Attachment A - Redacted J and A - 3 pages.pdf

VHAPG Part 813.5 Simplified Acquisition Procedures for Certain Commercial Items Attachment 1: Request for Sole Source Justification Template >SAT-$7.5M under FAR13.5

Effective Date: 11/15/24 Page 1 of 3

REVISION: 01

Acquisition ID#:

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION UNDER SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL

ITEMS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR 13.5

Acquisition Plan Action ID:_ ACQ-Plan 36C263-24-AP-1379_______

Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office 23 (NCO23)

Ordering Activity: Minneapolis VA Health Care System (VAHCS), Facilities Engineering Department

1. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Processed:

Low voltage installation and modifications are an ongoing requirement throughout the Minneapolis Veterans Health Care System (MVAHCS). This contract will have a five (5) year Period of Performance (PoP). This Contract will be exercised using a Requirements contract and task orders will be placed as needed. The Government will use best value source selection in accordance with FAR Part 13.5 and intends to award a firm-fixed price contract using the procedures identified in FAR 13.106-2. Contractor will provide all materials, equipment and labor to complete each task order.

Each task order will vary in size and dollar amount. Quotations and quotes will be based on installed price in accordance with Price/Cost Schedule.

2. Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet the Agency’s Needs:

Product: Panduit brand jacks, cables, patch panels and faceplates. Reference: Minneapolis VAHCS, Specification 27 12 00, TELECOMMUNICATONS CABLING EXPANSION, paragraph 1.12, APPROVED PRODUCTS/SUBSTITUTIONS: Manufacturer substitutions will not be allowed for the structured cabling infrastructure unless noted otherwise in the chart below. Substitutions shall meet all specifications. The Panduit products with part numbers are listed in the chart at 1.13, SPECIFIED MATERIAL LIST of the specification. The Low Voltage IDIQ contract will include the installation of Panduit brand jacks, cables and faceplates as specified in the referenced specification.

3. Statutory Authority Permitting Restricted Competition:

FAR 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items. The statutory authority for applying the Simplified Procedures for Commercial Items of FAR 13.5 is 41 U.S.C. § 1901 and is implemented by FAR 13.106-1(b)(2) for restricting competition on this procurement. Competition is restricted on this procurement for the reason below:

( X) Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements

( ) Unusual and Compelling Urgency ( ) Industrial Mobilization, Engineering, Developmental or Research Capability or Expert

Services ( ) International Agreement ( ) Authorized or Required by Statute ( ) National Security ( ) Public Interest

Effective Date: 11/15/24 Page 2 of 3

Acquisition ID#:

4. Demonstration that the Contractor’s Unique Qualifications or Nature of the Acquisition Requires the Use of the Authority Cited Above (applicability of authority):

Panduit brand jacks, patch cables, patch panels and faceplates are required for maintenance purposes and labeling consistency. This equipment is required to be standardized so the Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) staff can readily identify components and determine what each component is to connect to in the Telecommunication Room (TR). The use of Panduit jacks, patch cables, patch panels and faceplates are consistent throughout the hospital; using other types would cause confusion and potential for misconnections, which would be a major risk in the hospital. The medical center has standardized this system to ensure telecommunications connectivity which is vital to hospital operations. The Panduit system was selected because the face plate and outlet are of optimal shape and orientation. Other types were tried but were found to be more susceptible to damage and more difficult to work with. OI&T staff must frequently access these components when they are behind desks or above ceiling tiles, so the specified make and model save a great deal of time and prevent unintentional damage. OI&T keeps these components in stock, so bringing in other products would cause increased maintenance time and increased cost due to the need to keep a variety of components for multiple manufacturers.

5. Description of Efforts Made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as deemed practicable:

Sources Sought # 36C26324Q0771 was published on May 15, 2024 in order to gauge industry interest in this project. The Sources Sought request received 12 responses from various firms. Of the 12 firms that responded, 8 are SDVOSBs. This solicitation 36C26325Q0089 will be issued competitively on SAM.gov as a 100% SDVOSB set-aside

6. Determination by the CO that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable:

As the solicitation will be issued competitively using FAR Part 13.106-2, price reasonableness shall be established by receiving two or more competitive offers.

7. Description of the Market Research Conducted and the Results, or a Statement of the Reasons

Market Research Was Not Conducted:

Market research on compatibility with Panduit hardware was conducted prior to selecting this manufacturer as the facilities standard. Other manufacturers have been researched and considered since that time, but they did not meet the needs and quality requirements of our OI&T staff and their work processes. This partial requirement for the project is a minor extension of the existing system. At this time there are no competing manufacturers whose products are fully compatible with the existing telecommunication system, however, if equipment other than Panduit is found to have the capability to provide interchangeable components and maintain a high level of performance, then it will be considered acceptable. None to date is known or shown to be available.

8. Any Other Facts Supporting the Use of Other than Full and Open Competition:

None

Effective Date: 11/15/24 Page 3 of 3

Acquisition ID#:

9. Listing of Sources that Expressed, in Writing, an Interest in the Acquisition:

10. A Statement of the Actions, if any, the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome any Barriers to

Competition before Making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required:

For any future procurements, the Minneapolis VAHCS will conduct market research to determine if there are other products that would be approved by OIT and compatible to the current components for this requirement.

11. Requirements Certification: I certify that the requirement outlined in this justification is a Bona

Fide Need of the Department of Veterans Affairs and that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in the justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

(This signature is the requestor’s supervisor, fund control point official, chief of service, someone with responsibility and accountability)

Name: Steven Challeen Date Title: Director of Facilities Engineering Facility: Minneapolis VA Health Care System

12. Approvals in accordance with the VHAPM Part 806.3 OFOC SOP: This part if filled out by

Contracting Staff as part of the Justification

a. Contracting Officer or Designee’s Certification (required): I certify that the foregoing justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Name : Jennifer Johnson Date Title : Contracting Officer Facility : NCO 23-Construction Team One

STEVEN

CHALLEEN

Digitally signed by STEVEN

CHALLEEN

Date: 2024.12.09 11:36:24 -06'00'

JENNIFER

JOHNSON

Digitally signed by

JENNIFER JOHNSON

Date: 2024.12.09 13:00:24 -06'00'