Brand Name Justification SIGNED.pdf

Brand Name Determination Caterpillar 299D3 XE Compact Track Loader

1. Contracting Activity: The ERDC Contracting Office (ECO) is located at the U.S.

Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180-6199.

2. Description of Action: This determination seeks approval to award a new Firm

Fixed Price (FFP) contract on a brand name basis pursuant to procedures at Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106-1(b) to procure a Caterpillar 299D3 XE Compact Track Loader.

3. Description of the product required to meet the agency’s needs: The Airfields and Pavements Branch (APB) has a requirement for a Caterpillar 299D3 XE Compact Track Loader and a BH130 Smart Backhoe (as an option in the contract) to perform rapid road repair tasks. The 299D3 XE is a versatile machine that has been proven at ERDC to perform pavement repair tasks with tested attachments, including Caterpillar wheel saws, diamond blade saw, Caterpillar tiller to blend soil with products, and Caterpillar backhoe attachments.

4. Authority Cited: FAR 13.106-1(b), Soliciting from a single source (1) For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold (i) Contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name or industrial mobilization).

5. Reason for Authority Cited: In accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. (i) Contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source (e.g. brand name) reasonably available.

Background: The Airfields and Pavements Branch (APB) has been tasked by the DoD to develop the capability to rapidly repair and upgrade damaged infrastructure along mobility corridors and restaging areas to maintain and enhance freedom of maneuver achieving overmatch and tactical advantage in contested complex environments. To accomplish this, compact, versatile equipment that is capable of performing rapid road repair tasks is required. This equipment must also be compatible with previously procured attachments as the Government has already invested approximately $98,000. The APB currently has a 299D3 XE that the attachments were tested on for airfield damage repair projects.

Justification: Extensive research was conducted to determine the best commercially available equipment that can rapidly repair bomb-damaged airfields. This research has led to an effort to extrapolate this knowledge and testing to rapid road repair in remote areas. The APB-owned Caterpillar 299D3 XE has proven to be an efficient and versatile equipment that can handle several proven attachment technologies, including the backhoe arm (Caterpillar BH130 and BH150) for lightweight material handling, tiller attachment for rapidly processing soil and strengthening products (Caterpillar LT114), diamond blade saw for a small pavement-cutting saw (Cuts, Inc), wheel saw attachments (Caterpillar SW345 and SW360). All of these attachments have been extensively researched and proven for different areas of pavement repair.

Therefore, it is in the best interest of the government to procure a compatible brand to these attachments, and no other brands are fully compatible to all of these attachments.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Several vendors sell Caterpillar equipment;

therefore adequate competition is anticipated.

7. Determination that costs will be fair and reasonable: The independent government estimate, catalog prices, price competition, and the laboratory’s technical representative’s knowledge of the industry will be used to determine if the quoted price is fair and reasonable.

8. Description of Market Research: Market research was conducted to identify the

Caterpillar brand as the only skid steer capable of meeting the Governments requirement. Additionally, there are capable vendors on GSA, including one small and one large, and it is anticipated that there are several small businesses within the open market capable of providing this requirement.

9. Contracting Officer Determination: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Allison Hudson Contracting Officer