Attachment 3 - Justification and Approval.pdf

United States Department of Agriculture Decision to Restrict Competition under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold

Identification Number: 1161077

Rev. 10/29/25

In accordance with the Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Overhaul (RFO) FAR

12.102 (a), the following documents the decision to restrict competition for this acquisition.

(1) Mission Area and Contracting Activity.

Requisition Number: 1161078

Requesting Activity Agency: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service (FS), National Nursery System

Contracting Activity: USDA, FS, Procurement and Property Services (PPS), Operations, National Contracting Branch

(2) Brief Description of Supplies or Services

Procurement of machines to replace a sowing line (4 items) that were destroyed in a greenhouse fire and replace another component of a sowing line at another facility that is failing. The replacement must be compatible with the machines currently in use due to the ability to use existing trays and hardware. This includes Forestry Tree Seeder (2), Forestry Block Filler, HD Pot Conveyor 5’x12’, and an incline conveyor 10’x18’; critical pieces of equipment used to sow seedling as the first step of producing seedlings for reforestation on the landscape. This seeder is instrumental for supporting more than 3 million seedlings at each site annually to the agency reforestation targets. It allows for increased capacity at this stage in production and can support the wide variety of species and seed sizes to allow for landscape scale restoration. The equipment needs to be purchased to replace the components lost in a recent greenhouse fire as well as support the influx of orders across the nursey system.

(3) Suggested Source

Bouldin & Lawson, LLC 70 Easy Street Mcminnville, Tennessee 37110

UEI: EA6DTSEZ33K9

(4) Justification for Restricting Competition and the Basis for that Decision.

A. Explain the unique qualifications/characteristics of the proposed contractor or product and why no other contractor or product/service can meet the Government's need.

Equipment requested is to replace failed pieces in the current sowing line (4 pieces at Lucky Peak Nursery and 1 piece at Toumey Nursery).

The acquisition of the forestry seed sowing equipment must be Bouldin and Lawson as it matches what we already have to complete the current sowing line. This is only to replace the parts that are damaged. These are already integrated with our existing national nursery system.

United States Department of Agriculture Decision to Restrict Competition under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold

Identification Number: 1161077

Rev. 10/29/25

No other manufacturer can provide a forestry tree seeder, block filler, and associated conveyors that match the exact specifications and integration capabilities of the Bouldin and Lawson model.

B. Describe market research conducted and the results or the reason why no market research was conducted.

Market research was conducted and Bouldin & Lawson are the only manufacturers of this sowing line. Bouldin & Lawson does not distribute this equipment through other vendors.

Certifications & Approvals

(5) Technical / Requirements Personnel Certification I certify this requirement meets the Government’s minimum need and that the supporting data, which forms a basis for this justification, is complete and accurate.

Kayla Herriman Date Seed Specialist

(6) Contracting Officer’s Certification I certify that the data supporting the recommended use of other than full and open competition accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. I hereby approve this justification.

Tracy Doud Date Contracting Officer