Attachment 4_Brand Name Justification - ToolCat_Redacted.pdf

This is a Determination & Findings document for a sole-source acquisition by the Department of Air Force, 673d Contracting Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. The document justifies the procurement of a Brand Name Bobcat UW56 Toolcat Utility Work Machine with attachments, equipment, and features as a single-source acquisition from Bobcat.

The determination is justified under RFO 11.204(a)(2)(ii) (Brand Name) authority, finding that the particular brand name, product, and features are essential to Government requirements and that competitive alternatives cannot meet the agency's needs or be modified to do so. The findings establish that procuring alternate Bobcat UW56 Toolcat machines would require $42,500 to replace 13 existing fleet attachments and 96 man-hours for personnel training and qualification. Third-party mechanical adapters cannot support the electronic and hydraulic control requirements of the unit's implements, making Bobcat UW56 standardization the only practical solution. Market research across regional utility work-machine dealers identified no competitive alternatives capable of supporting existing fleet attachments without costly replacement or providing the authorized local service network necessary to prevent critical downtime. The Contracting Officer, Joseph C. Ford, approved this determination on September 17, 2026.