Bosch_Install_Sole_Source.docx

Program/Equipment: Installation and Programming Services for the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies

Authority: FAR 13.106-1(b) Amount:

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, George C. Marshall Center (GCMC) Contracting Office.

2. Description of Action: This justification encompasses current requirements for the installation and integration of audio/visual equipment in Building 106 of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies. This justification is submitted in support of a contract modification to HQ0236-10-P-0040, to Total Walther GmbH, in service support of the GCMC’s plenary facilities. If approved, this action will result in the addition of a firm fixed-priced CLIN to contract HQ0236-10-P-0040, using FY13 Operation & Maintenance Defense funds.

3. Description of Supplies/Services: The GCMC Visual Information Division (VID) has received funds for the life-cycle replacement installation of various audio/visual equipment used in the plenary hall/conference facilities of the George C. Marshall Center. Requirements include: installation, and integration of routers, projectors, microphones, plasma displays, KVM switches, and Sound Web audio distribution system. All Crestron Control and Sound Web systems will require customized programming and integration into the Plenary proprietary Audio Visual network. Installation includes new cabling and programming to include removal and disposal of obsolete cabling.

4. Authority Cited: The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is: FAR 13.106-1(b)

(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: The GCMC VID facilitates the use of available plenary facilities throughout numerous resident course throughout the year. This accelerated schedule results in very limited downtime of the facilities between courses. Currently, there is only one window of time available to accomplish this installation and programming. The window of opportunity for this systems upgrade is 28 Sep to 18 Oct 2013.

Total Walther GmbH is the original vendor who was contracted to design, install, and integrate the audio visual, computer, and control systems in the GCMC’s plenary facilities (Building 105) in 2000-2001, and the small plenary (Building 106) and 12 associated seminar rooms (Building 105) in 2004. A current contract with Total Walther GmbH exists for support and equipment maintenance (HQ0236-10-P-0040). This contract was competed on a full and open basis.

Installing the new equipment will require removal of the vast majority of switchers, routers, control systems, audio distribution systems, amplifiers, microphones and Digital Congress network switching components, and reinstallation and programming of their associated life cycle replacements, and well as reprogramming of all master control systems used in the plenary hall. All equipment configurations must conform to existing standards.

The use of a contractor other than Total Walther GmbH, who designed and maintains the systems, will result in an unacceptable delay in fulfilling the requirements of the GCMC. The impact of failing to finish the complete de-installation, installation, integration, programming, and testing of the system in the specified window of opportunity will result in mission failure.

For the following reasons, it is not possible for another firm to be able to accomplish this installation requirement within the available 21 day window:

-While technical schematics are available for all components, a new firm would have to physically examine and trace all current wiring and connections, including new wiring to be accomplished in order to be able to cleanly withdraw the current system prior to integration of the new. This would take approximately 5-7 working days, reducing the available time for installation to approximately two weeks. Total Walther, having intimate knowledge of the systems would be able to begin immediately, on day 1 of the 21 day window.

-Due to the current op-tempo of the Marshall Center, there is no opportunity to afford additional time to firms to complete the withdrawal of the current system, before the anticipated start date of 28 September. The estimated 21 days to complete this task would require the complete shutdown of both plenary halls and associated seminar rooms, rendering them completely useless for resident programs, etc during this time.

-A vital component of this installation requirement is to complete the programming of the Crestron Control System and the SoundWeb Audio Control system. These are actual user interface computer programs controlled by hundreds of thousands of lines of code. Again, the programming time for a new contractor to sort through, verify, and remove old coding before integrating new coding for the upgraded system would significantly exceed the available window of time. The selection of Total Walther to accomplish this requirement provides a cost savings because these additional days of service are not needed by the incumbent contractor.

Finally, system integrity and accountability issues prevent the award of this requirement to an alternate firm. Currently, all equipment and systems in the Plenary hall are covered under contract with Total Walther GmbH for emergency maintenance calls. This CLIN requires an 8 hour response and 48 hour repair turnaround for all covered equipment, protecting the plenary facility from downtime. Use of a vendor other than Total Walther GmbH will result in substantial duplication of cost to the Government in the event of equipment breakdown, as well as reduced accountability in tracking system breakdowns and appropriate repair. Because of this duplication of cost it is not possible for the Government to separate various requirements for installation, integration, programming, and testing of the plenary equipment.

In sum, because of the urgency of the requirement in a limited time window, the complexity of the existing plenary equipment, and the system integrity and accountability issues that preclude any alternate vendors, only Total Walther GmbH can meet this installation requirement.

6. Actions to Increase Competition. The notice of intent to sole-source this requirement will be posted on FBO.

7. Price Reasonableness. That Contracting Officer will ensure price reasonableness by performing extensive market research, obtaining the subject matter expertise of on-site government A/V personnel, comparison to other contracts of a similar nature, and utilizing a detailed independent government estimate (IGE) for comparison/negotiation purposes.

8. Technical Certification.

“I certify that supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.”

Typed Name: Robert A. Talenti DSN: 440-2895

Signature: Date: ____________

9. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination.

“I hereby determine that the anticipated cost to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable.

Typed Name: Benjamin N. Hardy DSN: 440-2326

Signature: Date:

10. Contracting Officer Certification.

“I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.”

Typed Name: Benjamin N. Hardy DSN: 440-2212

Signature: Date: