Attachment 16 - Class JA ALC.pdf

Justification and Approval (J&A) for Other Than Full and Open Competition

April 2021April 2021

(See "Specific Guidance for Completing this Template" below.)

I. Agency and Contracting Activity.

Department of the Air Force, Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, 673 Contracting Squadron, 10480 Sijan Ave, JBER, AK 99506

II. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

This is a class J&A for requirements for portions of future projects that necessitate acquiring brand name Automated Logic Controls (ALC) components. All contracts or orders made under the authority of this Justification and Approval will be on a firm-fixed price basis.

III. Description of supplies/services required to meet agency needs (including the estimated value).

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) utilizes the Energy Management Control System (EMCS) manufactured by Automated Logic Controls (ALC) to monitor base facilities. The system uses Direct Digital Control (DDC) devices and proprietary software to automate control of systems including but not limited to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, boilers, generators and chillers. The EMCS provides a multiple layer process that provides the users with an ability to remotely monitor, control, adjust and program from an existing front end computer. This computer is used to monitor and adjust the EMCS for facilities within the control system across multiple sites.

ALC components such as software, building controllers, expanders, equipment controllers and equipment interfaces are integral to the EMCS system and are essential to measuring facility data outputs, processing that data, and processing feedback from the user to the system.

In addition to unplanned or emergency requirements, JBER plans to execute at least 30 projects involving the EMCS over the next five fiscal years, including but not limited to repair/replace heaters, generators, boilers and HVAC systems. Each project will require ALC brand components that must be used in order to be compatible with the existing system technology in place. The total projected cost of these brand name components will be approximately

IV. Statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

10 USC 2304(c)(1) The property or services needed by the agency are available from only one responsible source or only from a limited number of responsible sources. No other type of property or devices will satisfy the needs of the agency, as implemented by FAR6.302-1(a) and FAR 16.505(a)(4) when the supplies or services required by the agency are available from only one responsible source, or, for DoD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, from only one or a limited number of responsible sources, and no other type of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, full and open competition need not be provided for. Supplies may be deemed to be available only from the original source in the case of a follow-on contract for the continued development or production of a major system or highly specialized equipment, including major components thereof, when it is likely that award to any other source would result in substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition.

V. Demonstration that the contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited above (applicability of authority).

The use of brand name description is essential to the Governments' requirement, thereby precluding consideration of a product manufactured by another company. The current ALC system was installed in over 88 current base facilities under the base's previous EMCS/HVAC contract (FA5000-08-D-0007) which employed subcontractor Meridian Systems, Inc. for the ALC system. Specifications required all installed equipment be fully functional with existing ALC system on base. Approximately million was spent on DDC Controls and DDC control points on that contract alone to upgrade JBER facilities. Additionally, MACC task orders have been awarded with an estimated million in brand name ALC requirements between FY 2017-2019 and open market contracts have been awarded with an estimated million in brand name ALC requirements between FY 2020 and 2021.

The Government does not have rights to the ALC source code; it does, however, own the ALC software and hardware currently installed in 243 base facilities. The ALC controls are fully integrated with numerous base systems which ensure mission capability. The ALC controls are integrated with the base Emergency Management System in the event of mission essential exercises, operations, and global system response for emergency situations that occur in real world events. Moreover, the ALC controls currently operate at full capacity with the EMCS that is currently operating on JBER.

ALC components and software are only authorized to be sold by Meridian Systems in Alaska.

Due to the complexity of EMCS systems, the level of control can vary based on each company providing the control system and the user's requirements. Each company's software for their control system is proprietary in nature, which means that though the software capabilities and language are similar, they are not interchangeable. The Government is not able to obtain 100% integration substituting one system for another because of the proprietary nature of the software and various components.

