Limited Source Justification_Field Desks.pdf

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

LIMITED SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

FOR FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE (FSS) AWARD (FAR 8.4)

NATIONAL STOCK NUMBER (NSN) PROGRAM

GSA is following the procedures of FAR 8.405-6 (b) (2)(ii) Items peculiar to one manufacturer.

For proposed orders or BPAs with an estimated value exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold.

i. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a “Limited Source Justification.”

The General Services Administration (GSA), Integrated Workplace Acquisition Center (IWAC), Contracting Officer Joanne Scanlon, plans to contract by means other than full and open competition. This document sets forth the justification and approval for award of FSS, Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Purchase Orders on a limited source basis as required by FAR 8.405-6.

ii. Nature and/or description of the action being approved. This requirement is for the National Stock Number (NSN) Ordering Program. An interagency agreement between GSA and DLA requires that GSA supply certain commodities that have been assigned an NSN to military and civilian agencies through a requisition ordering program. The NSN Program is available for all military and civilian agencies and has historically been used by the military, particularly the Army. NSN orders are placed through a requisition process through the GSA Advantage website, the Global Supply website, and other means directly by the ordering agencies.

This acquisition is to establish a Firm Fixed Price, Single Award, Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for transportable field desks. The current five (5) year BPA contract is in the fourth and final option period. Therefore, GSA plans to establish a BPA with one base year and four (4) one-year options against GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) to support the future ordering demands of military and civilian agencies.

iii. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs (including the estimated value). The supply items are National Stock Number (NSN) 7110-00-656-1110 (Single Duty Field Desk, Manufacturer: Pelican Products Inc., Part Number: 472FLD2DESKTA137) and NSN 7110-01-559-9642 (Double Duty Field Desk, Manufacturer: Pelican Products Inc., Part Number: 472FLDDeskDD137).

The five year estimated sales is approximately $2,600,000. The resulting BPA will be for one base year with (4) one year option periods.

DocuSign Envelope ID: AC71E953-402A-4A7A-983B-F084880992EB

iv. The authority and supporting rational (see 8.405-6(a)(1)(i) and (b)(1)) and, if applicable, a demonstration of the proposed contractor's unique qualifications to provide the required supply or service.

FAR 8.405-6 requires an ordering activity to justify its actions when restricting consideration of schedule contractors to fewer than required in FAR 8.405-3. The specific circumstance that justifies restriction for this acquisition is FAR 8.405-6 (b)(1) Items peculiar to one manufacturer. An item peculiar to one manufacturer can be a particular brand name, product, or a feature of a product, peculiar to one manufacturer. A brand name item, whether available on one or more schedule contracts, is an item peculiar to one manufacturer.

The intended use of the transportable field desks is for Armed Forces for storing and transporting records and office equipment in the field and for use in emergency and disaster relief on-site command centers located in unpredictable environmental conditions.

The prior market research conducted for the current contract, showed that the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency (USAMMA) and the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA) have used the field desks in medicine assemblages. Therefore, the type of material used to construct the field desks is important to GSA’s military customers.

In the prior survey for the current BPA, GSA surveyed military agencies that purchased NSN 7110006561110 and NSN 7110015599642 field desks. The survey requested customer input regarding material, features, and characteristics to ensure the field desks awarded would meet the Armed Forces’ ongoing requirements. The respondents stated that they would prefer products made of rotomolded polyethylene plastic materials, over other materials, such as plastic covering over plywood. The respondents stated that if the wood material would crack, it could lead to issues such as toxin absorption, insects, or problems with complete sterilization.

The field desks manufactured by Pelican Products Inc are made from rotomolded polyethylene which is a durable plastic material. The rotomolded process refers to rotationally molded cases that offer a seamless base and lid which offers exceptional impact protection. The Pelican Products case offers benefits such as durability, chemical-resistant and watertight. The field desk and chair also fold into a portable shipping container for instant mobility.

Additionally, GSA conducted market research on GSA Advantage, GSA eBuy and on the commercial market to locate transportable field desks manufactured by other manufacturers.

However, GSA could not find any other similar field desks that were made by other manufacturers. Pelican Products Inc is the only manufacturer that manufactures transportable field desks made from durable rotomolded plastic material.

v. A determination by the ordering activity contracting officer that the order represents the best value consistent with 8.404(d).

