B08_-_Redacted_JOFOC_Brand_Name_EVC_Angel_Armor.pdf

rUnited States Department of the Interior

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

1849 C Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20240

NATIONAL CONTRACTING OPERATIONS

P.O. Box 25287, M.S. WCP 7333 West Jefferson Ave, Suite 100 Denver, Colorado 80225 Lakewood, Colorado 80235

IN REPLY REFER TO:

S72 (2623)

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

for Brand Name Requirement for External Vest Carriers (EVCs)

IAW

FAR 13.5

This Justification and Approval follows the format at FAR 6.303-2.

1. IDENTIFICATION OF THE AGENCY AND THE CONTRACTING ACTIVITY

Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS), National Contracting Operations.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES/SERVCICES REQUIRED

This is a brand name requirement in support of the National Park Service (NPS) Bridge Class for newly hired law enforcement officers. The requirement is for External Vest Carriers (EVCs) manufactured by Angel Armor, in multiple sizes, to support individualized fitting for trainees.

DESCRIPTION QUANTITY

RISE, Ranger Green 01-00492-07 24 2XL RISE, Rang Green 01-00496-07 1 RISE stealth Carrier Black 25 Ally One ID Placard Rang Green 25 Ally One Small Name Strip 25

3. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES/SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE

AGENCY’S NEEDS (INCLUDING ESTIMATED VALUE)

External Vest Carriers are required to support the NPS Bridge Class, which prepares newly hired law enforcement officers for operational field assignments. EVCs are a mandatory safety component and must be issued prior to the start of training to ensure officers are properly equipped with protective gear that meets DOI and NPS law enforcement safety standards.

The EVCs must be compatible with NPS-issued, NIJ-compliant ballistic panels and meet operational requirements for durability, comfort, mobility, and functionality during intensive physical and scenario-based training exercises. Proper fitting and standardization across the training class are essential to ensure officer safety and compliance with established law enforcement equipment policies. Timely acquisition of the EVCs is critical to avoid disruption to training schedules and to ensure officers have the required protective equipment for both classroom and field training environments.

Based on structured user testing with NPS law enforcement officers, NPS refined its minimum performance requirements for Bridge Class carriers as follows:

• Carrier must provide individualized, 360-degree adjustable tensioning and weight distribution that demonstrably keeps panels in place during dynamic scenarios (running, prone, ground fighting) and reduces fatigue during extended wear.

• Carrier must integrate a rapid rifle up-armor capability that allows officers to add rifle-rated plates in seconds, without removing the carrier or retrieving a separate heavy vest (“all-day rifle protection”).

• Carrier must maintain compatibility with existing NPS-issued NIJ-compliant panels without custom fabrication or alterations that would delay delivery beyond the January training class.

The estimated value for this requirement is $29,827.76

4. AN IDENTIFICATION OF THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING OTHER

THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

FAR 6.302-1(c) – brand name peculiar to one manufacturer.

This justification is prepared in accordance with FAR 13.501(a) using the FAR 6.303-2 format for a brand-name portion of an acquisition under FAR Subpart 13.5.

5. A DEMONSTRATION THAT THE PROPOSED CONTRACTOR’S UNIQUE

QUALIFICATIONS OR THE NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION REQUIRES THE USE

OF THE AUTHORITY CITED.

Initial market research and prior NPS purchases identified multiple vendors capable of providing NIJ-compliant external carriers in general, and some earlier buys for other user groups were satisfied via GSA sources. However, those prior purchases did not require the same combination of refined minimum requirements described in Section 3 above.

Angel Armor is the manufacturer of the External Vest Carriers that uniquely meet these refined minimum requirements for the Bridge Class. The basis for this determination is:

a. Patented 360-degree tensioning and weight-distribution system Angel Armor’s RISE Flex carrier system incorporates a patented, multi-point fastening and tensioning system that provides 360 degrees of tension and multiple points of adjustability to achieve a customized fit and maintain panel placement. This system:

• Keeps ballistic panels stable during intensive movement and scenario-based training.

