JA 03 - JCI ESS_Redacted.pdf

Control No. 26-03

CUI//SP-PROCURE//FED ONLY

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Johnson Controls Electronic Security Systems VA West Haven New Chilled Water Plant

Solicitation No. W912WJ26RA008

1. Contracting Activity:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), New England District (NAE) 696 Virginia Road Concord, MA 01742

2. Description of Action:

Approval is requested for use of brand name items in an upcoming acquisition.

This Justification and Approval (J&A) supports the use of brand name components in an upcoming firm fixed price construction project funded with procurement appropriations. The Government will not purchase the components directly but rather will require that offerors include the provision and installation of these brand name components as part of proposals submitted in response to a competitive solicitation that will lead to the award of a new construction contract. This J&A covers only the portion of the acquisition which is brand-name or particular to one manufacturer.

3. Description of Supplies/Services:

This project is a Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) requirement to construct a new Chilled Water Plant and provide site utility improvements for the VA Connecticut Healthcare System (VACHS) in West Haven, Connecticut. The requirement is to provide Johnson Controls, Inc.

(JCI) Electronic Security Systems in the new Chilled Water Plant. The VA requires a consistent and fully integrated electronic security systems throughout the VACHS.

The cost to furnish and install the requested brand-name requirements for the JCI’s Electronic Security system is estimated at .

The solicitation for the construction contract for this project will be an unrestricted Best Value Trade-off solicitation, competed under Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) Part 15. The solicitation is expected to be awarded in Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 with construction completed in FY 2031, with a total estimated construction cost of .

4. Authority Cited:

10 United States Code (U.S.C.) 3204(a)(1) as implemented by RFO 6.103-1 - Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. In accordance with this authority, the solicitation will specify that all offerors be required to procure only the cited brand name product.

5. Reason for Authority Cited:

a. Background:

VACHS’s primary mission is to provide advanced and patient-centric healthcare to veterans. Part of providing quality healthcare to veterans requires state-of-the-art infrastructure and systems to support that care. Replacement of the Chilled Water Plant with a JCI Electronic Security system that integrates fully with the existing campus will ensure the facility and environment for all remains secure, safe and efficient.

The current VA West Haven campus utilizes a JCI Electronic Security system. All buildings on the VA West Haven campus with building electronic security systems are network-connected and integrated into the campus-wide JCI system. The existing campus wide system is configured as a proprietary controller-to-host architecture meaning it is specific to, and custom built by JCI and is not compatible with other systems or controllers. The campus-wide system allows VA West Haven Police and Facilities personnel to remotely monitor, manage, access, and control the electronic security devices, including access control card readers and closed-circuit cameras for each building on campus connected to the campus-wide system. The new electronic security system for the new Chilled Water Plant (Building 17) will be connected to this existing system.

This will allow VA West Haven personnel to monitor this new system extension along with the remainder of the existing campus.

b. Justification:

The existing physical access control system (PACS) and closed-circuit cameras for the VACHS West Haven campus is a Johnson Controls / Software House platform, monitored by VA Police.

Both systems are monitored by VA Police at existing centralized control stations within Police Operations areas. The new Chilled Water Plant (Building 17) requires access control, intrusion-detection devices, and camera systems that will be enrolled in, supervised by, and monitored through the existing campus system head-ends or centralized control stations, so that VA Police can monitor the new building from the same security operations environment used for the rest of the campus. Johnson Controls / Software House access control and camera systems relies on proprietary field controllers and a proprietary controller-to-host communication architecture.

Field controllers, input/output modules, and credential hardware produced by other manufacturers cannot be enrolled in or supervised by the existing Johnson Controls host architecture.

Integrating a different manufacturer’s access control hardware would require a separate, parallel management server and monitoring workstations operating independently of the campus systems, creating a second standalone system that VA Police would have to monitor separately.

This would defeat the single platform monitoring the VA requires for coordinated security response. For these reasons, the access control, intrusion-detection devices, and camera systems for the new Chilled Water Plant must be Johnson Controls / Software House equipment as it is compatible with the existing campus PACS and closed-circuit camera systems. Device quantities may change as design develops, and part numbers are not included as they have yet to be determined and may change based on delegated design submittals. This equipment must be programmed and tested by a JCI-certified integrator.

For the reasons stated above, RFO 6.103-1 is the appropriate authority for this procurement as only JCI Electronic Security Systems will meet the Government's requirements.

c. Alternatives:

The alternative to providing the JCI Electronic Security systems and devices would be to provide an isolated building level electronic security system. However, this isolated system would require VA personnel to monitor two separate security systems. Additionally, two distinct system head-end and centralized monitoring stations would need to be provided at all VA Police command locations. The purpose of having a campus-wide electronic security system is so that all buildings can be monitored from any monitoring station. Additionally, all building systems can communicate on a single network and can be programmed from a single point required for safe, effective operations during potential high risk security events on campus. Extending the existing campus PACS and closed-circuit camera systems is the only configuration that allows the new Chilled Water Plant to be monitored by VA Police from the existing campus security operations environment as a single integrated system. Any alternative would require a standalone access control system and camera system with its own management server and monitoring workstation, which the VA does not accept for coordinated campus security response.

