A15_140P1221R0013_CO_SABER_Brand_Name_Justification_3.pdf

United States Department of the Interior

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

INTERIOR REGIONS 6, 7, & 8

LAKEWOOD MABO

12795 W. Alameda Parkway

Lakewood, CO 80228

October 19, 2021

Justification for Use of Brand Name Product(s)

1. Identification:

Agency: National Park Service

Contracting Office: Lakewood MABO

2. Description of the action being approved:

The Lakewood Major Acquisition Buying Office (LW-MABO), of the National Park Service

Interior Regions 6, 7 & 8, intends to solicit for a Simplified Acquisition of Basic Engineering

Requirements (SABER) contract to provide cost estimating and construction services that will primarily be used for real property maintenance, repair, alteration and/or new construction projects. The requirements of this contract call for the use of specific brand name estimating software that is proprietary to one software vendor. This document provides written justification for limiting competition to the listed brand name product(s) as authorized by the Federal

Acquisition Regulations (FAR).

3. Description of supplies and services:

SABER task order pricing and estimates shall be developed and produced using the combination of the R.S. Means Master Composite Cost Database, and the e4Clicks Professional Estimator software; hereafter referred to as the SABER Contract Pricing Guide (CPG).

Product:

3 Licenses for e4Clicks Professional subscription with R.S. Means Master Composite Database

(e4CBundle-006)

$3,134.34 each, plus 2 days of training $1,000/person, minimum of 4, maximum of 12

Estimated Total: $13,394.02 - $21,394.02

4. Authority:

a. 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1): Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

b. FAR Part 11.105: The brand name products are essential to the Government’s requirements and market research indicates other companies’ similar products do not meet and cannot be modified to meet the agency’s needs.

c. FAR 6.302-1: The use of the name brand products(s) is essential to the Government’s requirements, thereby precluding consideration of a product manufactured by another company.

5. The description of the product’s unique qualifications or the unique nature of the acquisition:

The e4Clicks cost estimating, program management and document management software package is a networkable windows-based software that can import and export estimates and projects, track projects by contract and contract year, by estimator, by customer or by project location. It supports project management tracking of project milestones, project costs, contracts and project notes. It provides a means for document management, whereas the user can setup template documents, point and click and create new, project specific documents using these templates and current project information.

The software supports importing and exporting of a secured estimate file format. The software is capable of importing and contractor’s estimate and completing electronic comparisons and technical evaluations. This is a tremendous tool for better managing and also expediting task order negotiations. The software is capable of handling multiple coefficients and contractor’s markups within a project. The software supports all of the city cost index provided by R.S.

Means annually and quarterly in addition to supporting Division Level Material/Installation, Division level Weighted Average, Weighted Average Material/Installation and Weighted

Average Totaling for Bare Cost Pricing and O&P unit pricing.

Consistency amongst the SABER contracts in using the same estimating program provides efficiencies to the engineering staff so that they do not have to become proficient in multiple estimating programs. The other currently awarded SABERs all use e4Clicks for estimating.

6. Efforts to obtain competition:

a. Efforts to ensure offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable:

For acquisition over $25,000 the solicitation will be issued on the Government’s Point of

Entry: sam.gov

b. Pre-solicitation Notice per FAR 5.2:

For acquisitions over $25,000 a pre-solicitation notice shall be posted on the

Government’s Point of Entry, sam.gov unless the exception noted at FAR Part

5.202(a)(13) applies.

7. Determination that costs will be fair & reasonable:

Fair and reasonable price determination was made based on the fact that e4Clicks is a GSA contract vendor (GS-35F-0392P) and on the results of market research, historical information, and review of other federal government contracts for similar contracts. The successful vendor will be required to obtain software licenses for their use at open market pricing.

8. Description of market research conducted:

On-line market research was conducted to find similar software products, but none provided the clear-cut advantages that e4Clicks does. Consulted other government activities that have recently solicited for a similar contract type, with similar software requirements. All activities selected e4Clicks to meet their requirements.

9. Other facts supporting other than full & open competition:

a. Reason why documents suitable for full & open competition have not been developed:

Refer to item 5 above.

b. Data, estimated costs or other rationale as to the extent or harm to the Government:

Refer to item 5 above.

10. Interested Sources: N/A

11. Actions to remove barriers to competition in the future for similar acquisitions:

Appropriate market research will be conducted prior to similar acquisitions to determine if other competitive products are available at the time.

12. Certifications:

a. Technical / Requirements Certification:

I do hereby recommend the use of the Brand Name product(s) noted above for this procurement.

I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Diane Tate, Branch Chief, Date

Interior Regions 6, 7 & 8

Tammy Gallegos, Regional Chief of Contracting Date

NPS, Interior Regions 6, 7 & 8