A02.05_KO Determination for Brand Name_Revised - Final.pdf

CUI

(Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104-4)

Brand Name Determination Data Acquisition Systems and Instrumentation Equipment

Example BPA Call

1. Contracting Activity: The agency making this acquisition is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory (GSL), Geoscience and Structures Division (GSD) Structural Mechanics Branch (SMB), the contracting office is located at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180-6199.

2. Description of Action: This determination seeks approval to award a new Firm Fixed

Price (FFP) Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) Call on a brand name basis pursuant to procedures at Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106-1(b) to purchase Data Acquisition Systems and Instrumentation Equipment.

3. Description of the product required to meet the agency’s needs: The

Geotechnical and Structures Lab (GSL), Geoscience and Structures Division (GSD) Structural Mechanics Branch (SMB) has a requirement to purchase the following DeweSoft brand name Data Acquisition Systems/equipment:

DeweSoft SIRIUS Rack System [SIRIUS-R8] Quantity: 1 DeweSoft 8 Channel SIRIUS STG Module Rack Slice [SIRIUS- 8xSTG]

Quantity: 2

DeweSoft 9 pin D-SUB shielded cable [D9m-OPEN-5m] Quantity: 32 DeweSoft IOLITE Rack System [IOLITE-R8] Quantity: 1 DeweSoft 6 Channel IOLITE STG Module [IOLITEr-6Xstg] Quantity: 3 DeweSoft AC/DC Power supply, 120W, 24V, 5A [PS-120W-L1B2f] Quantity: 5 DeweSoft Communication cable for ECAT; ECAT (L1T8f) to Computer (RJ45) [L1T8f-RJ45-1m]

Quantity: 1

4. Authority Cited: FAR 13.106-1(b), Soliciting from a single source (1) For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold (i) 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: In accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. (i) Contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source (e.g. brand name) reasonably available.

Background: The Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory (GSL) is conducting research and

(Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104-4) development (R&D) for The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to design, develop, analyze, prototype, integrate, and validate innovative building envelope systems as well as characterize, mitigate, and defeat multi-dimensional threats. This R&D has primarily focused on developing, demonstrating, and delivering innovative technologies for hardening of building structural and fenestration systems such as walls, roofs, windows, doors, etc. Several protective systems have been identified as inadequate to mitigate and defeat multi-dimensional threats of interests.

To accomplish this, the Structural Mechanics Branch (SMB) has the need to purchase Data Acquisition Systems (DAQ) and Instrumentation Equipment (IE) as needed during program execution for testing and data capture requirements.

Justification: The SMB requires the procurement of DeweSoft equipment because it has proven to have reliability in field exercises and laboratory applications to provide cost efficient performance, data accuracy, and repeatability. The DeweSoft equipment is necessary for compatibility with GSL’s existing DeweSoft DAQ system currently in use. Other DAQ equipment on the market will not have the proprietary Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) components necessary to make the necessary hardware connections to join the newly purchased components to the existing system and are not interchangeable. Other brands may have similar hardware and/or connections but that does not ensure compatibility on the same i/o and/or frequency range(s), which would cause any data obtained during testing with the newly added components to be unusable, therefore affecting data accuracy. The purchase of non- OEM parts could be costly, delay research efforts, and undermine the customer’s confidence in ERDC’s ability to accomplish the mission. If non-OEM products are purchased and do not perform as needed, additional costs will be incurred to purchase the OEM parts and the delay incurred by repeating the purchasing process will compromise experimental schedules and project budgets. With the effective rate of labor at 69% and customer budgets being reduced, it is imperative that project schedules be streamlined. The DeweSoft DAQ system has a unique capability to interface with the high-speed camera(s) and allow automated syncing of video feeds with recorded data time-histories. This greatly assists researchers during post-test analysis by allowing visual confirmation of data trends. Traditional methods used to sync the data and video are very time consuming. For example, to sync a single video and data stream required multiple pieces of software and hours of labor. When multiple cameras and ten to twenty data lines are used per experiment, this becomes a less than ideal method of data processing. The traditional methods also require a signal to indicate zero time that could be captured by both the DAQ and the cameras.

The new data system allows the high-speed video to be uploaded into the DAQ system and with a few key strokes the two are synced in less than 15 minutes. This process opens up a new capability that can be included into the customers’ data package that allows key insight to the target response. Additionally, the purchase of a completely new type of DAQ system not currently in use by GSL, would place an additional cost burden on the government. Based on a previous training effort, it can take up to a week of time and more than $8,000—including labor costs—to properly educate a single research engineer on the operation of an unfamiliar data acquisition

(Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104-4) system. Moreover, because GSL would not possess institutional knowledge on the operation of a new type of data acquisition system, that knowledge would have to be acquired through completing research projects. Thus, new projects could suffer schedule delays as the research team adjusts to the use of a new DAQ. The existing DeweSoft data system and any new DeweSoft components purchased can be tethered together for larger projects that require more instrumentation channels than a single unit could provide, thereby potentially saving thousands on the purchase of a larger single DAQ unit. Therefore, SMB requires DeweSoft brand name equipment for the subject requirement.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Several vendors resell the requested DeweSoft products, therefore adequate competition is anticipated.

7. Determination that costs will be fair and reasonable: The independent government estimate, catalog prices, price competition, and the laboratory’s technical representative’s knowledge of the industry will be used to determine if the quoted price is fair and reasonable.

8. Description of Market Research: Market research has been conducted for this acquisition utilizing historical acquisition information, review of Government and commercial sources for relevant information, and review of other internet sources. The resulting market research found that the products required to meet the Government’s need are commercial items and more than one vendor is capable of providing the items required to meet the Government’s need.

9. Contracting Officer Determination: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Allison Hudson Contracting Officer