Procom Corporation

Sole Source Justification: Procom Corporation

NOAA’s Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (OCAO), Facilities Operations Division (FOD), the Building Management Branch for the National Capital Region (NCR), located in Silver Spring, MD intend to purchase, and have programmed, 80 Motorola digital portable radios from Procom Corporation located in Annapolis Junction, MD in order to further expand and upgrade their existing radio system.

Procom Corporation has been identified as the only source that can provide the continued upgrade of the NCR’s radio system expansion.

Under FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i), Soliciting from a Single Source, the Government can deem that only 1 source is reasonably available for this requirement. Please see below for the justification.

Procom Corporation has already designed, engineered, and installed the radio system at 2 separate NCR facilities. Additionally, Procom Corporation has all of the programming templates for the 150 plus radios that NOAA currently has. For another vendor to be able to complete this requirement they would have to obtain the radio templates from Procom Corporation. However, Procom Corporation does not make their templates available to other vendors due to the time, energy, and investment already expended on creating them. All 80 of the new radios have to be programmed and put onto NCR’s already existing system.

Procom Corporation is able to offer great value since they have had planning meetings with the NCR regarding future expansion. Additionally, since Procom Corporation is local, they have been able to provide loaner units to the NCR at no cost. There has also been no charge from the vendor for the re-program or repair of the existing units. Since Procom Corporation has provided similar items for the NCR in the past they are familiar with the requirements of this project. Furthermore, they are the only vendor who can provide these items for the NCR due to the ownership of the radio template configurations.

The NCR is migrating to a completely digital radio system to expand their capabilities, coverage, and capacity. It is imperative that the expansion is implemented in a way that will not disrupt the NCR’s current analog radio system. For those reasons, the design, engineering, and installation of the upgrades are best accomplished by the original vendor. This would guarantee that only one vendor is responsible for the maintenance and compatibility of the entire radio system. As the installer of the existing radio system, Procom Corporation is already apprised of the work necessary for system expansion. Furthermore, they designed the existing system with this expansion in mind. Procom Corporation installed the system in such a way that the NCR can easily expand the infrastructure without having to redo any of the previously installed repeaters, antenna system, amplifiers, etc. at either location (Silver Spring, MD and the Suitland, MD). Procom Corporation is familiar with NCR’s requirements, and how their existing system was installed and configured. This familiarity will help ensure that the combined system is successfully completed, and at less cost and risk than would be the case with a vendor other than Procom Corporation. If the system fails, it's not viable to have two conflicting contractors attempting to fix one system with interrelated components. The risk to the

Government would be a failed system causing equipment failure and loss of vital communication with no single vendor being held accountable or responsible. There will be many potential maintenance issues with the radio system if it is completed by a vendor other than Procom Corporation. Another vendor could complicate the system’s overall functionality, especially if the vendor didn’t agree with how the initial system and its related parts were installed. A situation such as this would cause downtime which is unacceptable for the NCR’s growing communication needs.

The Government has been very pleased with the work of Procom Corporation in relation to the design, engineering, installation, configuration, maintenance, and support of their radio system.

To change vendors puts the Government at a risk that does not warrant any benefit procured.

Furthermore, Procom Corporation is uniquely poised to expand the existing system to complete the next phase of upgrades. In conclusion, Procom Corporation knows the task at hand, has previously done outstanding work for the NCR, and can fully maintain the entire system. It is in the best interest of the Government to award the next phase of radio system upgrades to its original awardee (Procom Corporation), and thereby ensure the continued expansion of the NCR’s emergency planning program. As a result, Procom Corporation is the only responsible source for this requirement, and is uniquely qualified to provide the equipment and services required to complete this project.

The risk for the Government to allow another vendor other than Procom Corporation to purchase, and have programmed, 80 digital portable radios is too great. Programming will be an even larger requirement during the migration process since the radios will be operating in both analog and digital modes. Procom Corporation has all of the programming templates which are not available to other vendors. Procom Corporation is the vendor that represents the lowest risk to the Government to provide the needed equipment and services. Procom Corporation also provides the highest success rate of completing this requirement.

Procom Corporation is the only source that can reasonably provide the needed purchase, and programming, of 80 digital portable radios in order to complete this task due to the circumstances of the initial phases of design, engineering, and installation.

The intended procurement is for the purchase, and programming, of 80 digital portable radios which the Government intends to acquire under the guidelines of FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisitions Procedures. The Government intends to solicit and negotiate with the only known source (Procom Corporation) under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i). However, all proposals received prior to the close of this notice will be considered by the Government. This is not a request for proposals and there is no solicitation available at this time. The Government reserves the right to solicit bids based on the receipt of affirmative responses to this notice or issue a purchase order to Procom Corporation, whichever is determined to be more advantageous to the Government without further notice. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. In order to be considered, firms must furnish detailed information concerning their capability to purchase, and program, 80 digital portable radios that are compatible with the NCR’s existing radio system. Interested firms should submit its name, address, point of contact, telephone number, and a brief statement regarding its capability to provide the specified supplies and services that provide the same fit, form and function as the items specified above. Any responses that provide for supplies and services other than those specified must be accompanied by descriptive literature and show it meets the same form, fit and function. Also include the name, telephone number, and point of contact for businesses or other Government agencies to which it has previously provided these supplies and services.

Offerors may send their proposal via email to kevin.j.buum@noaa.gov or via fax to 757-664-3614 ATTN: Kevin Buum. The NAICS code for this requirement is 443142. All responsible sources may submit a quote which will be considered by the Agency. All contractors doing business with this Contracting Office (Eastern Region Acquisition - Kansas City Division) must be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) website. Vendors can register with SAM at the following website https://www.sam.gov/ mailto:kevin.j.buum@noaa.gov https://www.sam.gov/