Attachment 2 - Brand Name or Equal to Justification.pdf

BRAND NAME OR EQUAL TO JUSTIFICATION

Purchase Chairs

PR F2MTWG6117A001

Contractor Name: ergoCentric Address: 275 Superior Blvd.

Mississauga, ON L5T 2L6 Cage Code: 3AP41

Estimated Dollar Value of Proposed Requirement: $XXXX

1. Description of action being approved:

The 367 Cyberspace Operations Squadron (COS) requires specialized ergonomic office chairs to accommodate extended, 24/7 use and diverse user needs, ensuring user comfort, productivity, long-term cost savings through durability, and provide a chair meeting demanding mission requirements. The ergoCentric brand chairs have been identified as the benchmark for meeting the Government's minimum essential requirements due to their specific design, robust construction, and comprehensive warranty package.

2. Statute and/or Regulation Supporting Determination:

Pursuant to Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul (RFO) 12.102(a), which allows for restricting competition for acquisitions at or below the SAT, and as supplemented by R-DFARS 211.204, this document justifies the use of a brand-name or equal to specification. This justification is based on a review of the acquisition history, an assessment of government risk, and a determination of the most logical and suitable solution that serves the best interest of the government.

3. Agency: N/A

4. Description of supplies/services required to meet agency needs: The specific features offered by ergoCentric, and required as minimums by the Government, are essential due to the following factors:

a. Precise Lumbar Support: A completely adjustable seat back (e.g., 7 inches) is required to provide personalized lumbar support, which is critical for preventing discomfort and injury during extended (24/7) chair use by multiple individuals. Other chairs with limited adjustability do not adequately meet this ergonomic need.

b. Extended Comprehensive Warranty: A 12-year warranty (including labor costs) for the entire chair and a 10-year warranty for upholstered materials are mandatory. This extended warranty provides significant long-term cost savings by reducing repair/replacement expenses and minimizing downtime for critical personnel.

Standard warranties typically do not cover labor or extend for such a long duration.

5. Rationale

• The justification in specifically requesting ergoCentric for the Brand Name or equal to, is due to the following factors:

a. Vendor offers a chair a 7” completely adjustable seat back for personalized lumbar support;

other chairs have limited adjustable lumbar support.

b. Vendor offers a chair with a 12-year warranty, including labor costs.

c. Vendor offers a 10-year warranty for upholstered materials.

d. Vendor offers a fully assembled chair, with minimal packaging, delivered to our loading dock.

The chair is rolled off the truck and covered with a plastic bag.

e. This vendor is essential for contract performance as they have offered what the 367 COS is looking for; specifically:

1) ergonomic features specifically designed to extended chair use,

2) extended warranty for the ENTIRE chair with no hidden costs,

3) no back-end cost (time or monetary) for assembly and

4) minimal packaging.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Extensive market research activities were conducted to ensure and thoroughly understand available options, capabilities, and pricing in the marketplace. The goal was to identify solutions that met the demanding functional and warranty requirements without prejudicing the search toward a specific manufacturer.

These activities included:

• GSA eBuy Request for Information (RFI) (Reference: 1798231): Submitted on 27 February 2026, this RFI notified 225 potential vendors and resulted in 40 responses, including 31 quotes, providing broad market insight. The above research was completed by the customer a new RFI via GSA with the accepted requirement pkg was submitted to see the urgency or availability that meets the needs of the Government.

• Direct Vendor Outreach: During research, the requiring activity contacted multiple vendors directly to gather detailed information on product features, warranty data, and to facilitate "test driving" chairs.

While these extensive market research activities revealed many capable vendors, ergoCentric's products consistently emerged as the only ones meeting all the essential requirements outlined above. Therefore, the contracting team will solicit this requirement as a Brand Name or Equal acquisition. This will allow all vendors under the assigned NAICS code 337214 (Office Furniture (except Wood) Manufacturing) who can procure, deliver, and assemble the ergoCentric chairs or approved equal to submit offers. The specific characteristics of the model style required are as follows:

7. Salient Characteristics: The below are salient characteristics that are listed in Statement of Need

(SON).

• All black in color

• All-mesh material seat back

• Mesh or upholstered seat with spill-resistant material (vinyl)

• Seat height adjust (up/down)

• Seat slider (forward/back)

• 360-degree swivel

• Tilting seat with multiple locking positions and adjustable tension

• Height adjustable arms (up/down)

• Adjustable seat back supporting personalized lumbar support

• Headrest (for high angle monitor viewing)

• Hard floor castors

• 350-pound rated weight capacity

• Rated for 24/7 heavy-duty use (MUST be clearly indicated by manufacturer)

Warranty

• 12-year warranty for all structural/mechanical materials and mechanisms

• 10-year warranty for upholstered materials

• Labor costs included in the warranty

Shipping/Delivery

• Chair delivered fully assembled (ZERO assembly time and ready for use)

• Chair delivered with minimal packaging

• Shipping costs included

If an offeror cannot provide the ergoCentric model, they must propose an 'equal' product. The solicitation will include specific evaluation criteria, derived from the Statement of Need (SON) and Salient Characteristics, outlining the features and performance an 'equal' product must meet to be considered technically acceptable.

6. Action taken to Preclude Future Brand Name Awards:

To preclude the need for future sole Brand Name or equal to, the 502 CONS and the requiring activity will continuously monitor the commercial marketplace for emerging Chairs. Prior to subsequent acquisitions, the team will conduct updated market research to determine whether other manufacturers can offer the exact item the requiring activity is looking for.

Until such compatible alternatives become available without causing a substantial duplication of costs or avoiding existing warranties, the Government will continue to maximize competition by restricting requirements to the solicit via 100% small business set aside or equal to ErgoCentric.

7. Contracting Officer’s Certification that the Justification is accurate and complete: As evidenced by my signature below, I certify that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge ledged and belief. Furthermore, the Contracting Officer has determined the best acquisition strategy to meet the requirement needs and in accordance with the RFO 19.104-is to solicit 100% small business set-aside with a brand name or equal to ergoCentric. An evaluation factor shall be included within the solicitation to support the brand name or any equivalent brand comparable to the salient characteristic listed above.

RAMON MARRUFO, GS-13, DAF

Contracting Officer