JA for Other Than Full and Open Comp Fire Alarm Panels.pdf

Justification and Approval (J&A) for Other Than Full and Open Competition

CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION

March 2020 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 1 of 6March 2020 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 1 of 6

Was a J&A approved for the preceding acquisition? Yes No

Is this a new or amended J&A Document? New Amended ( Prior to Award Only! )

Is this a Bridge Action as defined at AFFARS 5302.101? Yes No

Dollar Value of this Acquisition: < $750K > $750K and < $15M > $15M and < $100M > $100M

Contracting Activity: Air Force Installation Contracting Center (AFICC)

Purchase Request (if available): TBD

Program / Project (and PE, if applicable): Facility Fire Alarm Replacement Standardization

Program Type (PEO, Enterprise, of Operational): Operational

Authority: 6.302-1 – 10 USC 2304(c)(1), Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements

Estimated Contract Cost (including options): $ 14,800,000 J&A Type: Class Individual

! ! Provide estimated cost of all contracts.

COORDINATION ( AFFARS 5306.304(a)) Sign and Save Procedure

** The text in the signature blocks below is editable, including the title.

** To remove a row, click the "X" next to the signature block. CAUTION: Once removed, it can only be restored by downloading the BLANK FORM again.

Date

22 Sep 2021

Project Lead / Program Mgr / Requiring Activity Major Patrick J. Grandsaert

AFCEC/COOM / DSN 523-6931

Signature

X

Date

04 Oct 2021

Contracting Officer Major Anthony S. Percy

AFICC 772 ESS/PKD / DSN 523-6482

Signature

X

Date

12 Oct 2021

Local Legal Reviewer Ms. Karen White

AFIMSC/JAQ / DSN 523-6575

Signature

X

Date

19 Oct 2021

Chief of the Contracting Office (COCO) Lt Col Michael E. Corrigan

772 ESS/CC / DSN 969-8776

Signature

X

Date

29 Nov 2021

Director, Acquisition Support (AFICC/KP) Robert A. Hixenbaugh/DSN 787-5529

Signature

X

Date 30 Nov 2021

Director, Enterprise Solutions Support (AFICC/KA) Roger H. Westermeyer/DSN 787-5217

Signature X

Date Signature X

March 2020 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 2 of 6March 2020 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 2 of 6

APPROVAL ( AFFARS 5306.304(a))

Date

17 Dec 2021

Competition Advocate Mr. Anthony W. Everidge, SES

AFICC/CA / DSN 787-1900

Signature

March 2020 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 3 of 6March 2020 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 3 of 6

I. Agency and Contracting Activity.

Department of the Air Force, Air Force Installation Contracting Center, 772 Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Bldg 1, Port San Antonio, 3515 S. General McMullen, Ste 200, San Antonio, TX 78226-1865.

II. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

The United States Air Force (USAF) has a brand name requirement to procure facility fire alarm panels from a limited selection of manufacturers specified by location to support new fire alarm panel purchases for the remainder of this Fiscal Year (FY) through 30 Sep 2026. This Class J&A will support multiple contracts (new) throughout CONUS and OCONUS locations.

III. Description of supplies/services required to meet agency needs (including the estimated value).

This Class J&A covers all USAF facility fire alarm panel purchases from the effective date of this Class J&A through 30 Sep 2026. Fire alarm panel purchases during the next 5 years are expected to number 20864 units (the number of units expected to reach the end of service life). The total spend necessary for replacement of these units has been estimated at approximately $14.8M. Approval of this Class J&A will reduce the total cost of ownership to the Air Force by eliminating inefficiencies and duplication in cost by reducing the need to train USAF fire alarm panel technicians on multiple manufacturers' systems, eventually reducing training requirement by an estimated $22M and 375K hours per 5 year training cycle. Standardization under this class J&A also allows, over time, fire alarm panel repair and programming to be done in-house as the primary option versus contracting out these services. Approval will also increase mission performance efficiencies by streamlining and specializing Civil Engineering (CE) maintainer's schoolhouse training and more importantly additional training at the maintainer's duty location on base-specific manufactures' generators, increasing expertise of organic technicians thereby reducing downtime of fire alarm panels for repair and replacement due to increasing expertise of organic technicians. The increased availability of trained technicians also improves the sustainment of the Air Force's equipment, machinery, and communications systems. Approval will also increase process efficiencies by allowing CE pre-planning for building design, will improve life-cycle maintenance and replacement of expensive and critical equipment, and will leverage spending on spare parts inventory.

