Brand Name Documentation - Helmer-s.pdf

2/24/2021

BRAND NAME DOCUMENTATION – Template

Purchase Request Number

1. Requesting Department:

DoD Blood Bank Department/DCSS

2. Description of Action being approved:

This is a new requirement. The resulting contract will be firm-fixed price.

3. Description of Product, Supplies or Services required to meet the Department’s needs

The items being procured are Helmer Refrigerators/Freezers. The specific models are either the iBF125-GX i.Series Upright Plasma Freezer (-35 C), the iBR125-GX i.Series Blood Bank Refrigerator, or the iUF126 i.Series Ultra-Low Temperature Freezer. These series of equipment allow the storage of blood products and support the storage of blood bank supplies required for daily operations.

4 Identify the authority permitting other than full and open competition. (Contracting)

This acquisition is being conducted using Simplified Acquisition Procedures and is below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold. The basis for not providing competition to the maximum extent practicable is Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 13.106-1(b).

5. Brand Name Rationale:

The required product meets all requirements prescribed by the Blood Bank accrediting and regulatory agencies, to include the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies, and the College of American Pathologists.

These aforementioned Helmer models are the only refer and freezers compatible with current operational practices and departmental workflow activities by the U.S. Naval Hospital Guam Blood Bank.

All staff are trained and have pre-existing knowledge of these refrigerators and respective freezers as the same models are currently in place in the department. All standard operating procedures, forms, supplies and user knowledge for the equipment have already been established.

Purchase of these equipment will ensure the U.S. Naval Hospital Guam’s Blood Bank operational readiness and will subsequently increase it to better yield significant positive outcomes for the region and INDOPACOM Armed Services Blood Program Office.

Past purchases of this requirement were completed through the contracting office for procurement. The current requirement is a response towards dysfunctional, aging or damaged equipment that cannot be fixed.

6. Best Value Determination:

A contract issued under this brand name justification represents the best value as the agreed to prices will be based upon either (1) competitive quotations or offers from authorized suppliers of the brand name product in a competitive environment, (2) a comparison of the prices received with past prices, or (3) the results of the market research. Therefore the price paid will represent the most advantageous offer and provide the greatest overall benefit/value in response to the requirement.

7. Market Research conducted

Market research, utilizing the Small Business Dynamic Search Engine, the GSA Advantage website, and internet searches of commercial entities, revealed numerous sources that provide large, upright refrigerators for blood banks; however, certain sources can only provide the specific brand or models we are requesting.

8. Statement of actions, if any to remove barriers to competition in the future.

The requirement is open to any potential source that can provide the product specified.

Preferably, with shipping prices included to USNH Guam. Justification for shipment to USNH Guam would be for a faster turn-around-time to implement this new equipment in the workplace due to the dire need for such. While shipment of equipment can be given to Medical Air Bridge (MAB) in California, this is a widely undesirable decision due to the large wait times and unknown status or tracking of the equipment upon drop-off at MAB.

9. Any other facts supporting justification:

Additional justification includes the dire requirement for such equipment. Current equipment that this new equipment will be replacing is either damaged, beyond life expectancy, cannot be repaired or deemed to be replaced as per Biomedical routine evaluation. Additionally, consider the operational value that having more of these specific equipment to increase operational capabilities for surge blood collections, storage and expansion of workload due to increasing operational tempo in the region in the coming months/years.

As the technical or requirement personnel, I certify that the evidence of the supporting data that forms the basis of this justification is complete and accurate.

Technical/Requirements Personnel Printed Name Date

Department Head Printed Name Date

Contracting Officer Date

NOTE: 5.102 (including paragraph (a)(6)) only applies when the Contracting Officer is required to issue a synopsis and make a solicitation available on FBO as required by FAR 5.101(a). Under $25K, a synopsis and posting of the solicitation is not required and neither is there a need to post documentation related to a brand name justification. The reference to 5.102(a)(6) at 13.106-1(b)(3) is just a reminder to the Contracting Officer that the documentation needs to be posted when a notice is otherwise required to be posted on FBO. FAR 13.106-1(b) doesn't create a requirement to post, it just refers the reader to 5.102(a)(6) for existing policy.

LT Apolinar Ortiz

LT Apolinar Ortiz

24Aug2023

24Aug2023

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