A16__Brand_Name_Justification_(1).docx

United States Department of the Interior

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

https://www.blm.gov

SOLE SOURCE (INCLUDING BRAND NAME) JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR ACQUISITIONS UNDER THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES

This document sets forth the justification and approval as required by 13.106-1(b)(1) &(2).

1. Contracting agency and activity.

The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Support Services NV951/Telecommunications/Nevada State Office, requests the Contracting Office/NV955/Nevada State Office, to contract on a sole source (including brand name) basis.

2. Nature and/or description of action being approved.

Procuring repeaters for lifecycle replacements as a single source (including brand name) to company that can provide Codan manufactured equipment. Supplies to be issued as a firm fixed price contract.

3. Description of supplies or services.

The BLM’s operational mission is to ensure employee safety, public safety, and resource protection through the BLM communication network. The BLM requires all repeaters to be on a 7-year lifecycle. Purchasing these repeaters keeps BLM Nevada in compliance.

Purchase of Eight (8) VHF 30-Watt Repeaters and Three (3) AC Powered Base Stations. Repeaters and Base Stations must be digital P25 and operate in VHF band.

4. Statutory authority.

__X__41 U.S.C. 1901 – Simplified acquisition procedures (use when the simplified procedures for purchases of property and services for amounts (1) not greater than the simplified acquisition threshold ____41 U.S.C 1903 – Special emergency procurement authority (applies when in support of a contingency operation as defined in section 101(a) of title 10 or to facilitate the defense against or recovery from nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological attack against the United States).

5. Rationale supporting use of the authority stated in paragraph 5.

Codan is the only manufacturer for low current draw VHF radio Repeaters and base stations. A large majority of BLM radio repeaters are on solar powered sites and require a low current draw repeater or base station. Nevada BLM currently has over $1 million invested in the current repeater infrastructure. We have over 100 repeaters, base stations, and portable repeaters across the state of Nevada. Changing the equipment to a different vendor which is not a low current repeater, base station or portable repeater would add an additional $30k of solar/batteries. We would also have to purchase a larger building to house the additional batteries at an additional $54,000 each building plus contractor and engineering costs. Most of our sites are being converted to Micro PEPRO sites which reduce the footprint on BLM lands and do not have the capacity to hold more than four batteries. In addition to the new equipment, additional training would be required for each technician. All our technicians have test equipment setup for the Codan repeaters and base stations. In addition to the repeaters, base stations and portable repeaters installed across the state, all technicians have multiple spares in case a system goes down. This reduces the time a repeater is down during the field season. If we are required to purchase another manufactures equipment, we will have to buy an additional base station and repeater for each district which could cost an additional $240,000 in just spares. Currently, all our spares come from repeaters that have been life cycled from previous years purchases. Having multiple vendors equipment on mountain tops will require the technicians to carry additional equipment in there already packed vehicles. Additional vendors would also require additional software for each technician. In addition to each technician in Nevada BLM, all BLM technicians are currently trained to maintain the Codan equipment. We would have to train the surrounding states technicians since we often support each other’s locations.

6. Other information.

N/A

7. The efforts to identify additional sources including the market research conducted.

This requirement is for equipment specific to one manufacturer (brand name only). Any vendor that can supply the requested items will be given an opportunity to quote this requirement.

All currently manufactured P25 radio equipment on GSA were considered. Only the Codan meets the standby current draw requirements.

8. Future plans to permit competition.

Agency personnel will continue to monitor the market for compatible equipment that may become available in the future.

image1.png image2.png