• Distributes weight off the shoulders and onto the body core, reducing fatigue and risk of musculoskeletal strain during extended wear.

During NPS user testing, officers reported that the Angel Armor carriers:

• Required minimal adjustment during dynamic scenarios and did not allow panels to shift or curl noticeably.

• Provided superior comfort and reduced fatigue compared to other carriers evaluated.

Other carriers tested provided basic adjustability (e.g., shoulder and side straps) but did not replicate the 360-degree tensioning/weight-distribution performance and did not achieve the same panel stability and fatigue outcomes without resorting to custom tailoring or additional modifications.

b. Integrated rapid rifle up-armor (Truth SNAP-type capability) Angel Armor’s system integrates a releasably engagable rifle-plate solution (“Truth SNAP” plates) into the carrier design, enabling:

• Rapid addition of rifle-rated plates in seconds without removing the carrier.

• Practical “all-day rifle protection,” because the plates are light enough and the weight distribution is effective enough that officers can wear them for extended periods.

In NPS testing, officers were able to up-armor faster with the Angel Armor system than with alternatives that required donning a separate “heavy” outer vest or more cumbersome plate attachment methods. Other carriers could accept plates, but not with the same speed, integration, or practicality for continuous wear.

c. Compatibility with existing NPS-issued NIJ panels without custom fabrication Angel Armor’s RISE Flex carriers are designed to accept existing NPS-issued NIJ-compliant panels without custom cutting, sewing, or other fabrication. Panel fit and overlap were confirmed during testing and remained consistent during movement.

In contrast, several alternative carriers examined:

• Required custom patterning or alteration to properly fit existing panels and maintain required overlap; or

• Did not maintain panel placement during dynamic movement without further modifications.

Such custom efforts would introduce additional cost and, critically, would push delivery beyond the January Bridge Class schedule, undermining training readiness.

d. Distinction from prior GSA-sourced purchases Similar purchases made in September using a GSA vendor supported different NPS users and did not include the refined minimum requirements for 360-degree tensioning/weight distribution and integrated rapid rifle up-armor. Those prior buys demonstrate that generic external carriers can be competitively acquired for less demanding mission profiles, but they are not technically comparable to the current Bridge Class requirement.

In summary, while initial market research and earlier buys showed that multiple vendors can provide general NIJ-compliant external carriers, detailed technical evaluation and user testing established refined minimum requirements that, to date, only the Angel Armor RISE Flex system meets without custom fabrication or unacceptable schedule risk.

6. A DESCRIPTION OF EFFORTS MADE TO ENSURE THAT OFFERS ARE

SOLICITED FROM AS MANY POTENTIAL SOURCES AS IS PRACTICABLE,

INCLUDING WHETHER A NOTICE WAS OR WILL BE PUBLICIZED AS

REQUIRED BY SUBPART 5.2 AND, IF NOT, WHICH EXCEPTION UNDER 5.202

APPLIES

The requirement will be publicized in accordance with FAR 5.2 – Synopses of Proposed Contract Actions, and a copy of this Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition will be posted with the solicitation in accordance with FAR 5.102(a)(6).

FAR 13.105(b) allows the use of a combined synopsis/solicitation for the acquisition of commercial products. The combined synopsis/solicitation will be posted to the Government-wide Point of Entry (GPE) at SAM.gov.

To promote competition to the maximum extent practicable:

• The brand-name restriction applies only to the Angel Armor RISE Flex carriers and directly associated components (e.g., matching placards) that embody the patented features and refined minimum requirements described above.

• Any incidental accessories or items not peculiar to Angel Armor will be structured to permit competition where feasible.

Offerors will have an opportunity to review the brand-name justification. If any source believes it can meet the refined minimum requirements and the required delivery schedule without custom fabrication or delay, it may respond to the synopsis/solicitation.

