A15_40542237_Justification_of_Name_Brand_YELL_FLIR_IR_camera_and_lens.pdf

Date:

Project:

Date 06/10/2021

United States Department of the Interior

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

INTERMOUNT AIN REGION

CONTRACTING PROGRAM

Justification for Brand Name Products

FLIR infrared camera for geyser and geothermal resource monitoring

1. Identifications

a. Agency: National Park Service

b. Contracting Office: Northern Rockies Major Acquisition Buying Office

2. Description of the action beine approved:

The Na tiona I Park Service (NPS) sha II be soliciting for an infrared imaging camera. The documents included with the so licit a tion ca U for specific brand name products that a re peculiar to one manufacturer. Th is written justification provides approval for limiting competition to the listed brand name products as authorized by the Federal Acquisition Regulations

(FAR).

3. Description of su1mlies and services:

As per the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 as amended in 1988, the YNP Geology Program (YNPG) is federally mandated to monitor, inventory, research and protect geothermal natural resources in Yellowstone National Park The most effective way to monitor YNP's geothermal resources is through the acquisition and analysis of infrared (IR) imagery of geothermal areas that contain the Park's geysers, thermal springs, mud pots, fumaroles and other hydrothermal features.

FLIR Systems, Inc. (FLIR) is the industry leader in IR imagery acquisition and processing through their bolometer and cooled camera systems and image processing software.

YNPG, like fellow USGS researchers and academic research partners, use exclusively FLIR technologies when acquiring IR imagery from ground and airborne platfonns because ofFLIR's industry leading technologies.

Specific to YNPG needs, only FLIR produces an IR camera that provides the versatility needed to capture high resolu tion imagery of geothermal imagery both from the ground and from airborne platforms i.e., a helicopter.

IR imagery acquired with FLIR equipment provides data replication and analysis continuity with our research partners that exclusively use FLIR technologies.

Importantly, FLIR sales and technical staff are also available for equipment training and technical assistance on both. the equipment and software after the sale of the equipment at no extra cost to NPS.

4. Authority:

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

b. FAR Part 11.1 OS: 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 is essen tia I 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:

• NPS and other DOI agencies, as wel l as other Federal departments exclusively use FLIR technologies to create and analyze high resolution IR imagery captured from the ground or airborne platforms, especially for geoscience applications. All YNPG IR Imagery has been acquired with FLIR technology.

• YNPG seeks a high definition, high frame count, microbolometer IR camera that is portable and able to effectively capture highly reliable thermal value images from both an airborne platform and the ground.

Precision in spatial and temperature rcadin� is essential to measure changes in heat patterns in geothermal areas over time.

• The FLIR Tl 020 focal plane array, uncooled micro bolometer camera best fits the specifications the YNPG requires. FLIR also offers training and technical support on the camera and software at and after the sale of the camera.

• The FLIR Tl020 provides sub-degree (20 mK@30°C)thermal sensitivity between pixels, object temperature range accuracy of ±1 °C for temperatures between 5°C to 150°C, 30 Hz full window frame rate, 1024 x 768 (HD) pixel IR resolution in a portable camera.

• The YNPG has found the interface and connectivity options on the FLIRT l 020 are quite intuitive. The wireless/Bluetooth connectivity and ease of image capture makes for an efficient image acquisition process.

6. Efforts to obtain competjtion:

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

For acquisitions over $25,000 the solicitation will be issued on the Government's Point of Entry, FedBizOpps.gov.

b. Presolicitation notice per FAR 5.2:

For acquisitions over $25,000 a presolicita tion notice sha U be posted on the Government's Point of Entry, FedBizOpps.gov unless the exception noted at FAR Part 5.202(aXI 3)applies.

7. Determination that costs will be fair& reasonable:

• FLIR Systems, Inc. works directly with multiple agencies within the federal government and specifically

DOI. FLIR also develops specific products for the DoD and other federal agencies.

• The FLIR Tl 020 is listed on GSA Advantage. The vendor(s) do not have the camera in stock because very few are produced and held in FLIR's inventory. Lenses offered from GSA vendors most likely are not the lens YNPG requires. GSA vendors do not provide the customer support on the camera, camera use optimization, training and software use that is given to FLIR's direct customers.

• The FLIR Tl 020 is offered by other vendors (Grainger, for example) at prices higher than that given by the FLIR sales representative .

8. Descripdon of the market research conducted:

• Fluke, Optris and other companies make IR cameras but mostly focus on security or non-motion, industrial use. Yet, FLIR is used exclusively to produce high resolution, accurate IR imagery in the geosciences.

• Other companies do not have the quality of technical, training or software support that FLIR provides.

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

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

• Other IR camera manufacturers do not have the technology to produce a high resolution, 30 hertz cameras with the precision data reducibility that the FLIR Tl 020 has. There is no competitor that has a bolometercamcra that is equivalent to this FLIR camera.

7/8/2021 Billie Thomas

Andrea Hannon 07/09/2021

(Signature) ________________ (Date) ________ _

(Type or Print Name): ___________________ _ Bureau Competition Advocate