A16_JOFOC_under_SAT_iaw_FAR_13_106-1_ms_1.pdf

United States Department of the Interior

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

https://www.blm.gov

SOLE SOURCE 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), Alaska Fire Service, Business & Technology Management Branch (LLAK9F3000), Technical Systems Section (LLAK9F3200) Supervisor, Bill Beach requests, the Alaska Fire Service, Business & Technology Management Branch (LLAK9F3000), Procurement (LLAK9F340), to contract on a sole source basis.

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

An annual maintenance contract will allow AFS to receive software and firmware upgrades to its Alaska Lightning Detection System (ALDS), ensuring operational readiness. The maintenance contract will also provide technical support from the vendor to maintain the sensor configurations.

The vendor is WeatherFlow doing business as TOA Systems “LLC” and is listed in SAM.gov as WFn Holdings, Inc. The unique identifier in SAM.gov is F6PXTFSW4ZN6.

3. Description of supplies or services.

Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC):

Hardware, software, and firmware updates and technical support on a lightning detection system comprised of 12 DSP-DF200 Lightning Sensors, 5 LPS-200 Lighting Sensors, 1 Central Analyzer, 1 Data Storage and Retrieval Suite, and 1 System Solution Display Software.

4. Estimated dollar value.

Estimated value to complete required annual maintenance for is $10,000.

https://www.blm.gov/

5. 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).

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

In 2012, AFS converted to TOA Systems Inc. products for its ALDS. These products, comprised of a 12 DSP-DF200 Lightning Sensors, 5 LPS-200 Lighting Sensors, 1 Central Analyzer, 1 Data Storage and Retrieval Suite, and 1 System Solution Display Software, require periodic hardware, software, and firmware upgrades as well as technical support to maintain operational readiness.

Lightning detection is a specialized field with few vendors in the industry. Each vendor implements its own proprietary solution. As a result, TOA Systems Inc. is the only vendor that can work on the current ALDS at AFS. To consider another vendor for annual maintenance, AFS would be required to replace all existing calculation software, sensors in the field, Central Analyzer Processor, and modifications to the existing software interface that makes the current lightning solutions available to the AFS mapping website. The cost of that effort would significantly exceed the annual software maintenance we seek at this time from the vendor.

7. Other information.

See sections 6, 8, and 9.

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

TOA Systems Inc. continues to have proprietary rights on its technology. This information is included on their website. AFS will continue to verify that TOA Systems Inc. has proprietary rights on its technology.

9. Future plans to permit competition.

There are currently no plans to replace the existing ALDS hardware and software components.

But in the future as lightning detection technology continues to evolve, we will review new technology and products to determine if is in the interest of the government to replace the current products with another supplier. This will of course necessitate coding changes to existing BLM server systems that store the lightning data. This includes replacing hardware as well as software development to incorporate the new hardware into the BLM’s ALDS infrastructure. The cost associated with replacing the current hardware and software components far exceeds the expense of the annual maintenance contract.

10. The ordering activity Contracting Officer’s certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the Contracting Officer’s knowledge and belief and evidence that the supporting data that form a basis for the justification have been certified as complete and accurate by technical/program personnel.

I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, and which form a basis for this justification, are complete and accurate.

(Signature)____________________________________ (Date) _______________________

(Type or Print Name): ___________________________________________________________ Contracting Officer’s Representative

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

(Signature) _______________________________________ (Date) _______________________

(Type or Print Name): ___________________________________________________________ Contracting Officer