IV. Statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

The Competition in Contracting Act (CICA) at 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1(a)(2) and required by FAR 6.303-2(b)(4), states when supplies or services required by the agency are available from a limited number of responsible sources and no other type of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, full and open competition need not be provided for.

V. Demonstration that the contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited above (applicability of authority).

The Air Force is required to use the “brand name exception” to CICA because the nature of the acquisition as a strategic vehicle for Category Management (CM) requires a pre-planned brand name approach to acquiring facility fire alarm panels. This brand name acquisition is integral to avoiding estimated costs in training expenses and efficiency improvements in mission performance not otherwise available under full and open competition.

The training requirements of Air Force maintenance personnel would be greatly reduced under the standardization of fire alarm panels as described in paragraph II. There are two aspects of training for Air Force maintenance personnel. Similar to other Air Force assets, additional training beyond initial skills training is required to maintain proficiency in the system's maintenance. Initial training for Air Force personnel maintaining fire alarm panels is conducted at Sheppard AFB (the “school house”) and includes basic instruction for common maintenance and operations across the inventory of Air Force fire alarm panels. However, there is no detailed instruction on fault diagnosis and repair because the Air Force inventory of fire alarm panels has 28 different manufacturers, the unique difference in the manufacturers' processes cannot be trained to ensure trainees master all manufacturers at initial skills training. Therefore Air Force personnel require additional training at the maintainer's duty location on base-specific manufactures' fire alarm panels. At every Air Force base, there are between 1 and 15 unique manufactures' fire alarm panels requiring the local training to stretch across all different types of fire alarm panels The Air Force Civil Engineering Center (AFCEC) Force Development Manager for electricians reviewed the Career Field Education and Training Plan (CFETP) to capture the costs for minimal training to operate and maintain multiple

March 2020 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 4 of 6March 2020 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 4 of 6 systems. Of the 16 fire alarm panel related tasks on the CFETP, 16 tasks would have to be re-learned or accomplished with each new manufacturer bought and installed. Thus, 100% of the advanced fire alarm panel training costs is repeated at the duty station for each new manufacturer installed at a base. This level of effort is not practical, and cannot occur while still meeting the basic mission needs. The result is an under-trained workforce burdened to train-as-you go, which ends in failed attempts to maintain and repair critical infrastructure equipment.

Additional training must also be provided to ensure advanced troubleshooting and repair of specific systems. Advanced training requires the manufacturer to be involved in order to certify that the maintainer can use proprietary systems for fault diagnosis, program fire alarms, or have access to proprietary code for digital faults. The cost of this training is high and is specific to each manufacturer. Currently, the Air Force funds this training for only the top manufacturer used at the base, on a case by case basis, and any repairs required on other complex systems are contracted out.

The training is currently conducted by the manufacturers at their location resulting in Temporary Duty (TDY) costs for all technicians requiring training. Each manufacturer has different courses that must all be completed to be fully trained. The majority of installations, 86%, have more than one fire alarm panels manufacturer represented, with a mean value of 7.13, and a maximum of 15. This represents a significant duplication of training costs and time in having technicians obtain required training from each manufacturer.

