A.03.10_Brand_Name_JA_3M_Novec_1230_Fire_Suppression_Fluid.pdf

Control No. NWP-19-011

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL (J&A)

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. CONTRACTING ACTIVITY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Northwestern Division, Portland District (NWP), Contracting Division, Construction/A-E Branch (CECT- NWP-C), 333 SW 1st Ave, Portland Oregon, 97204.

2. DESCRIPTION OF ACTION: This firm-fixed price construction acquisition requires the demolition of the existing carbon dioxide (CO2) fire suppression systems in the oil storage and purification rooms, removal of excess oil storage tanks, relocation of existing oil purification equipment and installation of two new fire suppression systems in the oil storage rooms contained within Powerhouses 1 and 2 at Bonneville Lock and Dam. One new fire suppression system will be installed in each of the two powerhouses at the operating project. The new fire suppression systems will include a clean air agent type of fire suppression fluid that will aid in extinguishing a fire should the systems need to be utilized. The clean air agent that is required to be installed in the fire suppression systems is a fire suppression fluid manufactured by 3M known as Novec 1230. The contract will be funded by Appropriations Department 89 (Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) – Power Marketing Administration), appropriation symbol 4045 (revolving funds). Funds do not expire.

This Justification and Approval applies only to the 3M Novec 1230 clean air agent fire suppression fluid and is estimated to cost approximately $40,000.

3. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES OR NATURE OF CONSTRUCTION:

This acquisition will require the contractor to procure a brand name product, a fire suppression fluid called 3M Novec 1230, to be utilized as a component associated with the installation of the new fire suppression systems in Powerhouse 1 and Powerhouse 2 at Bonneville Lock and Dam. The fire suppression system which delivers the actual clean air agent itself must be compatible with the properties of that specific clean air agent and there are multiple manufacturers who can provide different, but compatible, systems that utilize the 3M Novec 1230 fire suppression fluid. The contract period of performance is anticipated to be 425 calendar days after the contractor receives the notice to proceed.

4. AUTHORITY CITED: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. This justification is for the use of a brand name description as described in FAR 6.302-1(c).

5. REASON FOR AUTHORITY CITED: Each brand name of clean air agent fire suppression fluid has proprietary details in the exact chemistry of its composition, therefore, it is not possible to specify an “equal to” product. There simply is no other clean air fire suppression fluid that has the same salient characteristics.

The plans and specifications must specify the 3M Novec 1230 fire suppression fluid because different clean air fire suppression fluids have different chemical properties and configuration requirements, such as size of storage tanks and types, location of the fire suppression system, and sizes of pipes and nozzles. The physical constraints of the oil storage rooms in the powerhouses do not provide the opportunity for another clean air agent fire suppression fluid with the same capabilities of 3M Novec 1230 to be installed.

The fire suppression systems as a whole would need to be designed differently.

a. Background:

CO2 systems like those currently installed at Bonneville Lock and Dam may incapacitate personnel during a release. If a person were to inhale the amount of CO2 discharged by the current system, the amount of CO2 concentrations in the body could render a person unconscious and could also potentially be lethal.

As a result of this possibility, the Government sought alternatives for fire suppression methods in the oil storage rooms. These different methods were analyzed in a Clean Agent Research and Recommendations report. The decision to use the halocarbon-type clean agent 3M Novec 1230 was based on the research results in that report.

Clean air agent fire suppression fluids have been in use for various fire protection applications since the mid-1990s. Clean air agent systems do not incapacitate personnel and are designed to be safe for occupied spaces in the event personnel are present when the system is deployed.

Bonneville Lock and Dam’s oil storage rooms in the two powerhouses are very different from one another. In Powerhouse 1, the entrance and egress for the oil storage room is one door at ceiling level, accessible only by a tall staircase. This difficult egress could result in a potentially fatal situation should the current system be deployed because individuals would likely be exposed to too much CO2. An unusually high safety margin for personnel exposed to the clean air agent was a design constraint for this project due to the relatively difficult egress from the Powerhouse 1 oil storage room.

