A17_JA__Limited_Sources_Justification_-_ANG_ESS_R3___Redacted_1.pdf

LIMITED-SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

AUTHORITY: FAR 8.405-6 and 40 U.S.C 501

SOL # 140D0424Q0560

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Multiple Award Schedule Program.

1. Identification of the agency and contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a “Limited-Sources Justification.”

This is a Limited Sources Justification (LSJ) executed by the Department of the Interior, Interior Business Center (IBC), Acquisition Services Directorate (AQD), Division II Branch V, on behalf of the Air National Guard (ANG).

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

The objective of this limited source justification is to provide the ANG with a follow-on Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for maintenance and repair services of proprietary Advantor Annunciator systems currently existing across 73 ANG locations. The ANG is currently receiving Advantor products, installation, maintenance, repairs, and technical support under GSA BPA No. 47SQWC19A0012, with a period of performance end date of 12 Aug 2024. This action is to establish a single-award BPA for maintenance and repair services to include: 24x7 call center monitoring service, emergency repair service, preventative maintenance, parts, and training. All orders issued under this BPA will be firm-fixed priced.

Therefore, this procurement will be conducted as a limited source award to Advantor Systems Corporation in accordance with (IAW) Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B), under GSA Schedule 84, entitled Total Solutions for Law Enforcement, Security, Facilities Management, Fire, Rescue, Clothing, Marine Craft, and Emergency/Disaster Response. The following Special Item Numbers (SIN)’s are applicable: 246-40 Intrusion Alarms and Signal Systems, 246-42-1 Facility Management System, 246-1000 Installation of Security/Facility Management Systems, 246-35-1 Access Control Systems, Door Entry Control by Card Access, Magnetic Proximity and 426-1000 Ancillary Services.

3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value).

ANG has a recurring need for these services and, in accordance with FAR 8.405-3, activities that have repetitive needs for supplies or services may establish a BPA to

SOL # 140D0424Q0560

meet those recurring needs. This procurement is to establish a BPA with a 12-month base period and four 12-month option periods.

The estimated dollar values are:

Ordering Period

Start & End Dates

Period Price

Base Year August 13, 2024 –

August 12, 2025

1st Option Year August 13, 2025 – August 12, 2026

2nd Option Year August 13, 2026 – August 12, 2027

3rd Option Year August 13, 2027 – August 12, 2028

4th Option Year August 13, 2028 – August 12, 2029

TOTAL:

The total anticipated dollar value for the BPA will not exceed $20 million. The ceiling of $20 million will allow for any fluctuations in pricing and additions of new bases that are currently under construction.

This LSJ serves to support the procurement as a limited source award for monitoring, repair and training for the existing Integrated Base Defense Security System (lBDSS) located at bases throughout the United States. The ANG operates in ninety-four (94) locations spanning all fifty (50) States and three (3) US Territories. Seventy-three (73) of their locations have installed Advantor systems. This document will demonstrate that the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the equipment on these seventy-three

(73) bases is from Advantor Systems and that they are the only firm capable of providing the monitoring, repair and service work. Advantor Systems offers their services via their MAS contract GS-07F-039DA and does not have any authorized distributors.

Department of the Air Force Instruction (DAFI) 31-220 requires the operation of standardized and integrated Electronic Security Systems (ESS) designed to safeguard personnel; to prevent unauthorized access to equipment, installations, material, and documents; and to safeguard against espionage, sabotage, damage, and theft.

Equipment used for protection of Protection Level (PL) resources must be approved as stipulated in DAFI 31-220.

The security of ANG resources is an enduring requirement that demands constant vigilance and remains a zero-fail mission. The use of ESS at ANG installations is a vital component of the overall Base Defense Plan (BDP). Operational reliability of the ESS is critical to the effectiveness of each installation’s BDP.

4. The authority and supporting rationale (see 8.405-6(a)(1)(i) and (b)(1)) and, if applicable, a demonstration of the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications to provide the required supply or service.

The circumstances and rationale for limiting consideration to Advantor Systems (GS- 07F-039DA) for award is in accordance with (IAW) FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)B - Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized. Advantor Systems is the OEM and the sole authorized and certified firm capable of servicing the Advantor annunciator servers.

