Brand Name Determination for SEL Bus Relays W912EF21R0018.pdf

5. REASON FOR AUTHORITY CITED:

a. BACKGROUND: At Lower Monumental, feeder protection relays are a crucial part in protecting all of station service’s electrical and electromechanical equipment, including but not limited to conductors, low voltage switchgear, motors, and panelboards from electrical faults/overcurrent events. Electrical faults are known for causing severe damage to equipment and injury to project personnel. Digital feeder protection relays mitigate these risks by providing programmable trip settings for line, line-to-line, and ground fault conditions.

SEL relays include advanced features that improves equipment protection and project personnel safety including high impedance fault protection, arc flash mitigation and the ability to easily connect to Lower Monumental’ s existing annunciation and alarm system.

Additionally, Lower Monumental currently uses SEL relays for most of their electrical equipment, including the main hydro units, medium voltage motors/pumps, and some of their station service feeders. All SEL relays utilize the same programming software (AcSELerator) and function in a similar manner. Because Lower Monumental has experience with SEL relays and their associated software, they would like to maintain brand uniformity across the facility to limit costs for spare parts and time to train project personnel.

b. JUSTIFICATION: The Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Feeder Protection System SEL-751 is an integral part of the DC and LV Switchgear Upgrades requirement and is specified to meet compatibility and supportability requirements. Integration of the bus protection is critical to the timely completion of the system upgrades. Other manufacturer’s products are not fully compatible with the current systems at Lower Monumental Dam and introduce negative risks to the switchgears systems’ operation if these components are not completely compatible. Additionally, if installed and found to be insufficient, adequate time to re-procure compatible protection relays would not allow sufficient time to complete the work before the end of the outage. Use of the Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories brand bus protection relay will also result in simplifying the training requirements for Government personnel, reduction of spare parts inventory required for system maintenance, and will allow parts to be exchanged between systems.

c. IMPACT: Substitution for the specified products would:

i. Increase the initial and recurring costs of relay software

ii. Increase the initial and recurring costs of spare parts inventory

iii. Increase labor time, travel, and expense to train District personnel who will support the system

iv. Decrease compatibility with existing systems and thus decrease the amount of information that can be conveyed throughout the system

v. Increase the complexity of the facility and thus decrease maintainability and reliability

vi. Decrease the digital feeder programming/ electrical equipment protection features

Implementation of a different brand of feeder protection relays will require the project personnel and design engineers to acquire the training and equipment necessary to design and maintain that system. Personnel will not be able to utilize existing knowledge of relay capabilities and programming software. Personnel will be required to learn the intricacies of another digital relay system, increasing the complexity and duration of alterations or repairs.

Additional maintenance agreements may also be required. Cost and labor time for personnel to attend training would greatly increase.

In addition, a different digital relay brand would not be able to provide the same advanced programming features that the SEL 751 has to offer. The absence of these programming features would increase the risk for damaging equipment and injuring project personnel near associated electrical equipment. If a different digital relay and additional equipment is provided to make up for the absent advanced programming features, the system cost and complexity would greatly increase.

d. ALTERNATIVES: None.

6. EFFORTS TO OBTAIN COMPETITION: There are multiple suppliers of the SEL bus protection relays. This J&A shall be posted with the solicitation. Requiring this brand name is unlikely to limit competition among proposals. It will be possible for a contractor to obtain competitive pricing from multiple sources. The cost of the SEL relays is small in comparison to the total estimated cost of construction.

7. FAIR AND REASONABLE COST DETERMINATION:

8. MARKET RESEARCH: Under the authority cited in FAR 13.106-1(b), I have determined that the particular brand name, or feature is essential to the Government’s requirements and market research indicates that other companies’ similar products, or products lacking the particular feature, do not meet or cannot be modified to meet the agency’s needs. SEL is the only compatible bus protection relay at this time. There are many sources a contractor can utilize to obtain the SEL bus protection relay.

9. INTERESTED SOURCES: None.

10. OTHER FACTS: None.

11. TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which is included in this Brand Name Justification and Approval, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Kameron Sellers Electrical Engineer Signature:

12. REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which is included in this Brand Name Justification and Approval, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Karen Robison Project Manager Signature:

13. FAIR AND REASONABLE PRICE DETERMINATION: I hereby determine that the anticipated cost to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable on the basis of adequate price competition as a result certified cost or price data will not be required. In addition, the price analysis will also be made by comparing the proposed price to the Independent Government Estimate.

Jani Long Contracting Officer Signature:

14. CONTRACTING OFFICER DETERMINATION: I hereby determine the above-stated circumstances of this contract action deem that only one brand is available to meet the Government’s need.

Jani Long Contracting Officer Signature:

15. OFFICE OF COUNSEL DETERMINATION: In accordance with the requirements of UAI 5101.602-2-90, I have reviewed the J&A and determined it is legally sufficient.

Theresa Hampson Deputy District Counsel Signatu