Atch_3_Brand_Name_Justification-Redacted.pdf

United States Department of the Interior

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

CONTRACTING OPERATIONS - CENTRAL

1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20240

Justification for Brand Name Products

Date: August 18, 2025

Project: Mesa Verde National Park ADP Network Switch Replacement

1. Identifications

a. Agency: Department of The Interior - National Park Service Team

b. Contracting Office: Lakewood Major Acquisition Buying Office

2. Description of the action being approved:

The National Park Service (NPS) shall be soliciting for a Network Switch. 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: The park has successfully maintained a computer network with a series of Cisco brand switches for over 25 years. Several of these switches are no longer eligible for support through the vendor’s TAC program due to their age. In order to maintain the network at an optimum level of performance and ensure compatibility of the equipment within the region and National Park Service, Cisco brand name equipment is requested.

4. Authority:

a. 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1): 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:

Cisco is one of the primary manufacturers of network equipment. The park has used Cisco for its infrastructure since the network was initially developed 30 years ago. Cisco has a proven track record of superior service and support through their TAC program.

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)(13) applies.

7. Determination that costs will be fair & reasonable:

Market research suggests that the cost for Cisco brand name equipment is comparable, if not slightly more than HP (Aruba) or Dell as alternatives. Factors in the cost include licensing and level of support.