Justification and Approval for Other Than Full and Open Competition

This is a Justification and Approval (J&A) document for a sole-source contract award to Andritz Hydro for the procurement of two stainless-steel wide-head range turbine runners at Hoover Dam. The contracting activity is the Interior Region 8 Lower Colorado Basin Bureau of Reclamation in Boulder City, Nevada, under solicitation number 140R3026R0016. The contract will be funded through the Colorado River Dam Fund (Power Contractor funding).

The procurement is justified under 41 U.S.C. § 3304(a)(1), which permits sole-source awards when only one responsible source exists and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Andritz Hydro is uniquely qualified based on proprietary design expertise, proven performance from four previously installed wide-head runners at Hoover Dam since 2012-2013, schedule advantages from existing designs allowing immediate manufacturing, and technical continuity with existing equipment. The turbine runners, each weighing approximately 73,000 pounds, are precision-engineered to withstand extreme hydraulic forces and minimize cavitation damage. These upgrades are critical to maintaining reliable power generation at Hoover Dam during historically low Lake Mead water levels below 1,035 feet, which threaten operational viability and regional grid stability. The Contracting Officer will determine price reasonableness through price analysis comparing recent Hoover Dam acquisitions, cost analysis of individual elements, and commercial considerations including steel market conditions and warranty provisions. The document confirms that Reclamation is simultaneously pursuing open, competitive procurements for other Hoover Dam units without proprietary constraints and will explore design standardization strategies to increase future competitive opportunities.