Manufacturer-specific training for CFETP requirements for fire alarm panels has been priced from actual expenses for OEM systems. The total cost to train one technician on one of the three main OEM fire alarm panels in the Air Force ranges from $8400 to $9300 per person, or an average cost of $8,566. If we take the 381 technicians, assume 33% need training annually due to turn over, apply the average cost to 126 technicians to 7.13 brands, consolidating to up to 3 brands would reduce our training requirements by $22M over a 5 year period. These TDYs also take 144 duty hours away from the mission, thus, using the same calculation, consolidating to up to 3 brands would return 375K hours to the mission.

The biggest requirement reductions would result by the Air Force establishing local specialized training, once the installation's standardized fire alarm panel manufacturer is designated. However, even if the Air Force paid full vendor prices and were trained at the bases instead of sending technicians TDY, any mix of training reform aided by standardization results in millions in cost requirement reductions.

The Category Management process identified the Air Force did not have an established TCO model for real property installed equipment. The CIR team sponsored a master's student at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) to develop a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model template for RPIE systems that includes sustainment costs. A major finding of this thesis is the enterprise lacks data to properly complete a TCO model. Therefore, the model was used for this effort was derived from existing operations and maintenance and contract spending data associated with fire alarm panels. The TCO model provides USAF acquisition, contracting, and civil engineering professionals a tool with which to project life-cycle costs, negotiate prices, and justify spending decisions. Furthermore, the model provides a proof of concept to the CE enterprise that will allow for the expansion of TCO modeling to other categories of spending.

Implementation of this Class J&A will (1) standardize the USAF on a limited number of facility fire alarm panel manufacturers which reduces training requirements by an estimated $22M and training hours by 375K per 5 year training cycle, (2) will ensure training will be more defined, (3) will increase the responsiveness and effectiveness of in-house technicians resulting in fewer and shorter downtimes for facility fire alarm panels, (4) will lead to a more cost effective delivery of mission capability by ensuring Air Force technicians are fully trained, and (5) reduce cyber security requirements across the CE enterprise. Therefore, award to any other sources than those specified brand names for specified Air Force bases would result in continued substantial duplication of cost and lowered mission performance to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition. Finally, approval will generate demand efficiencies by reducing the equipment and parts inventories for CE and the personnel required to sustain them.

VI. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies.

IAW FAR 5.201 a Notice of Proposed Contract Action/Special Notice, 772_Fire_Alarm_Panel_Brand_Namewas posted on SAM.gov (Government Point of Entry "GPE") 01 June 2021; the posting remained open for 15 days.

March 2020 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 5 of 6March 2020 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 5 of 6

A brief description of the requirement was included in the GPE notice. The notice advised that any interested responsible party that believed it was equally or otherwise uniquely capable of meeting the requirements should submit a capability statement. The notice also stated that supporting evidence must be furnished in sufficient detail to not only demonstrate the ability to fulfill the requirement but also demonstrate that competition would be advantageous to the government and would not create a break in service or degradation of performance quality. Zero vendors expressed interest in the published Special Notice/Synopsis that was posted on the GPE.

In addition, a survey of small business companies from GSA listings was conducted in March 2021. A minimum of 17 GSA defined small business in different zones across the United States were found to be capable of performing fire alarm panel removal and install. This list of small business supports the idea of competition among the manufacturers being maintained at the distributor level, where possible small business awards can be made. The cost and efficiency benefits to the Air Force through standardization and interoperability, with sunk costs of existing and highly reliable infrastructure, greatly outweighs the expected benefits of competition of differing OEM brands.

Ultimately, full and open competition is what led the Air Force to the current state of costly training but still less than fully trained technicians, multiple systems per base requiring contracting out advanced repairs, and preventing the efficiencies of less system down-time. The Air Force owns and operates large infrastructure systems, however installing disparate systems has led to a lack of operations and maintenance proficiency. The market research and the subject matter expert analysis captured in the CIR documents that training effectiveness and system knowledge diminish as manufacturer diversity increased. Inversely, costs to train go up to pay for diverse training programs over all the systems. Lack of expertise with complexity across multiple fire alarm panel systems coming from a multitude of vendors all lead to gaps in training, and inability to operate and maintain systems effectively. Finally, the CE schoolhouse training dollars as well as local base O&M funds for training are not being effectively applied when the result is less than a fully qualified organic maintenance function.

