JA 25-44 Kingfisher_r.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

NAVAL FACILITIES ENGINEERING SYSTEMS COMMAND, HAWAII

400 MARSHALL ROAD

JBPHH, HAWAII 96860-3139

J&A No. 25-44

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity.

Naval Facilities Systems Engineering 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 the King-Fisher fire alarm radio transmitter panel and antenna for the construction project FY24 MCON Project P-875 Water Reclamation Facility, Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH), Kaneohe, Hawaii which will not provide for full and open competition, precluding consideration of a transmitter manufactured by another company.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

The general scope of work for P-875 is to construct a redundant wastewater reclamation process capable of producing R-1 quality reuse water and incidental related work. The project includes utilities, facilities, and tsunami mitigation. Incidental work includes new fire alarm systems.

The current fire alarm reporting system at MCBH is the King-Fisher fire alarm system which operates only with King-Fisher fire alarm radio transmitters. The project requires a new King-Fisher fire alarm radio transmitter panels and antennas to be provided for the project. The estimated cost of construction for P-875 is will be for the procurement of the four King-Fisher transmitters.

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

This request is pursuant to the authority of FAR 6.302-1 and Title 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) – Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy the agency requirements.

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

a. The existing fire alarm reporting system at MCBH is a King-Fisher fire alarm radio system, which consists of radio transmitters at the buildings, receivers at the JBPHH Regional Dispatch Center (RDC), and a repeater to transmit the radio signals over the mountain between MCBH and JBPHH. UFC 3-600-01 Fire Protection Engineering for Facilities requires the Fire Alarm Reporting System to comply with NFPA 72. NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code requires all fire alarm equipment to be listed for the purpose which it is used. The purpose of the UL listing or FM approval requirements is to ensure quality, suitability, and reliability of equipment. FM Global approval is based on testing a complete fire alarm system comprised of a fire alarm receiver and transmitter. A fire alarm system of mixed manufacturer equipment is unacceptable because no mixed system has been approved to date. Only King-Fisher fire alarm components in a King-Fisher fire alarm system are FM Global approved, and therefore, King- Fisher transmitters are required to operate with a King-Fisher receiver. The possibility of using non-King-Fisher transmitters with a King-Fisher receiver will diminish fire protection capabilities, and therefore, endanger life and property. The requirement for the King-Fisher transmitter ensures reliable fire alarm protection for the affected building.

b. A Class Justification & Approval currently exists for brand name King-Fisher transmitters at JBPHH to be used to operate with existing King-Fisher fire alarm receivers at JBPHH and will expire on 10 July 2027. Although the Class Justification & Approval does not cover projects at MCBH, the receivers that support facilities at MCBH are located at JBPHH RDC and will need to be able to receive radio signals over the mountain between MCBH and JBPHH. The justification to use the King-Fisher transmitter for P-875 would be similar to projects located at JBPHH covered under the Class Justification & Approval.

c. Installation of a non-King-Fisher transmitter may endanger life and property until the system is proven reliable by the FM Global and listed by UL.

d. Installation of a non-King-Fisher transmitter would require purchasing two new and compatible radio receivers (primary and backup). The cost of the new radio receivers is approximately the cost of procuring each King-Fisher transmitter. In addition, this would require requesting additional frequencies for the new system, providing new active radio repeater for the new frequency, and upgrading the RDC dispatch computer system to interface the non- King-Fisher receivers. Additional frequency may require between six months to one year for approval.

e. The non-King-Fisher system will also have costs implications for maintenance and manpower that will exceed the government’s minimum needs. MCBH maintenance personnel are trained to maintain and repair the King-Fisher transmitters. Using a King-Fisher transmitter will avoid the significant burden and cost of additional training for maintenance personnel to maintain and repair the non-King-Fisher transmitter. Having to maintain a King-Fisher and non-King Fisher transmitter at MCBH will create unnecessary work and overhead that increase the total costs of ownership and manpower costs.

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

In accordance with FAR 5.2, a Sources Sought Notice (No. N62478CON33FY2422) was posted on 2 October 2024 on the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) website. There was one response to the sources sought notice for this requirement. However, it does not meet the following criteria:

“Equipment must operate, and be listed, as a system with the existing King Fisher receiving equipment at the JBPHH Regional Dispatch Center (RDC) and Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH).”

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

The estimated price for four King-Fisher transmitters is comparable and consistent with past prices, and other manufacturers of similar items. The Contracting Officer has determined the anticipated cost to the Government of the supplies/services covered by this J&A will be fair and reasonable.

8. Market Research.

a. Market research was conducted on 2 October 2024 to determine if there were any vendors who could provide similar items, and to perform a price comparison. As mentioned in above

Paragraph 6, there was one response to the sources sought notice posted that did not meet the criteria of the sources sought notice.

b. Additional market research found another fire alarm radio transmitter manufacturer other than King-Fisher. However this manufacturer is not used at MCBH and installation of a non-King Fisher transmitter will require additional equipment and training for MCBH to maintain and repair the transmitters.

c. Previous construction projects over the last five years that had the King-Fisher fire alarm system requirement resulted in no other competitors having a product that is compatible to the existing King-Fisher system.

9. Actions taken to remove barriers to competition.

For the reasons set forth in Paragraph 5, NAVFAC Hawaii has no plans at this time to compete future contracts for the types of supplies/services covered by this document. Should another potential source emerge, NAVFAC Hawaii will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.

CERTIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL

TECHNICAL 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.