JA 24-29 KnoxBox_03Jun24 redacted.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

NAVAL FACILITIES ENGINEERING SYSTEMS COMMAND, HAWAII

400 MARSHALL ROAD

JBPHH, HAWAII 96860-3139

J&A No. 24-29

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

SOLICITATION WORK ORDER NUMBER , SPECIAL PROJECT RM18-

1025 REPAIR Q4 UNACCOMPANIED HOUSING (UH) BUILDING 230 HAYDEN HALL AT

THE NAVAL COMPUTER AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS AREA MASTER STATION PACIFIC

(NCTAMS PAC), WAHIAWA, HAWAII

1. Contracting Activity.

Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Hawaii (NAVFAC HI), Architect-Engineer Contracts Branch, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH), Hawaii.

2. Description of the Action Being Approved.

Request approval for the use of Knox Box 3200 fire department access box by Knox Company for the construction project Special Project RM18- 1025 Repair Q4 UH Building 230 Hayden Hall at the NCTAMS PAC, Wahiawa, Hawaii. The brand name description is essential to the Activity's requirements, which will not provide for full and open competition.

This J&A is to cover only the portion of the acquisition that relates to this brand-name specification.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

This project will repair the existing, non-historic UH Building 230, known as Hayden Hall, at the NCTAMS PAC. Building 230, a 13,256 SF facility built in 1952, will undergo transformation into a “1+1E” apartment layout, comprising of 18 apartments and 34 bedrooms. This configuration will consist of 16 double-units and 2 single-unit apartments. Ancillary spaces will include communal laundry rooms, utility rooms, vending machines, a communal/multipurpose kitchen, a unisex bathroom, janitor rooms and storage. The project will also include installing new Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), Fire Protection, and Plumbing.

The project requires a fire department access box that complies with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1. Knox Box fire department access box will be installed on the exterior of the building to provide secure storage of building entry keys for use by the Federal Fire Department during an emergency response. Providing secure access to building entry keys avoids the need to use forced entry, which facilitates faster entry into the building and avoids permanent damage to the building entry doors. The Knox Box 3200 fire department access box system, manufactured by the Knox Company, is utilized by the Federal Fire Department and can only be opened with a unique master key furnished by the Knox Company.

The estimated cost of construction for Building 230 is of which will be for the procurement of one (1) Knox Box.

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition.

This request is submitted pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C.

2304(c)(1), only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

This is a new requirement for a component of a secure rapid building entry system where award to another source would result in substantial duplication costs to the Government that is not expected to be recovered by competition. The Knox Box 3200 fire department access box by the Knox Company will be used for this project because it is the only source compatible with the existing Federal Fire Department access box system.

This project requires a fire department access box to be compliant with NFPA 1. An access box is defined in NFPA 1 as “an approved secure box, accessible by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) master key or control, containing entrance keys or other devices to gain access to a secure structure or area.” In accordance with NFPA Code 1 (2024 Edition, Chapter 18, Fire Department Access and Water Supply, 18.2.2.1), when required by the AHJ, a UL 1037 (Standard for Antitheft Alarms and Devices) listed fire department access box is required in an accessible location when access to or within a facility is difficult due to security. The fire department access box allows keys unique to each facility to be stored within the box, providing the responding fire department personnel with rapid entry into the building during emergency responses without forced entry or damage to the facility.

NAVFAC HI is requesting approval to use a Knox Box 3200 fire department access box by Knox Company for the following reasons:

a. The Knox Box fire department access box system allows responding Federal Firefighters to retrieve keys necessary to gain entry into buildings using a single, secure master key. Use of other than Knox Box fire department access boxes will require fire apparatus (vehicles) to carry multiple manufacturer’s keys, which will delay rapid building entry and potentially endanger life and/or property.

b. The Knox Box fire department access box system provides the highest level of security to protect the building’s entry keys. Knox Box is a UL 1037 listed, high security, tamper-proof box mounted on the exterior of the building that can only be unlocked with a Knox Company issued master key. Knox Box keys are only issued to Federal Fire Department apparatus, where the Fire Chief is ultimately accountable for the security of these keys. The Knox Box master key is unique and specifically assigned to the Federal Fire Department.

Utilizing Knox Box prevents the need for the Federal Fire Department to maintain key rings with hundreds of keys to various buildings.

Because Knox Box precludes the use of forced entry, the building can simply be secured by closing and locking the doors after the emergency incident.

c. Installation of a non-Knox Box fire department access box would require purchasing of a new master key vault/safe compatible with each of the 16 fire apparatus operated by the Federal Fire Department. The fire apparatus cabin interior is already crowded with equipment and instruments, and cannot fit another master key vault/safe. A new master key vault/safe is approximately , or times the cost of procuring a Knox Box fire department access box, multiplied by the 16 fire apparatus operated by the Federal Fire Department (total ).

6. Description of Efforts Made to Solicit Offers from as Many Offerors as Practicable.

A Sources Sought notice (No. N62478CON33FY2303) was posted on 9 December 2022 on the SAM.gov website to identify any other sources that could provide the fire department access box with equal performance and listing/approval requirements compatible to the Knox Box. No responses were received in response to the announcement.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

The estimated price of is based on a recent, independent Government Estimate and consistent with current market prices. The Contracting Officer has determined the anticipated cost to the Government of the supplies/services covered by this J&A to be fair and reasonable.

8. Market Research.

a. Market research was conducted between 9 December 2022 – 16 December 2022 to determine if there are any vendors who could provide similar items, and to perform a price comparison. As mentioned in Paragraph 6 above, there were no alternate sources found from the Sources Sought.

b. Additional market research was conducted in May 2024, revealing other manufacturers who provide only the access box housing, where the housing is ready to add on a Knox keyswitch or Knox padlock (sold separately). Another source, , manufactures an Emergency Fire Department Access control product; however, since utilizes a scanner radio technology, with their own unique proprietary systems, it cannot be easily integrated with the existing Federal Fire Department systems without significant initial investment/outlay and potential security vulnerabilities. Only the Knox Box is able to maintain compatibility and security with the existing unique fire department access box key utilized by the Federal Fire Department at all military installations on Oahu.

9. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition.

For the reasons set form in Paragraph 5, NAVFAC HI has no plans at this time to compete future contracts for the types of supplies/services covered by this document. To evaluate the use of full and open competition for acquiring the same or similar supplies in the future, market research will be conducted periodically to ascertain the availability of new technology that may provide for other sources to meet the Government’s needs. Should any other potential sources of supply for compatible fire department access box be submitted during the source selection process, the Government will consider each as applicable.

CERTIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL

TECHINCAL AND REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION

I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance, which are included in this justification and its supporting acquisition planning documents, except as noted herein are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.