JA for Other Than Full and Open Competition_Tridium_Final_Redacted.pdf

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JUSTIFICATION FOR USE OF BRAND NAME

IAW FAR Part 6.302-1 and DFARS 211.104(1)

Pursuant to FAR 6.302-1 and DFARS 211.104(1), the following justification is provided to support specifying the following:

Program/Equipment: Inclusion of a Brand-Name Direct Digital Controls in Request for Proposal (RFP) W912DW25B012 for the project titled, "Repair HVAC System & Controls, Building J00567” at Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM), WA; PKG No. CE0965.

Authority: 10 U.S.C. § 3204(a)(1).

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Justification and Approval for Use of Brand Name FAR Part 6.302-1 and DFARS 211.104(1)

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Pursuant to DFARS 211.104(1), the following justification is provided to support the use and inclusion of brand name equipment within the specifications for solicitation W912DW25BA012 for the project titled, "Repair HVAC System & Controls, Building J00567” at JBLM, WA; PKG No. CE0965.

1. CONTRACTING ACTIVITY:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, Contracting Division, Special Projects Branch, North 4th Street, Building 2015, JBLM, WA 98433-5000.

2. DESCRIPTION OF ACTION:

Type of Contract: New Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) Contract to be solicited and awarded under an Invitation for Bids.

Type of Funds:

Purpose: The purpose of this Justification and Approval (J&A) is to authorize obtaining Niagara branded Direct Digital Controls with a feature peculiar to one manufacturer to support contract performance under the project titled "Repair HVAC System & Controls, Building J00567” at JBLM, WA; PKG No. CE0965.

As part of the work under this anticipated contract, the contractor will be required to replace the existing failing HVAC system with new HVAC equipment, ducting, and direct digital controls (DDC) to included new controllers, software, licensing agreements for building J00567. As allowed for in UFC 3-410-02, Direct Digital Controls for HVAC and Other Building Control Systems, change 2, dated 12 April 2021, the JBLM Campus operates on the Niagara Framework (Tridium Niagara N4). This contract requires the installation of digital controllers which are programed and must be compatible with the Niagara Framework (Tridium Niagara N4). The controllers are not required to be sole sourced as there are multiple manufacturers who provide controllers designed to operate with Niagara Framework (Tridium Niagara N4); nonetheless, each manufacturer must tailor their controls to be compatible with Niagara. The Niagara Framework (Tridium Niagara N4) allows Public Works to remotely control and monitor all connected HVAC equipment from the Tridium Niagara N4 Supervisor in BLDG 2012. The new controls must be compatible with Tridium Niagara N4 to ensure complete integration into the supervising monitoring system. Any other software and equipment would not allow communication to existing Tridium Niagara N4 Supervisor.

3. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES:

The required Niagara branded DDC equipment, software, and licensing agreements that will be provided under the project identified in paragraph 2, above, is specific to Tridium, Inc. The total estimated amount of the name brand equipment to be procured and installed under this contract is estimated at This includes the software loaded on HVAC controllers and the Java Application Control Engine (JACE) Network Area Controller (NAC). The JACE is connected to the existing base-wide IT wide area network (WAN) operated by NEC. The JACE NACs have been approved by NEC for connection to the WAN/LAN. NEC does not allow routers on their WAN/LAN system.

The Tridium Niagara N4 Supervisor, located in building 2012, has already been procured and installed on government computers.

As stated in paragraph 2, the Niagara Framework (Tridium Niagara N4) allows the JBLM Controls System Administrators to have full remote access to monitor, program, and control and troubleshoot the HVAC system. It further allows for maintenance crews to maintain the HVAC system without the need for additional training, parts/supplies, and equipment that is different than that used by the entire installation. This system provides a building DDC system compatible with and remotely programmable and configurable through the Supervisor.

This J&A will authorize installation of Niagara branded DDC equipment compatible with the Niagara Framework (Tridium Niagara N4) into the RFP and subsequent contract award to ensure proper monitoring by the JBLM Controls System Administrators.

