J A Russellstoll .pdf

Control Number: LRE FY21-15

Reason For Authority Cited:

Background-

The Soo Locks are situated on the St. Marys River at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The St. Marys River, a water bridge connecting Lake Superior with Lake Huron, is a critical link in the Great Lakes/ St. Lawrence Seaway system. Over 80 million tons of commercial commodities pass through the Soo Locks annually. For example, in 2000 a total of 85,315,658 tons passed through the locks. The primary commodity group is iron ore and taconite, comprising more than 50 percent of the total annual tonnage. The Soo Locks consist of two canals and four locks. The North Canal contains the Davis and Sabin Locks, and the South Canal contains the MacArthur and Poe Locks. The North Canal locks were built during World War I. The two South Canal locks were built in 1943 and 1968, respectively. The Sabin Lock is in disrepair and is not operated. The dimensions of the Davis Lock essentially limit its use to recreational vessels, so the lock is minimally operated at this time.

Virtually all cargo vessels moving through the St. Marys River transit either the Poe or the MacArthur Lock.

The Poe Lock is the only lock capable of handling vessels with beams in excess of 76 feet. Included in this group are the Great Lakes system largest vessels. These Poe-restricted vessels account for nearly two thirds of the potential carrying capacity of the Great Lakes fleet. Any disruption of service at the Poe Lock would result in delays to these vessels, and depending on the length of time of the closure at the Poe, could cause serious problems for the industries and companies that rely on the Poe-restricted vessels for shipments of raw materials, especially iron ore and coal.

In 1985, due to the significant economic consequences of a disruption of service at the Poe Lock, the Detroit District conducted a feasibility study for the construction of a replacement lock at the site of the Davis and Sabin Locks. The Feasibility Report recommended replacement of the Davis and Sabin Locks with a single large (Poe-sized) lock. Since the Feasibility report several additional reports have been completed including a Limited Reevaluation Report (LRR) (April 2004) and a Validation Study (June 2018). Based on both reports, the Sabin and Davis lock chambers will be removed for construction of a new Poe-sized lock project, titled New Lock at the Soo (New Third Lock).

b) Justification-

Compatible with Existing UL listed Maintenance Equipment The organization has invested in equipment to support the maintenance of the locks which includes dewatering activities. The electrical cables used to power the dewatering pumps consist of 150 foot 3-#500KCMIL + 1 #3 AWG ground submersible cables with two Russellstoll, Maxguard-400amp, 3 phase, 4wire plugs, one on each end. Three of these cable and plug combinations are required to dewater a lock, one for each pump.

The cables are valued at each, a total of for all three. Adding receptacles from other manufacturers to the new lock would require the corresponding procurement of additional compatible cables estimated to be of the same value and the maintenance staff would be required to store and maintain these additional cables.

Control Number: LRE FY21-15

Approval

Based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve this brand name specification for Russellstoll receptacles pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C. § 2304(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1 in the approximate amount of subject to the availability of funds, and provided that the services and property herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

Travis J. Specht Contracting Officer