The efficiencies gained by standardization on selected brand name systems per base will allow the unspent O&M funds to be applied to unmet training needs.

VII. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

Contracting Activities will be required to make an individual determination of price fair and reasonableness IAW FAR 13.106-3(a) (simplified acquisitions) or FAR 15.403-3(c)(1) (commercial acquisitions) prior to award. AFCEC and local bases have a large data base of historical prices based on competitive acquisitions, which should be used for comparisons and the government's estimate. While there would not be competition among manufacturers for a local base buy of the assigned name brand fire alarm panel under this J&A, there can still be competition between distributors and most decentralized purchases will include installation and minimal training when needed. These costs will be competed, most likely among small business installers.

At this time, the Air Force CE community needs the immediate J&A authority to limit acquisitions to assigned brand name fire alarm panels because it is estimated that approximately $14.8M of the estimated $126M in fire alarm panels have either reached their end of life or will reach their end of service life over the next five years. Procuring under this class J&A will replace the anticipated repeated requests from local contracting units for brand name J&As to ensure equipment interoperability which were not consistently processed and approved and often stalled procurements by roughly 12 weeks on average for similar RPIE requirements. Under this class J&A, contracting units will not process separate J&As, creating more agile acquisition cycles, as well as cost avoidance in demand and process.

VIII. Description of the market research conducted and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted.

A joint CIR between Air Force Installation and Mission Support (AFIMSC), AFCEC, and AFICC was accomplished in 2018 to gain practical knowledge and experience in how the Air Force manages RPIE. Supporting facts in this Class J&A were drawn from this CIR and current BUILDER inventory data. Fire alarm panel specific input was gathered from AFCEC and base level subject-matter experts and market analysis. Additionally, IAW FAR 5.201 a Notice of Proposed Contract Action/Special Notice, 772_Fire_Alarm_Panel_Brand_Namewas posted on SAM.gov (Government Point of Entry "GPE") 01 June 2021; the posting remained open for 15 days. Zero vendors expressed interest or concerns in the published Special Notice/Synopsis that was posted on the GPE.

March 2020 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 6 of 6March 2020 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 6 of 6

IX. Any other facts supporting the use of Other Than Full and Open Competition.

In order to increase mission performance, requirement reductions, and innovation in business methods, facility fire alarm panels standardization supports the National Defense Strategy objective to innovate business decisions for saving taxpayer dollars. In order to implement this acquisition strategy, the Air Force must pre-plan the brand name facility fire alarm panels per installation.

X. List of any sources that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

This class J&A does not have a specific acquisition attached to this request. No sources that expressed interest in this effort. The underlying analysis of the need for standardization accounted for as many different manufacturer's brands as would be practical to achieve the maximum amount of requirement reduction and efficiencies. An “or equal” manufacturer to those specified by location is an oxymoron in that other brands may be able to generate fire alarm codes and alerts equally. However, those “or equals” could not produce the requirement reductions and efficiencies determined by the extensive business analysis found in the CIR because they could not provide the standardized training on proprietary information and designs, and could change the fact that multiple manufacturers would still be procured using the status quo procedures. The efficiencies of maintaining a limited number of fire alarm panel brands over time could not be achieved.

XI. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required.