4. AUTHORITY CITED:

10 U.S.C. § 3204(a)(1) as implemented in FAR 6.304(a)(1).

5. REASON FOR AUTHORITY CITED:

JBLM Public Works Department, specifically the JBLM HVAC System Manager and Controls System Administrators, is responsible for monitoring all HVAC systems. Over the years, both new construction and renovations of existing facilities have led to an infrastructure that has created three different proprietary DDC software systems. The type of DDC software/hardware required is dependent upon the location of the buildings where the HVAC systems are installed and was a direct result of three separate Public Works Departments being responsible for these systems and separate WANs. Prior to the joint basing of Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base (to become JBLM), McChord AFB Civil Engineering Squadron was only capable of monitoring and maintaining DDC Systems that utilized Wonderware DDC software, and thus all new construction and construction renovations required Wonderware to be installed on McChord facilities, to ensure proper integration to McChord’s system. Conversely, the Fort Lewis Public Works department was only capable of monitoring and maintaining DDC Systems that utilized Tridium Niagara AX DDC software, and thus all new construction and construction renovations required Tridium Niagara AX to be installed on JBLM facilities, to ensure proper integration to Fort Lewis’ system. As technology evolved, the Tridium Niagara AX was replaced by the Tridium Niagara N4 and is the prevailing system used on JLBM, both McChord Airfield and Fort Lewis.

In the past, each of these systems functioned independently and would integrate into their own proprietary systems; they could not “talk” to each other. Therefore, if DDC software was being replaced, repaired, or installed at a facility, the propriety software utilized at that specific facility would need to be used to ensure full integration into the appropriate DDC system.

Over time, JBLM has standardized its control systems to the Niagara Framework (Tridium Niagara N4), consolidating previously separate systems used by Fort Lewis and McChord AFB. The Niagara N4 system is now the prevailing standard for HVAC control across JBLM. To ensure full integration and avoid compatibility issues, only equipment branded and licensed under Niagara may be used for projects tied into this system, including Building 3757.

Impact: The use of a non-branded Niagara product would not be compatible with and would not communicate with the existing Tridium Niagara N4 Supervisor which is used base wide on the JBLM Campus. Since the Tridium Niagara N4 Supervisor serves as the centralized building automation backbone at JBLM, introducing a non-branded or incompatible product could seriously disrupt the functionality of the system. Lack of seamless communication would mean administrators lose visibility and control—a major operational and security concern, especially for the mission-critical HVAC infrastructure.

Moreover, when the HVAC system in a building can't be remotely monitored, programmed, or controlled due to incompatibility with the existing Tridium Niagara N4 Supervisor, it doesn't just pose technical problems—it directly affects the people who work there in meaningful ways which includes reduced comfort and air quality; slower responses to maintenance issues; energy inefficiency and costs; health and safety risks, and disruption of critical operations.

6. EFFORTS TO OBTAIN COMPETITION:

a. Effective Competition. Pursuant to DFARS PGI 206.302-1, a sources sought notice was published for this requirement on 25 April 2025. The Government received ten responses to the sources notice expressing interest in this requirement. None of the respondents offered an alternative to the Tridium Niagara N4. Additionally, full and open competition was initially performed when Niagara was selected as the installation’s reporting system. Now that the Niagara Framework (Tridium Niagara N4) along with the associated Tridium Niagara N4 Supervisor is in use as the installation’s master reporting system, all new devices must be compatible with the existing system.

b. Subcontracting Competition. This Government requirement will be solicited and awarded as a Total Small Business Set Aside; therefore, the resultant Contract will be awarded to a Small Business. The Contracting Officer will manage the subcontracting competition in accordance with FAR 19.505(b)(1)(iii) which states for a contract or order assigned a NAICS code for general construction, the concern will not pay more than 85 percent of the amount paid by the Government for contract performance, excluding the cost of materials, to subcontractors that are not similarly situated entities. Any work that a similarly situated entity further subcontracts will count towards the concern's 85 percent subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded.

7. ACTIONS TO INCREASE COMPETITION:

Ongoing market research will be performed to determine if alternate sources become available. Any quotes, statements of interest and capability received shall be considered by the Government. However, the Niagara Framework (Tridium Niagara N4) is an approved, prevailing framework used on JBLM.

8. MARKET RESEARCH:

Market research was conducted within the past 12 months by contacting knowledgeable people in the Government for information about this requirement, queried Government databases, and reviewed recent market research on similar requirements and other Government contracts. Research has shown that there are no sources that can meet the Requiring Activity’s needs. Based on this information, it has been determined that there are multiple manufactures who provides controllers designed to operate with Niagara Framework (Tridium Niagara N4); nevertheless, each manufacturer must tailor their controls to be compatible with Niagara.

As stated in paragraph 7, ongoing market research will be performed to determine if alternate sources become available.

9. INTERESTED SOURCES:

No other sources have been contacted regarding this action.

10. OTHER FACTS:

Due to the critical nature of the installation’s network and the requirements for newly procured equipment to be compatible with the present infrastructure, the facts substantiate that it is in the Government's best interest to specify to specify Niagara branded DDC equipment, software, and licensing agreements in the solicitation and subsequent contract award for project titled, “Repair HVAC System & Controls, Building J00567” at JBLM, WA.

The following facts are also provided for reference: