BIBE_A15_Brand_Name_Justification.pdf

United States Department of the Interior

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

CONTRACTING OPERATIONS - CENTRAL

1849 C Street

NW Washington, DC 20240

Justification for Brand Name Products

Date: July 18th, 2024

Project: Big Bend National Park (BIBE) –Video Surveillance Cameras and Install

1. Identifications

a. Agency: National Park Service

b. Contracting Office: SF Major Acquisition Buying Office

2. Description of the action being approved:

The National Park Service (NPS) shall be soliciting for video surveillance cameras and their installation . The documents included with the solicitation call for specific brand name products that are peculiar to one manufacturer. This written justification provides approval for limiting competition to the listed brand name products as authorized by the Federal

Acquisition Regulations (FAR).

3. Description of supplies and services:

The video surveillance system at BIBE is out of date and thus not providing adequate security coverage for the Park staff and visitors. This requirement significantly upgrades the surveillance equipment and system, bringing it into the NPS standard and compliance. A brand name camera is required to ensure 100% compatibility with the surveillance software platform

“Milestone XProtect” that is managed/used by all NPS Park Sites and can be accessible via the NPS-wide server.

4. Authority:

a. 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1): Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

b. FAR Part 11.105: The Brand Name products are essential to the Government’s requirements, and market research indicates other companies’ similar products do not meet and cannot be modified to meet the agency’s needs.

c. FAR 6.302-1: The use of the name brand products are essential to the Government’s requirements, thereby precluding consideration of a product manufactured by another company.

5. The description of the product’s unique qualifications or the unique nature of the acquisition:

There is only brand name camera that is 100% compatible with the “Milestone Xprotect”, the NPS-wide software used by

Law Enforcement for surveillance and security procedures. There are other brand cameras that function with Milestone

Xprotect but these other brands do not provide complete compatibility and thus limit the functionality of all the software’s features. Because the requirement’s acquisition is upgrade the protection of the BIBE visitor and staff it would not be in the government’s interest to limit any compatibility or functionality.

6. Efforts to obtain competition:

a. Efforts to ensure offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable:

For acquisitions over $25,000 the solicitation will be issued on the Government’s Point of Entry, sam.gov.

b. Presolicitation notice per FAR 5.2:

For acquisitions over $25,000 a presolicitation notice shall be posted on the Government’s Point of Entry, sam.gov unless the exception noted at FAR Part 5.202(a)(13) applies.

7. Determination that costs will be fair & reasonable:

Because the Milestone software is used NPS-wide the brand name camera is used agency wide as well and Fair and

Reasonable pricing will be determined based off historical acquisitions from other NPS sites.

8. Description of the market research conducted:

No additional market research was conducted as the software is used across the agency; it is required that this brand of camera be purchased.

9. Other facts supporting other than full & open competition:

a. Reason why documents suitable for full & open competition have not been developed:

Other brands of camera limit the capability of the Milestones software.

b. Data, estimated costs or other rationale as to the extent or harm to the Government:

No harm shall come to the government from this brand name acquisition.

10. Interested Sources:

The requirement will be solicited Open Market or via GSA Schedules.

11. Actions to remove barriers to competition in the future for similar acquisitions:

The only barrier to competition that could be addressed would be NPS using a different surveillance software that may allow for more brand compatibility- this is beyond the reach of this CO and this acquisition.

12. Certifications:

Technical / Requirements Certification:

I certify that any supporting data that is the responsibility of technical or requirements personnel (i.e. verifying the

Government’s minimum needs or schedule requirements or other rationale for other than full and open competition) and which form a basis for the justification have been certified as complete and accurate:

Big Bend NP Requestor

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

Sam Hyslop, Contracting Officer

Reviewed by MABO Lead (exceeding $50,000):

Anale Young, Lead Contracting Officer