7. A DETERMINATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THE

ANTICIPATED COST TO THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE FAIR AND REASONABLE

The anticipated cost to the Government will be determined fair and reasonable based on:

• Comparison with current Angel Armor catalog or pricelist pricing for RISE Flex carriers and associated components.

• Comparison with historical pricing for similar law enforcement protective equipment purchased by NPS/DOI, adjusted for the added value of the integrated tensioning/weight-distribution and rapid rifle up-armor capabilities.

• Consideration of total cost of ownership, including avoided custom fabrication and alterations and reduced risk of injury/fatigue associated with inferior weight distribution.

The determination will be documented in the contract file.

8. A DESCRIPTION OF THE MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED AND THE

RESULTS.

Market research was conducted through:

• Review of Angel Armor technical documentation and patents describing the carrier system and plate integration.

• Review of other manufacturers’ external vest carriers and rifle-plate carriers via websites, catalogs, and outreach.

• Internal NPS user testing of multiple carriers (including Angel Armor and alternative vendors), assessing fit, panel stability, comfort/fatigue, donning/doffing and plate-addition times, and compatibility with existing NIJ panels.

Results:

• Multiple vendors can supply standard NIJ-compliant external carriers and rifle-plate systems.

• Only Angel Armor’s RISE Flex system met the refined minimum requirements for 360-degree adjustable tensioning and weight distribution, rapid rifle up-armor integrated into the carrier, and compatibility with existing NPS-issued panels without custom fabrication, within the January schedule.

Detailed results of NPS law enforcement testing and the technical basis for the refined minimum requirements are documented in Attachment X, “Technical Evaluation of External Vest Carriers for Bridge Class,” and incorporated by reference.

9. ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN

COMPETITION

• Schedule urgency and training readiness: The carriers must be delivered and issued prior to the

January Bridge Class start to support sizing, fitting, and safe use in dynamic, scenario-based training. Competing the requirement broadly on an “equal” basis would likely result in offers that require further testing, custom fabrication, and modification, increasing the risk that equipment would not be available in time and negatively impacting NPS’s ability to field new law enforcement officers on schedule.

• Standardization and safety: Standardization on a single carrier system with consistent fit, tensioning, weight distribution, and rifle up-armor capability is important for training safety, consistent tactics, and logistical support. A single standardized system reduces variability in fit and performance during high-risk training evolutions.

10. A LISTING OF THE SOURCES, IF ANY, THAT EXPRESSED, IN WRITING, AN

INTEREST IN THE ACQUISITION.

None to date. Responses to the combined synopsis/solicitation will be documented in the contract file.

11. A STATEMENT OF ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE

OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS TO COMPETITION BEFORE ANY SUBSEQUENT

ACQUISITION FOR THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED.

NPS will continue to monitor the market for additional vest carrier manufacturers whose products may meet future salient characteristics and refined minimum requirements. NPS will:

• Conduct periodic market research and evaluation of new products.

• Test alternative systems as they become available to determine whether they provide functionally equivalent tensioning, weight-distribution, and rapid up-armor capabilities without custom fabrication or schedule risk.

If other products are validated as meeting future minimum requirements, NPS will develop salient characteristics and pursue competitive acquisitions for subsequent buys.

12. CERTIFICATIONS

I certify that any supporting data that is the responsibility of the technical or requirements personnel which form a basis for the justification have been certified as complete and accurate.

PROGRAM ANALYST

JANET

KELLEHER

Digitally signed by JANET

KELLEHER

Date: 2025.12.31 10:05:05 -07'00'

I certify that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

CONTRACTING OFFICER

Reviewed/Concur/Approved by

Digitally signed by JAIME

VALLIE MIJARES

MIJARES Date: 2025.12.31 12:56:28 -07'00'

Chief of the Contracting Office, Contracting Operations-National

JAIME VALLIE