A02 JA Other Than Full Open Competition SWF 23-30_1 Redacted.pdf

CUI SWF 23-30

CUI

Justification Review Document for Other than Full and Open Competition - FAR Part 6

Program/Equipment: El Paso Veterans Affairs (VA) New Health Care Center (HCC), P2: 493779: Monaco fire alarm transmitting system at Fort Bliss, TX. Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the fire alarm and mass notification signal system.

The OEM and the system being installed is proprietary to their company and they have not sold, leased, or provided any type of Government rights to allow for competition.

Due to the proprietary system provided by the OEM, no other vendor has the capability of meeting this requirement. Monaco is the only manufacturer and supplier of fire alarms that are compatible with the Monaco system already installed at Fort Bliss.

Authority: 10 United States Code 3204(a)(1) as implemented in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1(a)(2), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

Amount: The estimated total value is .

Prepared by:

Name: Robert Drummond Phone:

Title: Design Manager Date: 8 September 2022 E-mail:

Contracting Officer:

Name: Tony Reed Phone: 817-757-2513 E-mail: Tony.E.Reed@USACE.army.mil

Technical Representative:

Name: James Kaspar Phone:

Title: Fire Protection Engineer E-mail:

Requirements Representative:

Name: N/A Phone:

Title:

E-mail:

Justification and Approval for Other than Full and Open Competition

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Army, US Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, Contracting Division, Fort Worth, Texas 76102

2. Description of Action: Approval is requested to utilize brand name equipment that has been vetted and approved by Veterans Affairs (VA), and to execute a new firm-fixed price (FFP) construction contract to construct a new VA Health Care Center (HCC) in El Paso, Texas.

Approval is requested to employ brand-name for a Monaco Fire Alarm and Mass Notification Transmitting System. This specific system is required to be compatible with the existing Monaco Installation Emergency Center and Fire Department Dispatch central receiver systems installed at Fort Bliss. The Government will not purchase the system directly and will include the brand name requirement in a competitive solicitation for the construction contract.

The VA has provided construction funds appropriated in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (signed into law on 15 March 2022) and identified as a specific line item in the President’s FY23 budget (released 28 March 2022) for the VA HCC to include the Monaco fire alarm transmitting system.

The FFP construction contract for the new El Paso VA HCC will be advertised as a best value trade-off procurement in accordance with FAR Part 15 under Solicitation Number

W518EA22R0097.

3. Description of Supplies/Services: This procurement is for the fire management and mass notification transmitter Monaco BT-XF/XM and all associated appurtenances for the El Paso VA HCC at Fort Bliss, TX. Monaco’s BT-XF (building transceiver "-XF" for fire management) is a fire management transmitter. Monaco’s BT-XM Upgrade Kit transforms a BT-XF into a dual fire alarm and mass notification transceiver by adding audio board, relay board, and current BT-XM firmware to perform secure live-voice messages and trigger pre-recorded messages or tones resident on a connected mass notification panel. The estimated total cost for the construction portion of this project is

. The estimated total value for the Monaco transceivers is .

4. Authority Cited: 10 United States Code 3204(a)(1) as implemented in FAR 6.302- 1(a)(2), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

5. Reason for Authority Cited: OEM of the fire alarm and mass notification signal system. Installation Emergency Center and Fire Department Dispatch uses proprietary frequencies and software that require both locations to use the same manufacturer’s equipment.

a. Background: The Monaco system selected by Fort Bliss consists of a central receiver that receives fire alerts from alarm transmitters and mass notification installed in individual buildings. Monaco is the only manufacturer and supplier of fire alarm and notification transceivers that are compatible with the Monaco central receiving system already installed at Fort Bliss.

b. Alternatives: The Monaco Fire Alarm and Mass Notification Central Receiving System in use at the Installation Emergency Center and Fort Bliss Fire Department Dispatch is not compatible with transmitter equipment from other manufacturers, and any transmitter system other than Monaco transmitter will not be able to incorporate the El Paso VA HCC into the existing Fort Bliss wide central receiving system for Installation Emergency and Fire Department Dispatch.

c. Justification: Fire alarm and mass notification systems are by nature proprietary as the components are required to be Underwriter Laboratories (UL) listed for their service and using other manufacturer’s components, even if they are compatible, will violate the listing of the system. Fire alarm and mass notification systems will use multiple UL equipment listings to achieve fire detection, notification to occupants and transmission of signals to the Installation Emergency Center or Fire Department Dispatch. The transmission of fire alarm or mass notification signals from a general building to the Installation Emergency Center or Fire Department Dispatch uses proprietary frequencies and software that require both locations to use the same manufacturer’s equipment. When the scope of work for a general building requires the replacement of that building’s fire alarm or mass notification transmitting equipment, then the equipment must be of the same manufacturer as the receiving station on the Installation to maintain the UL listing. The fire alarm and mass notification detection and notification systems are covered under a separate listing and those panels communicate to the fire alarm transmitter via dry contacts in most cases.

Due to this, the technical justification requiring the fire alarm transmitting equipment to match the Installation’s manufacturer does not apply to the detection and notification systems within the building itself. This approval only covers the fire alarm and mass notification transmitting system. Due to compatibility requirements, only the Monaco transmitting system can guarantee delivery of emergency messages to emergency response personnel on Fort Bliss. For items as important to life, health, and safety as the Fire Alarm and Mass Notification Systems there is no room for error when these products are called upon to be operational.

d. Impact: If the J&A is not approved and a different Fire Alarm Transmitter System is installed in the El Paso VA HCC, the fire alarm system would fail the mission requirement to provide an integrated fire alarm and mass notification transmitter system compatible with the Installation Emergency Center and Fort Bliss Fire Department Dispatch. The system would not function properly during an emergency.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: In accordance with FAR 5.102(a)(6) and 6.305(c), this justification will be posted with the solicitation mentioned above.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: A Notice of Intent (NOI) to Sole Source was posted to SAM.gov on 20 January 2023 inviting information from industry on any other potential options. The NOI closed on 30 January 2023 with no responses. The OEM and the system being installed is proprietary to their company and they have not sold, leased or provided any type of Government rights to allow for competition. In addition, this is a one-time action necessitated by the reasons described above and no follow-on action is contemplated.

8. Market Research: Review of the Internet searches (website) materials available for Monaco, Notifier, Simplex Grinnel and the Underwriter’s Laboratory UL listings. Monaco is the only manufacturer and supplier of fire alarm transmitter systems that is compatible with the Monaco central receiving system already installed at Fort Bliss.

9. Interested Sources: Due to the proprietary system provided by the OEM, no other vendor has the capability of meeting this requirement.

10. Other Facts:

a. Procurement history: N/A

b. Acquisition Data Availability: N/A

c. Unusual and Compelling Urgency: N/A

d. Subcontracting Competition: Subcontracting competition will be achieved by the prime contractor.