Another alternative to providing the JCI Electronic Security systems is replacing the electronic system throughout the VA campus. Due to the sheer size of existing electronic security system across the campus, upgrading to a security system of another manufacturer is not feasible and would result in another proprietary system on campus, which is also not in the scope of this project.

d. Impact:

If the J&A is not approved, then the electronic security systems for the new Chilled Water Plant will not be connected to the campus-wide electronic security system, requiring the installation of a separate standalone system and a separate standalone monitoring station at all locations where this system is monitored. Where building area adjacencies exist between the new system and the existing system, communications between the two systems must occur for proper monitoring and response. This communications interconnection could create complications and require involvement from multiple system manufacturers to accomplish, if it is even possible. This would also add complications to all future system modifications and security risks to occupants.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition:

a. Effective Competition: For the reasons discussed above, brand name components are required and will be specified in an otherwise competitive solicitation for a construction project. The brand name components to be required include the electronic security system by JCI. Part numbers are not included as they have yet to be determined and they may change based on delegated design submittals.

A Notice of Intent (NOI) to sole source the brand name component that offerors will be required to procure was posted on February 4, 2026 to determine potential sources for the system. The NOI was published for fifteen days on SAM.gov and received a response from Security 101, a JCI-certified integrator with offices in

Connecticut and Massachusetts, which confirmed that it is an authorized integrator of Johnson Controls electronic security systems and is capable of furnishing and installing the specified brand-name equipment. The manufacturer, Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI), separately submitted technical information confirming that the existing campus access control system is a Johnson Controls / Software House platform and that the existing campus field devices are compatible with that system. As the equipment manufacturer rather than a construction contractor, JCI would not itself propose on the construction work;

installation is performed by JCI-certified integrators such as Security 101.

None of the submissions received identified an alternative manufacturer whose access control equipment could be supervised by the existing campus PACS or camera system head-end. This confirms that the brand-name requirement is necessary for integration with the existing campus system and that the required equipment is available for installation through JCI-certified integrators. The brand-name restriction therefore does not limit competition to a single contractor;

certified integrators may compete to furnish and install the specified equipment within the overall competitive construction solicitation.

b. Subcontracting Competition: Subcontracting opportunities for this system will be only partially limited since the Prime Contractor or its specialty subcontractors are expected to order these products directly from JCI Electronic Security Systems and coordinate delivery. However, it is expected that there will be other areas of work that will allow ample competitive subcontracting opportunities.

7. Actions to Increase Competition:

Based on the information provided in the above paragraphs, increasing competition for this action is not feasible. The brand name requirement for this system does not preclude a wide range of contractors from submitting a proposal on this procurement of an otherwise competitive construction project.

8. Market Research:

During the preparation of the VACHS Surgical and Clinical Tower project, the Campus Chief of Police served on the Project Delivery Team (PDT) and provided the security requirements for that facility. A Government Subject Matter Expert (SME) also coordinated with JCI to review the existing campus-wide electronic security monitoring system. Both the Campus Chief of Police and the Government SME indicated that JCI is the only vendor that can extend the existing electronic security system (ESS) on the VACHS campus.

Because the foregoing input was developed in connection with an earlier project, the Government confirmed its continued validity through current market research conducted specifically for this acquisition, described below.

a. Notice of Intent responses. The Notice of Intent to sole source, posted to SAM.gov on February 4, 2026 and closed February 19, 2026, drew a response from Security 101, a JCI-certified integrator, and technical information from the manufacturer, Johnson Controls, Inc.

(JCI). Both submissions confirmed that the existing campus access control system is a Johnson Controls / Software House platform and that the specified brand-name equipment is the equipment compatible with that system. Neither submission identified an alternative manufacturer whose access control equipment could be supervised by the existing campus PACS and camera system head-ends.

b. Availability through certified integrators. Security 101 identified itself as a JCI-certified integrator with offices in Connecticut and Massachusetts that is able to furnish and install the specified equipment. Because JCI is the equipment manufacturer rather than a construction contractor, the installation work is performed by JCI-certified integrators. The brand-name requirement therefore does not restrict the procurement to a single contractor; the required JCI/Software House equipment is available for installation through certified integrators competing within the overall competitive construction solicitation.

On the basis of the foregoing, the Government has determined that JCI/Software House remains the only electronic security platform that will integrate with the existing VACHS campus PACS, and that the conditions supporting the brand-name determination remain current as of the date of this J&A.

9. Interested Sources:

A NOI to determine potential sources for this system was published on February 4, 2026, and closed February 19, 2026. A response was received from Security 101, a JCI-certified integrator, and technical information was received from the manufacturer, Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI);

these submissions are discussed in the Efforts to Obtain Competition and Market Research sections above. Neither identified an alternative manufacturer capable of integrating with the existing campus PACS, and the response from Security 101 confirmed the availability of the specified equipment through a certified integrator. Once approved, this J&A will be published with the solicitation in accordance with RFO 6.301(b)(2).

10. Other Facts:

JCI Electronic Security Systems meets FAR Buy American requirements.

11. Technical Certification

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

Signature: ________________________________Date: _______________________

Typed Name: Joseph D. Simonetta Title: Technical Lead

7/21/2026

SIMONETTA.JOSEPH.DAVID.

1249422424

Digitally signed by

SIMONETTA.JOSEPH.DAVID.1249422424

Date: 2026.07.21 07:15:02 -04'00'