In Powerhouse 2, the entrance and egress for the oil storage room includes two doors, one at either end, only two steps above floor level. Although egress in this room is much easier than in Powerhouse 1, there are significant benefits of both powerhouses having the same fire suppression system.

b. Justification:

The eight clean agents compared in the Clean Agent Research and Recommendations report are listed in NFPA 2001, “Standard on Clean Agent Fire Extinguishing Systems”, and have been determined to be suitable for oil storage room fire suppression (Class B, Oil), and were listed as “acceptable” under the EPA’s Significant New Alternatives Policy

(SNAP).

Five of the eight clean agents analyzed had a safety rating above 1.00 and, were therefore, considered by Government as possibly being the suitable clean agent selected. The environmental metrics which differentiated these clean agents were Global Warming Potential (GWP), which by definition is compared to CO2, and Atmospheric Lifetime, which is the number of years before concentration returns to natural levels.

This information is summarized in Table 1 below. For comparison purposes, CO2 would have a Safety Rating of zero, a GWP of one, and an Atmospheric Lifetime in years of 20

– 200 years.

Clean Agent Safety Rating

GWP Atmospheric Lifetime in years

Novec 1230 (halocarbon)

1.69 1 0.038 (14 days)

Argonite (inert gas)

1.10 0 0

Inergen (inert gas)

1.06 0 0

HFC-23

(halocarbon)

1.54 14310 270

HFC-227EA

(halocarbon)

1.03 2900 34

Table 1: Data most relevant to clean agent selection for Bonneville Oil Storage Rooms

As demonstrated in the table above, 3M Novec 1230 has the highest safety rating of all the clean agents compared. Additionally, it has a higher safety rating than the inert gases and has lower environmental impacts than HFCs.

c. Impact:

Failure to install new clean air agent fire suppression systems would result in the current CO2 systems remaining intact in Powerhouse 1 and Powerhouse 2 at Bonneville Lock and Dam. These systems may incapacitate personnel during a release due to the high amount of CO2 concentrations, potentially creating a situation where personnel may become trapped in a fire or could be lethally exposed to CO2.

d. Alternatives:

The next-best alternative clean agent which would also satisfy personnel safety concerns, especially at Bonneville Powerhouse 1 where egress requires climbing stairs, is HFC-23. Unfortunately, HFC-23 has a very high global warming potential and a very high atmospheric lifetime, and is targeted for significant reduction.

Another alternative would be to switch to a water mist fire suppression system, which is estimated to be approximately twice the cost of a clean air agent system.

6. EFFORTS TO OBTAIN COMPETITION: Market research indicates there are numerous sources for acquiring 3M Novec 1230. It will be possible for a contractor to obtain competitive pricing from multiple sources.

7. ACTIONS TO INCREASE COMPETITION: IAW FAR 5.203(a) and UAI 5.203-100 and 6.301-100, on 14 August 2019 a Special Notice of Intent to Sole Source (Brand Name) was published on FBO for a period of 15 days to inform the public of the impending procurement of 3M Novec 1230 fire suppression fluid as a component of this acquisition. There were no responses that offered a different clean air agent fire suppression fluid.

8. MARKET RESEARCH:

There are many sources a contractor can utilize to obtain Novec 1230. A cursory Google search showed several businesses, such as Amerex, Fireboy-Xintex Inc, Firetrace, Janus Fire Systems, Kidde Fire Systems, Lifeline, Minimax, Safecraft, Sea-Fire, SEVO

Systems, Siemens Building Technologies, and Tyco (Johnson Controls), selling this brand and type of fire suppression fluid on the open market.

9. INTERESTED SOURCES: To date, no other sources have written to express an interest.

10. OTHER FACTS:

None.

11. TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION:

I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

NAME: Daniel Jensen TITLE: Mechanical Technical Lead

CAC SIGNATURE:

12. REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION:

I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

NAME: Daniel Jensen TITLE: Mechanical Technical Lead

13. CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION:

I certify that this J&A is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

NAME: Ryan S. Shoemaker TITLE: Contracting Officer