The Advantor Systems equipment is proprietary, and no other companies have the technical expertise to work on the equipment. The Advantor Systems equipment has been developed by Advantor exclusively at private expense. The systems are proprietary and are conveyed to the Government with limited rights set forth in the Advantor End User License Agreement. Allowing others to perform the services would violate that agreement; therefore, to maintain the warranty of the installed Advantor Systems equipment in the 73 existing locations, Advantor mandates that only certified Advantor technicians can work on the system. According to Advantor Systems, only authorized Advantor-trained personnel can provide services on their products. As there are no firms, other than Advantor Systems, that can provide certified technicians and to use non-certified technicians would void the product warranty, Advantor is the only source.

In addition to the warranty considerations, the ANG operates in 94 locations spanning all 50 States and 3 US Territories. 73 of the locations have an installed Advantor system. By standardizing ANG bases to a single Advantor service provider, the Government anticipates long term cost savings through economies of scale achieved by centralizing contractor maintenance. By eliminating individual base contracts for monitoring, service repair and maintenance, the Government estimates that savings of $45K per base are achieved annually, with a total estimated annual savings of $3.2M across 73 ANG locations.

Furthermore, the hardware that is installed must be 100% compatible with the software (Advantor ASN 6.0). The Advantor ASN 6.0 system operates with a secure protocol and is a U.S. Air Force certified security system IAW DAFI 31-220 and HQ USAF/A4S Non- Nuclear Configuration Management Database (CMD) Equipment Approval memo, dated 8 Dec 23. Other companies listed on the Non-Nuclear Configuration Management Database (CMD) Equipment Approval, such as Vindicator and Diebold, provide similar systems and service but they are not able to work on Advantor proprietary systems located throughout ANG Operating Installations. Another brand of software and hardware products will not integrate into the current alarm systems without a complete replacement of the installations annunciator and supporting software. Each annunciator brand has interoperability restriction due to software compatibility issues, and has associated hardware such as viewing workstations, control workstations, badge management workstations, switches, and alarm panels which are non-compatible in form, fit, and function with other annunciator brands. Continued use of Advantor’s systems will facilitate seamless integration and minimize disruptions to operations.

Procuring and maintaining another brand represents a significant duplication of resources and cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition.

5. A determination by the ordering activity contracting officer that the order represents the best value consistent with FAR 8.404(d).

In accordance FAR 8.404, all pricing will be evaluated prior to award. All pricing will be reviewed to ensure that pricing and terms are in accordance with Advantor’s Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract. The Contracting Officer will seek price reductions from Advantor in accordance with FAR 8.405-4 and will conduct a thorough price evaluation as required by FAR 8.405-2(d) prior to award to ensure that the pricing is fair and reasonable.

The contracting officer anticipates the use of a wide variety of price analysis techniques.

The contracting officer determines that the anticipated price(s) will be fair and reasonable based on historical prices paid for similar services, comparison of the proposed prices with prices obtained through market research for the same/similar items, Independent Government Estimates (IGE), and competitive published price lists.

6. A description of the market research conducted among schedule holders and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

A comparison of similar services on the previously awarded GSA contract GS-07F- 039DA revealed that due to the sensitivity and highly specialized nature of the requirement, Advantor Systems Corporation is the only source capable of providing the services required in this action. Advantor Systems Corporation was also contacted by the Contract Specialist to provide a proprietary letter justifying their proprietary rights to the systems to be serviced in this requirement. A thorough review by the Contracting Office of Advantor’s proprietary letter significantly justifies their company as being the originator and holding restrictive proprietary rights to the software and therefore being the only known source available to satisfy the Government’s requirement. A Request for Information (RFI) was issued through GSA’s Market Research as a Service (MRAS) on 3/6/2024 with a response date of 3/9/2024. Three responses were received, showing interest, and providing capability statements for electronic security systems projects.

Zero responses were received from authorized resellers or installers of Advantor Systems Corporation’s products. One responder to the RFI stated in the feedback summary section that Advantor is the only source of parts or repairs; Advantor does not certify non-Advantor personnel to repair their systems and does not sell spare parts to non-government contractors.

7. Any other facts supporting the justification.