Evolve” line for the Region’s office location at 1111 Broadway Oakland, CA in the following areas:

a. Mitigation and Mission Support – Reconfiguring the 12th floor IT space will be downsized and adding of twenty-two (22) work stations will be required in the immediate cubicle area.

b. Disassemble glass collaborative area and add three new cubicles to match existing cubicles.

c. Reconfigure four (4) cubicle clusters and two (2) administrative desks in RRCC (attachment F) and convert to open-concept collaborative seating.

d. Provide two (2) stand-alone task tables.

This requirement follows on from previous orders: HSFE09-17-P-00062 and HSFE09-16-J- 0201. The total investment through these two orders is over $760,000.00.

4. Identification of Statutory Authority Permitting brand name sole source. FAR 6.302-1 Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy the Agency Requirements. Per FAR 6.302-1 (c) Supplies are required by the agency and no other type of supplies will satisfy the agency requirements. The Global Furniture covered by this requirement is a commercial item that many different vendors are authorized to sell. Other brands are not able to meet the regional need as they would not match the style and feel of the Global Evolve line.

5. Demonstration That the Nature of the Acquisition Require Use of the Authority Cited. The region has completed several workstation consolidation projects with the Global Evolve furniture brand. “Global” brand name furniture is required in order to have the remaining workstation consolidation projects to have the same look and feel as those projects most recently completed (July 2017). The benefits of having all one furniture manufacturer are numerous. This will allow for operational familiarity when facility personnel are making changes to the furniture to satisfy reasonable accommodation requests. Another operational familiarity occurs when facility personnel must make repairs or minor modifications to the workstations. This will greatly enhance the ease of repair not only because of familiarity but because of part interchangeability.

Personnel are moved between workstations frequently, so they will be familiar with the furniture unique features when staying with one manufacturer. Various vendors can supply the specified brand and competitive bids will be solicited for the brand requested only.

6. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable. A FedBizOpps notice will be publicized, as required by FAR Subpart 5.102(a)(6) and 5.2.

7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable.

The contracting officer determines that the anticipated price(s) will be fair and reasonable based on historic information from previous solicitations prior to selecting the Global brand of furniture and through competition of the current requirement among vendors of Global furniture.

In previous solicitations other furniture brands were competitive in price to the Global brand.

8. Description of Market Research. The internet was searched for a list of authorized Global Furniture distributors within a 100 mile radius of the project location.

S.L. Pemberton, Inc.

414 Jackson St.

Suite 302 San Francisco, CA 94111 415-399-9929

AAA Business Supplies & Interiors 325 Mendell St.

San Francisco, CA 94124 800-821-4430

Workspace Interiors by Office Depot 3000 Executive Parkway Suite 175 San Ramon, CA 94583 877-543-0944

Pivot Interiors 2740 Zanker Rd Ste 100 San Jose, CA 95134 408-432-5600

One Work Place L. Ferrari 2500 De La Cruz Blvd

Santa Clara, CA 95050 408-263-1001

Vangard Concept Offices 2150 N.1st St.

Suite 100 San Jose, CA 95131 408-325-3200

Kbm Workspace 160 W Santa Clara St Ste 102 San Jose, CA 95113 408-351-7100

Miles Treaster & Assoc Inc.

3480 Industrial Blvd Ste 100 West Sacramento, CA 95691 916-373-1800

Western Contract Furnish 11455 Folsom Blvd Rancho Cordova, CA 95742 916-638-2698

9. Any Other Facts Supporting the Use of Other Than Full and Open Competition. As previously stated, two other orders have been awarded for earlier phases of updating furniture within Region IX for a total of $762,000.00 which includes both the design, purchase, and installation of furniture. If a brand other than the Global Furniture Evolve line were used all of the furniture would need to be replaced to maintain a cohesive look and feel throughout the Region.

10. Listing of Sources, if any, That Expressed, in Writing, an Interest in the Acquisition. No other vendors have expressed an interest in writing for this acquisition. This Brand Name Justification will be posted with the Solicitation.

11. Statement of Actions, if any, the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome any Barriers to Competition Before any Subsequent Acquisition for the Supplies or Services Required. The entire requirement was not originally known at the outset of the project to update the cubicles throughout Region IX. Additional construction and design have taken place since the start of the update in FY16. In future updates, the entire project will be fulfilled through Full and Open Competition.

CERTIFICATION

I am aware of the requirements for competitive bidding and the established criteria for justification for brand-name purchasing. As an approved department representative, I have gathered the required technical information and have made a concerted effort to review comparable/equal equipment. This effort is documented in this justification. I hereby certify that this justification for sole source/sole brand procurement meets the criteria and would withstand an audit by the DHS OIG, or a vendor protest.

Michael Lull Date Administrative Services Branch Chief Mission Support Division

10. Contracting Officer’s Certification and Approval. This justification is accurate and complete to the best of the contracting officer’s knowledge and belief.

Andrea L. Brunsman Date Contracting Officer