JBER has a total of facilities on the existing DDC EMCS with a "point" count of for those facilities. A point is a value in the system that has an address in the software that makes calculations to perform a function;

examples of points are room sensors, outdoor air temp sensors, etc. Industry standard cost of a "point" in a control system ranges from $1,500 in a simple installation in a warehouse to $2,500 in facilities with sophisticated equipment (i.e. paint booth hangars). Applying an average control system component price of $2,000, the current network value on JBER is . This represents the value of the current investment in ALC components and upgrades that would have to be replaced if required to use non-ALC components; converting to another proprietary solution which would require a similar justification. Additionally, approximately 57 new projects for the conversion would have to be accomplished along with recertification, and personnel retraining which would drive a 37,566 hour additional workload for JBER.

VI. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under

FAR 5.202 applies.

Requirements will be competed through local multiple-award construction contracts or open market to promote competition. If a requirement is competed through a local multiple-award construction contract, a notice will be publicized as required by FAR subpart 16.505(a)(4)(iii). If a requirement is competed open market, a notice will be publicized as required by FAR subpart 5.2 Synopsis of Proposed Contract Actions.

VII. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

The cost for each requirement will be evaluated on an individual basis before award is made.

VIII. Description of the market research conducted and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted.

The acquisition team was unable to identify any compatible components other than ALC that would meet this requirement without completely retro-commissioning all upgraded JBER facilities. Research into similar building automation systems manufacturers such as Schneider Electric, and Johnson Controls did not indicate their products were compatible with ALC. Additional research was conducted on 23 February 2022 by contacting the sole authorized dealer for ALC components in Alaska, Meridian Systems. Meridian confirmed that in order for the EMCS to communicate all the DDCs would have to be from the same manufacturer, ALC.

Past solicitations and contracts were also identified under which brand name and sole source requirements were necessary due to non-compatibility with similar system manufacturers:

A previous J&A for Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska was accomplished for radiant bay heaters. The project was awarded open market, contract number FA500021C0049. The J&A included market research for the same system for the projected acquisitions over the next 5 years.

A previous J&A for Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska was accomplished for backup generators, solicitation FA500022R0001-Project HJZH 21-1409. The J&A included market research for the same system for the projected acquisitions over the next 5 years.

A previous J&A for Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska was accomplished for the repair of HVAC system in the laundry room of building 651. The project was awarded open market, contract number FA500021C0057. The J&A included market research for the same system for the projected acquisitions over the next 5 years.

A previous brand name J&A for Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska was accomplished for the replacement of boilers in building 804 and 806. This project was awarded open market, contract number FA5000-21-P-0074. The J&A included market research for the same system for the projected acquisitions over the next 5 years.

A previous J&A for Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska was accomplished for the HVAC Phases Energy Projects. Six (6) projects were awarded as separate task orders under a Multiple Award Construction Contract (MACC). The MACC task orders awarded were FA5000-12-D- 0005-0015, FA5000-12-D-0005-0016, FA5000-12-D-0009-0033,FA5000-12-D-0009-0034, FA5000-12-D-0009-0035 and FA5000-12-D-0009-0036. The J&A included market research for the same system under the current acquisition.

A J&A for a Brand Name Automated Logic System for JBER was approved by the Corps of Engineers, Alaska District Control No. POA 11-2, solicitation W911KB-11-R-0020.

A similar J&A for the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar, San Diego, California,. Control No. HNC-12-16132, Contract W912DY-11-D-0003 ESS-V under the US Army Engineering & Support Center J&A included a Market Research for a similar sole source system for the base.

IX. Any other facts supporting the use of Other Than Full and Open Competition.

N/A

X. List of any sources that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

None.

XI. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required.

The 673 Civil Engineer Squadron does not plan to acquire any alternative system. The base plan is to convert the remaining facilities to the current ALC system to achieve full compatibility with the EMCS network. Other control systems have been considered currently and in the past, but due to interoperability issues full integration is not possible. We will continue to evaluate other controls to determine if future efficiencies can be gained. At that time, we will strive for competition among vendors.

XII. Certification by the Contracting Officer.

As evidenced by my signature above, I have determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

XIII. Certification by the technical/requirements personnel.

As evidenced by my (our) signature(s) above, I (we) certify that any supporting data contained herein, which is my (our) responsibility, is both accurate and complete.