The only barriers to competition under this class J&A have been generated by historical purchases. This class J&A action only recognizes that past competitive awards have established the number and mix of fire alarm panels on each base. The Category Management analysis and action only recognizes these facts and maximizes efficiencies based on what the Air Force has in its current inventory across the enterprise and at local levels. The Air Force will continue to perform data driven analysis over time to look for market changes that may increase competition amongst fire alarm panel manufacturers. Additionally, as standard industry practice involves manufacturers, selling through vendors, competition will be maintained at the Dealer/ Distributor level. As noted earlier, the Air Force may pursue negotiations for best customer pricing directly with selected brand name manufacturers to pre-price the fire alarm panels

XII. Certification by the Contracting Officer.

As evidenced by my signature above, I have determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

XIII. Certification by the technical/requirements personnel.

As evidenced by my (our) signature(s) above, I (we) certify that any supporting data contained herein, which is my (our) responsibility, is both accurate and complete.

Remove the Guidance pages below. Remove the IACR pages below.

March 2020 Page of International Agreement Competitive Restrictions (IACR) Page of March 2020 Was a J&A approved for the preceding acquisition?

!! Attach the preceding J&A in the staff package for this J&A. The preceding J&A will be used as a reference document.

Is this a new or amended J&A Document?

Is this a Bridge Action as defined at AFFARS 5302.101?

Dollar Value of this Acquisition:

J&A Type:

!! Provide estimated cost of all contracts.

COORDINATION ( AFFARS 5306.304(a)) ** The text in the signature blocks below is editable, including the title.

** To remove a row, click the "X" next to the signature block. CAUTION: Once removed, it can only be restored by downloading the BLANK FORM again.

APPROVAL ( AFFARS 5306.304(a)) NOTE: A signature block will appear here based on the "Dollar Value of this Acquisition" selected above.

(See "Specific Guidance for Completing this Template" below.)

I. Agency and Contracting Activity.

II. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

III. Description of supplies/services required to meet agency needs (including the estimated value).

IV. Statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

V. Demonstration that the contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited above (applicability of authority).

VI. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies.

VII. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

VIII. Description of the market research conducted and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted.

IX. Any other facts supporting the use of Other Than Full and Open Competition.

X. List of any sources that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

XI. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required.

XII. Certification by the Contracting Officer.

XIII. Certification by the technical/requirements personnel.

Specific Guidance for Completing this Template I. Agency and Contracting Activity.

II. Nature and/or description of the action being processed. (FAR 6.303-2(b)(2)) State whether the action is a new contract or a modification to an existing contract (identify contract number) and identify the contract type planned (e.g., firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-incentive-fee, hybrid etc.). If exception 2 is cited (unusual or compelling urgency), include the date of UCA/contract/modification issuance and amount.

For class J&As, where the number of contracts in the class can be identified: Provide the nature and/or description of each contract action and contract type. If the same information applies to more than one contract, it need only be stated once.

III. Description of the supplies/services required to meet agency needs (including the estimated value).

(FAR 6.303-2(b)(3)) Describe the supplies and/or services to be acquired and include the total estimated value of the acquisition and, for class J&As, by contract action, and the estimated periods of performance.

For ID/IQ or requirements contracts, use the maximum dollar value of the total estimated orders as the estimated J&A dollar value.

IV. Statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition. (FAR 6.303-2(b)(4)) 10 USC 2304(c)(?) (see Note 1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-? (see Note 2), and required by FAR 6.303-2(b)(4).

Note 1: Complete the 10 USC 2304(c) citation with the statutory subparagraph cited in the (a) Authority (1) Citations portion of the Competition exception used for your J&A. Do not provide more than one citation.

Note 2: Complete the FAR citation with the appropriate subparagraph.

Note 3: For class J&As, all contracts within the class must fall within the same statutory authority.

V. Demonstration that the contractor's unique qualifications or nature of the acquisition requires the use of the authority cited above. (FAR 6.303-2(b)(5)) Provide an explanation to support the use of the authority cited. The explanation should tie back to the conditions described in the FAR for using the particular authority cited.

