Brand Name justification - Zeiss microscope.pdf

BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION

1. Contracting Agency and Activity. The Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey plans to contract by means other than full and open competition. This document sets forth the justification and approval for award of a Zeiss microscope on a limited source basis as required by FAR 13.106-1.

2. Nature of Action Being Approved. The USGS Florence Bascom Geoscience Center in Reston, VA requests a new purchase order of a Zeiss Axioscope 5 custom-built polarizing, reflected, and fluorescent light microscope including low power objectives and digital camera.

3. Description of Supplies or Services. The microscope is needed as an all-in-one solution for detailed petrography of geologic samples especially carbonate rocks and speleothems, and micropaleontologic work such as conodont fossil identification. Necessary capabilities include polarized light using low-power (1x-10x) objectives, fluorescence, and darkfield reflected light for microfossil imaging.

4. Estimated Dollar Value. The estimated dollar amount of this requisition is approximately is approximately $36,000.00.

5. Statutory Authority. The proposed action may be awarded on a sole source basis under the authority of Section 201 of the Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 USC 501) and FAR 13.106-1.

6. Rationale Supporting Use of Citation in No. 5.

The USGS Florence Bascom Geoscience Center has existing microscope accessories that are compatible only with a Zeiss microscope, such as a counting stage and higher-power objectives.

Purchasing another brand would result in a minimum of a $10,000 duplication of costs and effort to replicate the same capability. Moreover, the Zeiss objective lenses currently used for magnifying the samples each have their own particular focal length and other optical characteristics. Observations and measurements made with these objective lenses would not be directly comparable to lenses of similar magnification power made by other manufacturer brands. Thus, in order to have continuity among past and future data collection, it is necessary to have a new microscope that these existing lenses can attach to.

7. Other Information.

Other brands would not allow for physical compatibility with existing objectives for the Zeiss microscope, and certain analyses cannot be done without the existing specialized attachments such as an x-y counting stage.

8. The Efforts to Identify Additional Sources Including the Market Research Conducted

Other leading brands of microscopes were evaluated to see if they could meet this requirement.

However, all had different sized apertures or thread types for attaching objectives and have differing focal lengths for objectives. The petrographic stages and objectives that the user has will only work with Zeiss microscopes. In order to use the existing equipment for fluorescence petrography and analysis the Zeiss Axioscope 5 is a necessity. Although the Zeiss brand is the only option for this procurement, it is anticipated that there will be competition among resellers to meet this requirement.

9. Actions to Overcome Barriers to Competition. Any future, related procurement will be competed to the maximum extent allowable. Market research will be conducted utilizing industry experts, project staff, Internet research, and related literature to identify valid sources.

10. Recommendation and Certification from Program Office

Based on the above, I recommend this acquisition be conducted on a limited source basis. I certify that technical data which form a basis for this justification, that are the responsibility of technical or requirements personnel are complete and accurate.

Daniel Doctor, FBGC Date Research Geologist

11. Certifications and Approval from the Contracting Officer:

a. The price will be determined reasonable through the receipt of competitive offers.

b. This justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

12. Approvals

Dan Galvin, Contracting Officer Date

Jennifer Kelley, Bureau Competition Advocate Date