The research on GSA Advantage Online Shopping has determined that there is multiple schedule contract holders under the GSA MAS program that offer the field desks which are

DocuSign Envelope ID: AC71E953-402A-4A7A-983B-F084880992EB http://farsite.hill.af.mil/reghtml/regs/far2afmcfars/fardfars/far/08.htm#P286_49080 http://farsite.hill.af.mil/reghtml/regs/far2afmcfars/fardfars/far/08.htm#P83_13795 manufactured by Pelican Products Inc. The posting of the RFQ to the MAS schedule contract holders will promote competition, and drive price reductions from already fair and reasonable MAS pricing.

By placing an order against a schedule contract using the procedures in 8.405, the ordering activity has concluded that the order represents the best value and results in the lowest overall cost alternative to meet the Government's needs.

vi. A description of the market research conducted among schedule holders and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

GSA conducted market research on GSA Advantage, GSA e-Library and GSA eBuy. The GSA Advantage research determined there were multiple contract holders who offered field desks under GSA Schedules. In accordance with FAR 8.002, the research revealed that seven (7) GSA MAS contract holders currently offer NSN 7110-01-559-9642 (Double Duty Field Desk) and five (5) GSA MAS Contract holders offer NSN 7110-00-656-1110 (Single Duty field desks) to be acquired under this acquisition.

To obtain sources and adequate competition, the government posted a Request for Information (RFI) on GSA eBuy and solicited contract holders under GSA MAS categories 33721 (Office Furniture), 332510C (Hardware and Tools), and 3PACK (Packaging). The RFI was posted to a total of two hundred forty-three (243) vendors over a four (4) week period. A total of fifty (50) vendors responded to the RFI. Forty-five (45) vendors responded as a No Quote and five (5) vendors expressed interest in receiving the

RFQ.

All five vendors who completed the Sources Sought Questionnaire stated that they would quote on field desks manufactured by Pelican Products Inc. The Pelican Products field desks met the technical characteristics listed in the Item Purchase Description (IPD) and were also offered on the vendor’s GSA MAS contracts.

GSA also conducted commercial market research on the field desks manufactured by Pelican Products Inc. The research determined that the prices surveyed on GSA Advantage Online Shopping website were lower than the prices surveyed commercially online.

Additionally, GSA conducted commercial market research to locate field desks manufactured by other manufacturers. The technical team and contracting officer could not find any other similar field desks that were produced by other manufacturers. Pelican Products is the only manufacturer that manufactures transportable field desks made from durable rotomolded plastic material.

vii. Any other facts Supporting the Justification:

As stated above, prior market research revealed that the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency (USAMMA) and the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA) have used the field desks in preventive medicine assemblages. The USAMMDA is the Department of Defense's (DoD) medical product development activity for products designed to protect and preserve the lives of warfighters. The division's goal is to ensure that the warfighter has the necessary equipment, medical materiel, and medical assemblages to meet their assigned missions.

Shipments of GSA field desks for military agencies have been sent to various overseas countries including Afghanistan.

viii. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to the restricted consideration before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services is made.

GSA contacted the National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and asked them if they would be able to add similar type field desks to the AbilityOne Procurement List in the future. NIB is currently investigating the possibility and potential of a participating nonprofit agency’s capability of producing such a product.

Another option is to label all the NSNs with buyer code “L” in Federal Logistics Data File (FLDF) for the customer agencies and military customers to purchase the products individually with individual justifications for the brand name requirement if needed.

ix. The ordering activity contracting officer's certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the contracting officer's knowledge and belief.

The contracting officer’s signature on the signature page evidences that he/she has determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of his/her knowledge and belief.

x. Evidence that any supporting data that is the responsibility of technical or requirements personnel (e.g., verifying the Government's minimum needs or requirements or other rationale for limited sources) and which form a basis for the justification have been certified as complete and accurate by the technical or requirements personnel.

The technical team conducted market research on GSA Advantage and on the commercial market for transportable field desks. However, they could not find any other similar field desks that were produced by other manufacturers. Pelican Products is the only manufacturer that manufactures transportable field desks made from durable rotomolded plastic material.

xi. For justifications under 8.405-6(a)(1), a written determination by the approving official identifying the circumstance that applies.

Not Applicable. This is in accordance with FAR 8.405-6 (b)(1) Items peculiar to one manufacturer.

Prepared by:

Joanne Scanlon Date Contracting Officer

Approved by:

Patricia Russo Date Supervisory Contracting Officer

Approved by:

John Breen Date Chief, Projects Branch, IWAC

10/5/2021