A. Only One Responsible Source (FAR 6.302-1) (DFARS 206.302-1 and DFARS PGI 206.302-1) When using this authority, thoroughly describe the contractor's unique/highly specialized capabilities and/or qualifications (e.g., facilities, personnel, special tooling acquired), and why no other type of supplies or services will satisfy the agency requirements. This authority shall be used, if appropriate, in preference to the authority in FAR 6.302-7. This authority shall not be used when any of the other authorities apply.

For example, in the case of a follow-on contract for continued development or production of a major system or highly specialized equipment/services, the rationale must first justify the supplies/services as being a “major system” or “highly specialized.” The rationale must then justify “either” substantial duplication of cost to the government that is not expected to be recovered through competition, or unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency's requirements, whichever situation applies.

In accordance with DFARS 206.302-1(c)(2) Application for brand-name descriptions. Notwithstanding FAR 6.302-1(c)(2), in accordance with section 888(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Pub. L. 114-328), the justification and approval addressed in FAR 6.303 is required in order to use brand name or equal descriptions.

B. Unusual and Compelling Urgency (FAR 6.302-2, DFARS 206.302-2, and DFARS PGI 206.302-2) Contracting Officers must notify SAF/AQC as soon as practicable when contemplating the use of this authority for a J&A requiring SPE approval.

Provide an explanation why (1) the supplies or services are needed at once and/or (2) essential equipment or repairs to that equipment are needed at once to preclude the ability to meet critical mission needs of the USAF and Defense of the Nation. In other words, identify the anticipated serious injury to the Government, the nature of the urgency, the reasons for it occurring and why it is “urgent and compelling” to preclude adverse impact to military readiness. Merely citing a Joint Urgent Operational Need (JUON), Force Activity Designator (FAD) rating, Program Management Directive (PMD)/Program Action Directive (PAD) guidance, or DX priority rating is not in and of itself sufficient reason to use this exception from the requirement to obtain full and open competition. Note that only the minimum quantity required to satisfy the unusual and compelling urgency qualifies for this exception. In addition, the period of performance may not exceed one year, including all options [FAR 6.302-2(d)(ii)]; thus, the inclusion of options, when using this authority, is not advised.

Note: This statutory authority requires that agencies request offers from as many potential sources as is practicable under the circumstances.

C. Industrial Mobilization; or Engineering, Developmental, or Research Capability (FAR 6.302-3) Justifications citing this authority must demonstrate the need to establish or maintain an essential capability, or a contract for supplies or services incidental to establishing or maintaining an essential capability, possessed by the identified source(s). Some form of market survey must support the need to establish or maintain the capability being procured.

D. Authorized or Required by Statute (FAR 6.302-5) Identify what is being acquired and the applicable statute authorizing other than full and open competition in accordance with FAR 6.302-5(b).

Note: Some statutes do not require a written J&A.

E. National Security (FAR 6.302-6) This authority may be used for any acquisition when disclosure of the Government's needs would compromise the national security (e.g., would violate security requirements); it shall not be used merely because the acquisition is classified, or merely because access to classified material will be necessary to submit a proposal or to perform the contract. Full and open competition need not be provided for when the disclosure of the agency's needs would compromise the national security unless the agency is permitted to limit the number of sources from which it solicits bids or proposals. This statutory authority requires that agencies shall request offers from as many potential sources as dis practicable under the circumstances.

F. Public Interest (FAR 6.302-7 and DFARS 206.302-7) The use of this authority requires a written Determination and Finding (D&F) in accordance with FAR 1.7 in lieu of J&A. The D&F shall not be made on a class basis.

This authority may only be used when none of the other authorities apply. Provide detail addressing the reasons full and open competition is not in the public interest and why no other authority is appropriate for use.

