Attachment VIII - Best Sole Source J-A Redacted.pdf

VHAPG Part 806.3 OFOC Page 1 of 4

Revision: 03 Effective Date: 04/15/24

Acquisition ID# 36C250-26-AP-0239

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Justification and Approval

For

Other Than Full and Open Competition (>SAT)

Best Access – Door Locksets

Repair and Replace Doors (539-22-202)

Acquisition Plan Action ID: 36C250-26-AP-0239

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office (NCO)

10, 260 E. University Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45219.

The Requesting Agency is VISN 10, VAMC Medical Center, Engineering Service (138), 3200 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45220.

Purchase Request Number: 539-26-1-6905-0002

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

All buildings on the Ft. Thomas Campus are keyed to one lock system (core cylinders) –

Best Access. This is to maintain consistency between keyways and so that one master key can open any door on campus. The Ft. Thomas campus is the residential domiciliary for patients experiencing homelessness. This location is also the treatment facility for patients with Traumatic Brain Injuries and Drug/Alcohol issues. Due to this, security is of utmost importance at this facility. Maintaining one lock manufacturer is a security measure to allow for Police to respond quickly to emergencies in any room. Multiple lock systems on this campus would require multiple master keys, and in the event of an emergency this would slow the response of VA personnel, putting the veterans at risk. Maintaining a single lock manufacturer on the Ft. Thomas Campus is imperative to providing the best care possible for patients. While the locks are made by one manufacturer, there are still many options for distributors where they can be obtained by contractors.

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

This project will replace numerous doors, frames, and door hardware at the Cincinnati VA, on both the Cincinnati and Ft. Thomas campuses. Each door on the Ft. Thomas campus will have an uncombinated removable small format interchangeable core cylinder (SFIC).

Cylinders are removable with a special key or tool without disassembly of knob or lockset.

Core meets the medical center policy for key locks. One grand master key is available to open all doors by authorized individuals. The Estimated Value of the Best Access Lock Sets is.

VHAPG Part 806.3 OFOC Page 2 of 4

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other than Full and Open Competition:

(X) (1) Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy

Agency Requirements per 41 USC §3304(a)(1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1;

( ) (2) Unusual and Compelling Urgency per 41 USC §3304(a)(2) as implemented by FAR 6.302-2;

( ) (3) Industrial Mobilization, Engineering, Developmental or Research Capability or Expert Services per 41 USC §3304(a)(3) as implemented by FAR 6.302-3;

( ) (4) International Agreement per 41 USC §3304(a)(4) as implemented by FAR

6.302-4

( ) (5) Authorized or Required by Statute per 41 USC §3304(a)(5) as implemented by FAR 6.302-5;

( ) (6) National Security per 41 USC §3304(a)(6) as implemented by FAR 6.302-6;

( ) (7) Public Interest per 41 USC §3304(a)(7) as implemented by FAR 6.302-7;

5. Demonstration that the Contractor’s Unique Qualifications or Nature of the

Acquisition Requires the Use of the Authority Cited Above (applicability of authority):

To meet needs stated above, the Ft. Thomas campus currently utilizes a Best Keyway Great

Grand Master Key System, this single master key system is essential to the Governments requirements, thereby precluding consideration of a product manufactured by another company. In addition, the core system is a requirement of VA engineering policy MP–3. As the Cincinnati VA Medical Center continues to move toward consolidation, patient and staff safety concerns remain at the forefront of design decisions when selecting systems.

Accordingly, Best Access is the only manufacturer capable of providing the SFIC lock cylinders described in section 3 above without the Veteran’s Health Administration experiencing substantial duplication of cost that could not be expected to be recovered through competition. To change to a different locking system would require numerous master keys potentially causing delays in accessing all areas of the campus in event of emergencies. The lock set requested allows the facility to renovate as required and maintain the ability to meet patient and staff safety requirements.

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

Efforts were not made to solicit from other lock lift manufacturers, because utilizing other lock manufacturer’s locksets would decrease the consistency and reliability of the facility’s operations. This in turn would cause the patient care provided to our veterans to suffer. This solicitation will be publicized on www.sam.gov. The approved Justification and Approval

(J&A) for Best Access lock sets will be posted with the solicitation.

7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable:

Determination of fair and reasonableness of cost will be based upon a complete price analysis and Independent Government Cost Estimate. The anticipated cost will be considered fair and reasonable. This project will be issued as an Invitation for Bid (IFB). Tradeoffs and

Evaluation Factors are not applicable for this project.

http://www.sam.gov/

VHAPG Part 806.3 OFOC Page 3 of 4

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

Reasons Market Research Was Not Conducted:

Market research has been previously conducted for prior projects, concerning this subject. The Best Access Door Lock Sets have been in place and maintained here at the Cincinnati VAMC Ft. Thomas campus. This facility has standardized these locksets throughout the hospital in order to function properly for patient safety. The medical center has investigated the ability of other lock manufacturers to operate within the requirement to have the ability to open all doors with one single grand master key and have not found this to be a possibility. Best Access locks are a national known manufacturer with numerous distributors available. In addition, four (4) Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses (SDVOSB’s) were contacted to inquire if they would be able to provide these locksets. All had indicated they would be able to provide these types of locksets.

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

All door lock manufacturers have proprietary keyways on their lock cylinders, which by their very nature are designed to be operable only by a key of the same cut and shape. Because the keyways are proprietary, only that manufacturer can create a key which will fit its own lock cylinder. The reason(s) for proprietary keyways is the very same reason door locks are needed

– it’s one of security. Also, for reasons of security, it is not desirable to have multiple lock manufacturers for multiple doors – not only is it inefficient to try and keep track which lock is manufactured by which manufacturer, it is also critical for Police Service to have a master key at its disposal which can operate any lockset at the facility. The presence of multiple manufactured keyways would not allow this critical need to happen. Since the Cincinnati

VAMC Ft. Thomas campus currently has locksets manufactured by Best Access, then all additional locksets must match the Best Access keyway – and only locksets manufactured by

Best Access can do that. Door lock sets play a critical role in maintaining the security of the facility. In addition, the necessity of providing a lock set which has a cylinder that can be operated by the facility master key, a single source manufacturer of the door lock sets allows the VA locksmith shop to respond to all key request and maintenance issues quickly and efficiently. A single source manufacturer also allows for prompt technical support whenever problems are encountered.

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

See Section 6 above.

11. 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:

Solicitations for future requirements will utilize “brand name or equal” language, if it is in the Government’s best interest to do so. The current requirement must be solicited using a brand name description because the Government needs to create an exact copy of a system/item that is currently in use.

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12. 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.

Paige Bach Date

Project Engineer, Engineering Service VAMC –

Cincinnati, OH

13. Approvals in accordance with VHAFAR Part 806.3 OFOC SOP

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

Ron Heidemann Date

Contracting Officer

Network Contracting Office (NCO) 10