NNG15SD27B-088.pdf

Control Number TAC-19-53927

JUSTIFICATION FOR AN EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Procurement Acquisition and Logistics Technology Acquisition Center 23 Christopher Way Eatontown, NJ 07724

2. Description of Action: The proposed action is for a firm-fixed price (FFP) delivery order issued under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) V Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC), for maintenance, technical support, and repair or replacement of components and pagers for the Life Safety Compliant brand name Multitone Access 3000/5000 internal paging system in use in Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN) 7. In addition VA requires Optional Tasks for transmitter upgrades.

3. Description of the Supplies or Services: The proposed action is to provide maintenance, technical support and repair or replacement of components of the existing Life Safety Compliant Multitone Electronics Access 3000/5000 Internal Paging System internal paging system in use in Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN) 7. This proposed action also includes upgrades to the Codan MT-4 Communications System transmitters (including backup) located at each facility (Optional Tasks) to support modernization of existing telecommunication equipment. The Optional Tasks will allow for a total of 16 transmitters (two at each of eight locations) to be upgraded to the Codan MT-4 transmitters.This upgrade will not upgrade the entire paging system, only small portions of it. These Multitone brand name paging systems and Codan MT -4 Communications System brand name transmitter upgrades are one of the Secretary's on-going major initiatives to support access to care to our Nation's Veterams. Internal paging is signal coverage that penetrates the walls of the campus buildings. The primary place of performance will be at eight locations in Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina.

Additionally, there are two remote sites, one in Augusta, Georgia and another in Tuskegee, Alabama, that do not have paging systems, but they have transmitter interfaces that link them to the other sites that require maintenance. Each of the medical centers in VISN 7 have a Narrow Band Paging Multitone Electronics Access 3000/5000 Paging System that is proprietary to Multitone. Since pagers may be required in life threatening situations, these systems must be maintained and have paging service available 99.9% of the time or 24x7x365. To that extent, all sites have primary and backup transmitters installed and have alphanumeric and voice pagers. The approved Life Safety Paging technology market has significantly diminished since the increase use of cell phones and wireless technology. The Multitone product can meet the life safety requirement of not using an IP network for contacting code blue pagers as outlined in FCC Part 15. The period of performance for this proposed action will consist of a 12-month base period with four 12-month option periods. VA requires this PoP length since VA anticpates utilizing the exsiting paging systems for at least 5 years. The total estimated value of the proposed action is XXXXXX (inclusive of option years and Optional Tasks).

4. Statutory Authority: Pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 16.505(a)(4), the following brand name requirement is being justified and approved as