A15_Brand_Name_Justification.pdf

Date: May 27, 2025

United States Department of the Interior

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

CONTRACTING OPERATIONS EAST

CONTRACTING PROGRAM

Justification for Brand Name Products

Project: Replace Wheelchair lifts on Historic Trolley Cars for Accessibility Compliance

1. Identifications

a. Agency: National Park Service

b. Contracting Office: MABO

2. Description of the action being approved:

The National Park Service (NPS) shall be soliciting for the replacement of trolley accessible lifts. The documents included with the solicitation call for specific brand name products that are peculiar to one manufacturer. This written justification provides approval for limiting competition to the listed brand name products as authorized by the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR).

3. Description of supplies and services:

Purchase The work is to purchase and install (replace in kind) six (6) undercarriage electric accessible lifts two

(2) for each trolley and the associated operation electronics. The manufacturer is Ricon and the model number is Mirage F9TF Wheelchair Lift. The existing units are to be removed, dimensions confirmed and then replace in kind. The lifts shall be designed to lift 660 pounds.

4. Authority:

a. 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(l): 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 are 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 Work consists of the design and installation of six ADA/ABAAS compliant wheelchair accessible lifts, one at each end of three trolley cars which consist of one closed and two open cars. This specification describes the performance and design requirements for the modifications required to achieve accessibility on the three trolleys. The lifts and ramps shall transport wheelchair passengers from ground level to the trolley cab/floor level. The lifts provide accessible access to the museum trolleys which move visitors around the Park. Lifts are to be mounted at each end of each trolley on the undercarriage with no impact on operation of trolleys and minimal impact on historic aesthetics.

All items shall be designed and built to interface with the existing trolleys. The Work includes modifying existing trolley cars if required, and installation of new steel Ricon Mirage F9 wheelchair lift, or equal make and model, and any peripheral operational devices, i.e. battery boxes or control operators. There are 3 trolleys, each with 2 units each to be removed and replaced with two new units. The lift must be generally out of sight when not in use (be reinstalled in the same location as existing. There is an already built steel channel system that houses the units under each carriage, that fits the replacement specification.

Design Requirements: The structural items shall have a design life of 30 years minimum. The items shall be designed, and materials used that minimize maintenance. The items shall handle 100 pounds per square foot loading. The items shall be designed to conform to the current Americans with Disabilities Act and Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standard. The lift platform shall be slip resistant even when wet. The deck shall be finished in the factory. All fastening hardware shall be marine grade stainless steel. The mechanical items, under normal use, shall have a minimum warranty from the supplier for 2 years.

In consideration of the facts as stated above, it is the NPS and public's best interests to provide for Other Than Full and Open Competition under this effort.

6. Efforts to obtain competition:

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, 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)(l3) applies.

7. Determination that costs will be fair & reasonable:

The price of the units as determined by IGE and market research pricing quote from local distributor was found to fair and reasonable.

Description of the market research conducted:

Volpe (DOT Transportation distributor in which to receive a quote. The Ricon accessible lifts are not widely utilized, and currently the only manufacturer offering the product. Under transportation services and industrial machinery and equipment, we were able to find a few distributors across the USA.

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

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

The purchasing of another type of accessible lifting system would require a non-existent product to be designed and a prototype manufactured, and unnecessary costs associated with additional modifications to the trolleys to accept a different design. This replacement in kind saves the government money to avoid this step.

9. Interested Sources:

Please see Pat Sullivan at DeVivo Companies, as a Massachusetts installer for the Ricon trolley lift product.

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

The government will continue to promote competition in the future, with the use of full and open competition to small businesses.

11. Certifications:

Technical / Requirements Certification:

I certify that any supporting data that is the responsibility of technical or requirements personnel (i.e. verifying the

Government's minimum needs or schedule requirements or other rationale for other than full and open competition) and which form a basis for the justification have been certified as complete and accurate:

COR Signature: _____________________________________

Contracting Officer Signature: _____________________________________________

(Type or Print Name):

Up to $50,000

I certify that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief:

(Signature)

(Type or Print Name):

Contracting Officer