JA 04 - Assa Abloy_Redacted.pdf

Control No. 26-04

CUI//SP-PROCURE//FED ONLY

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Assa Abloy Accentra Large Format Lock Cores 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 Assa Abloy Accentra (Formerly Yale Commercial Lock) Large Format lock cores in the new Chilled Water Plant. The VA requires consistent lock hardware and components throughout VACHS.

The cost to furnish and install the requested brand-name requirements for the Assa Abloy Accentra hardware 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. Providing the new Chilled Water Plant with Assa Abloy Accentra Large Format lock cores that integrate and are consistent with the existing campus will ensure the facility and environment for all remains secure, safe, and efficient.

b. Justification:

In order to ensure the safety and security of patients, staff, and visitors, equipment and infrastructure at the VA West Haven Medical Center, the new finish hardware in the new Chilled Water Plant must include Assa Abloy Accentra Large Format lock cores. The West Haven VA Medical Center is standardized on the proprietary Assa Abloy Accentra Large Format keying system. Lock cores from other manufacturers are not compatible with the Assa Abloy Accentra Large Format keying system. Keying systems installed in new buildings must match the existing keying system to maintain oversight and control.

Assa Abloy Accentra Large Format lock cores have a proprietary keyway and pinning, meaning the Medical Center’s existing Accentra Large Format keys can only be used in Accentra Large Format lock cores. Alternative cores have different keyways and pinning that are not compatible with Accentra Large Format keys. Management of multiple systems would be difficult, inefficient, and add security and safety risks.

The use of a single lock core enables the systematic management of the lock system by the Facility Engineering staff. Providing a single lock core for all installation’s facilities allows for a single keying tracking mechanism. There is an emergency response master key which must work properly in emergency situations for both Police and Fire Department. The use of a single lock core for all facilities reduces maintenance costs for facility staff over the lifespan of the building. Moreover, ensuring the new chilled water plant has the Assa Abloy Accentra Large Format keying system will reduce maintenance costs because only a single set of key blanks, cores, and tools will need to be stocked and maintained rather than multiple types. A uniform system will reduce the number of keys each individual must carry. Integrating the new Chilled Water Plant (Building 17) with the same hardware will also allow VA West Haven personnel to systematically gain access when required and make changes or upgrades as needed.

For the reasons stated above, RFO 6.103-1 is the appropriate authority for this procurement as only Assa Abloy Accentra Large Format lock cores will meet the Government's requirements.

c. Alternatives:

The facility-wide keying system is Assa Abloy Accentra Large Format. There are other alternative core locks system available such as Schlage and Adams Rite. Alternatives would include a standalone keying system for the chilled water plant or replacing and upgrading the keying system for the entire campus. As stated, a standalone system for the chilled water plant would require the facility to procure and maintain the alternate keying system along with all materials in addition to the current Assa Abloy Accentra Large Format system, which may also require additional staff training and storage space. A standalone system also adds unnecessary risk in an emergency situation because multiple master keys would be required. Replacing and upgrading the entire campus keying system is also not viable and not part of the scope of this project and would also be cost prohibitive and a major impact to the Medical Center

d. Impact:

If the J&A is not approved and different lock core systems are provided and installed in lieu of the Assa Abloy Accentra Large Format system, the alternative product will likely not provide immediate access and meet security requirements. If an alternative product is provided, maintenance, police, and management personnel will be required to carry two sets of keys, one for the campus and one for the Chiller Plant. This would require additional lock shop space to store keys, cores, blanks, and tools for the alternative product, as well as additional locksmith time to cut and manage the additional keys and the second Grand Master system. In addition, maintainers and police will not be able to rely on their master keys; they will lose valuable time determining the correct key for the correct building.

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. 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 responses from companies stating they were able to provide Assa Abloy Accentra Large Format lock cores. No responses indicated that an alternative to Assa Abloy Accentra Large Format lock cores was feasible.

b. Subcontracting Competition: Subcontracting opportunities are not significantly limited by this brand name requirement as Assa Abloy Accentra Large Format lock cores can be procured through many subcontractors and vendors.

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:

Government personnel conducted a thorough review of available products and consulted with industry experts and the VA’s Medical Center personnel in June 2026 to identify any comparable products that could meet the VA's specific security requirements. The VACHS Facility Staff stated that Assa Abloy Accentra Locks are the only system acceptable on campus. According to Assa Abloy’s published materials, Accentra Large Format lock cores are only compatible with Accentra Master Keys. No other products were identified that could maintain consistent access to the existing Assa Abloy Accentra Large Format lock cores.

Additionally, a NOI to Sole Source was posted to SAM.gov. See Section 9 (Interested Sources).

9. Interested Sources:

A NOI to determine potential sources for this system was published on February 4, 2026, and closed February 19, 2026. No comments or responses received indicated that an alternative product was feasible. Once approved, this J&A will be published with the solicitation in accordance with RFO 6.301(b)(2).

10. Other Facts:

Assa Abloy Accentra lock cores meet 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

12. Requirements 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: Jennifer W. Flanagan Title: Project Manager

13. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination:

I hereby determine that the anticipated cost to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable. Reasonableness will be determined using price analysis techniques. Per RFO

7/21/2026

7/30/2026

SIMONETTA.JOSEPH.DAVID.1249422

Digitally signed by

SIMONETTA.JOSEPH.DAVID.1249422424

Date: 2026.07.21 07:18:33 -04'00'

FLANAGAN.JENNI

FER.WAI.1228539

Digitally signed by

FLANAGAN.JENNIFER.WAI.122

8539747 Date: 2026.07.30 12:09:20 -04'00'