VI. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies. (FAR 6.303-2(b)(6)) Describe all efforts taken, or to be to be taken, to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable under the circumstances. Although market research is covered in Section VIII, the information in Section VI should correlate with the market research described in Section VIII. To ensure completeness, it is best to provide information such as the following:

If a sources sought synopsis or an RFI was issued, provide the date the synopsis was issued along with a brief description of its content. Identify the number of responses received, the results of the screening process, and the rationale for determining the unacceptability of any respondents. Note: An RFI or Sources Sought Synopsis is mandatory IAW DFARS PGI 206.303-2(b)(i) when citing the authority of 10 USC 2304(c)(1), “Only one (or a limited number of) responsible source(s)”.

Specify whether this acquisition will require a Notice of proposed Contract Action (NOCA) IAW FAR 5.201 and if not, provide the exception IAW FAR 5.202. If a NOCA was or will be publicized provide the dates or expected dates of publication of the NOCA. Address any other actions taken or planned to facilitate competition for this acquisition.

Qualifying Country Sources. If qualifying country sources have expressed interest, but are to be excluded, provide supporting rationale.

VII. Determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the government will be fair and reasonable. (FAR 6.303-2(b)(7)) Provide the basis for this determination.

VIII. Description of the market research conducted and the results, or explain why market research was not conducted. (FAR 6.303-2(b)(8)) Discuss any market research conducted pursuant to FAR Part 10 and describe results of that research.

When other exceptions from the requirement to obtain full and open competition are relied upon, the market research might be limited to an examination of the acquisition history and experience with the marketplace under previous acquisitions for the same or similar items.

If market research was not conducted, so state and provide the rationale.

IX. Any other facts supporting the use of Other Than Full and Open Competition. (FAR 6.303-2(b)(9)(i)) X. List of sources, if any, that expressed interest in the acquisition. (FAR 6.303-2(b)(10)) If a sources sought synopsis or RFI was issued and all interested sources are included in Section VI, it is acceptable to state, “See Section VI above.”

XI. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required. (FAR 6.303-2(b)(11)) If no actions are planned, provide rationale (i.e., sole-source to OEM, unable to compete due to inability to procure data rights, etc.) IAW DFARS PGI 206.304(a)(S-70)(ii), for a non-competitive follow-on acquisition to a previous award for the same supply or service supported by a J&A citing the authority at FAR 6.302-1. Include a copy of the previous J&A and include a discussion of the actions planned to overcome barriers to competition established in the previous justification, the status of those actions, and the results of those actions; and The approval authority shall determine whether the planned actions were completed. If the planned actions were not completed, the justification for the follow-on acquisition shall be approved by the approval authority one-level above the approval authority for the previous justification (see DFARS 206.304). If the previous justification was approved by the Senior Procurement Executive (SPE), the approval remains at the SPE level.

XII. Certification by the Contracting Officer. (FAR 6.303-2(b)(12)) As evidenced by his/her signature, the contracting officer has determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of his/her knowledge and belief.

XIII. Certification by the technical/requirements personnel. (FAR 6.303-2(c)) As evidenced by their signatures, the technical and/or requirements personnel have certified that any supporting data contained herein, which is their responsibility, is both accurate and complete.

Do You Need to "REDACT" Text?

This template is interactive and has special features. In its current state, it cannot be redacted. In order to redact any portion of this template, you must first convert it to a normal PDF file. Click here for instructions.

The following page contains a suggested template for “International Agreement Competitive Restrictions (IACR)”.

The authority to prepare an IACR has been delegated from the HCA to the Contracting Officer.

(AFFARS 5306.302-4)

IV. Statutory Authority: 10 USC 2304(c)(4) as implemented by FAR 6.302-4, International Agreement.

VI. Certification of Accuracy and Completeness:

As evidenced by his/her signature, the contracting officer has determined the IACR to be both accurate and complete to the best of his/her knowledge and belief. The CO also approves the IACR.

As evidenced by his/her signature, the program/technical/requirements manager(s) have/has determined that any supporting data contained in the IACR, which is his/her responsibility, is both accurate and complete.

9.0.0.2.20120627.2.874785