JA - WVA B135 Radial Forge Infrastructure (Simplex) - 12 Jan 2024 final signed.pdf

Control No. NAN-23-005

JUSTIFICATION REVIEW DOCUMENT FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

CONTROL NO. NAN-23-005

PROJECT/EQUIPMENT: Radial Forge Infrastructure, B135 at Watervliet Arsenal, NY/Fire Alarm- Mass Notification System AUTHORITY: 10 U.S.C. § 2304(c)(1) AMOUNT: $30,000.00

Prepared By:

NAME/TITLE: Janeen S. Minguillo

TELEPHONE: 917-790-8104

DATE:

Contracting Officer

NAME/TITLE: Francis Cashman

TELEPHONE: 917-790-8173

DATE:

Requirements

NAME/TITLE: Evan Sick

TELEPHONE: 518-266-6127

DATE:

SIGNATURES ARE REQUIRED BELOW

I have reviewed this J&A and find the justification adequate to support other than full and open competition.

District Small Business Specialist

NAME: Zachery Bernard

TELEPHONE: 917-790-8004

SIGNATURE

Project Manager

NAME/TITLE: Evan Sick

TELEPHONE: 518-266-6127

Office of Counsel

NAME: Lorraine Lee

TELEPHONE: 917-790-8055

DCC/CCC Contracting Chief

NAME: Francis Cashman

TELEPHONE: 917-790-8173

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

REVIEW

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

FOR:

Simplex Fire Alarm and Mass Notification System

Radial Forge Infrastructure, B135 at Watervliet Arsenal, NY

21 Dec 2023

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Simplex Fire Alarm and Mass Notification System For Radial Forge Infrastructure, B135 at Watervliet

Arsenal, NY

Contract No. TBD

1. CONTRACTING ACTIVITY:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), New York District (NAN), Contracting (CT), 26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY 10278.

2. DESCRIPTION OF ACTION:

This Justification and Approval (J&A) supports the use of brand name components as a very small part of an upcoming Radial Forge Infrastructure construction project at Watervliet Arsenal, NY (Sources Sought Notice ID W912DS24S0002). The government will not purchase the components directly, but rather will require that offerors include equipment, programming, and work necessary to support modifications to the existing the Simplex Fire Alarm and Mass Notification System as part of proposals submitted in response to a design-bid-build solicitation that will lead to the award of a new firm-fixed-price (FFP) construction contract. USACE is responsible for the acquisition and administration of the construction of Radial Forge Infrastructure at Watervliet Arsenal, NY Contract No. TBD. Funding for this acquisition will be Production Based Support (PBS) (10 U.S. Code § 2805), The FFP construction will be solicited and awarded as a sealed price procurement in accordance with FAR Part 15.

3. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES:

The requirement is to provide additional equipment, programming, and work to modify the existing to remain Simplex Fire Alarm and Mass Notification System to support changes to the Radial Forge in Building 135 at Watervliet Arsenal (WVA) in Watervliet, NY. The proprietary Simplex addressable devices support addressable functionality with the Simplex Fire Alarm Control Panel, allowing the system to achieve full functionality and compliance with applicable Codes and Standards.

Proprietary notification appliances are required to achieve synchronization of audible and visual notification signals with the remainder of the facility utilizing existing Simplex power supplies and audio amplifiers. New Fire Alarm installations include Mass Notification Systems (MNS) in accordance with DoD Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) 4-021-01. The existing Simplex infrastructure on site supports the UFC requirements for primary MNS communications. The Simplex Fire Alarm and integrated MNS system has the capability to remotely activate the in-building MNS messaging system and provide live-voice announcements.

Fire Alarm System (FAS) and Mass Notification System (MNS) shall be complete, supervised, non-coded, analog-addressable system, installed in class A configuration per National Fire Protection Association, NFPA 72. The FAS/MNS shall provide point reporting to the Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP). The FACP shall in turn provide point reporting to sitewide Simplex networking and reporting equipment. Point reporting, also known as point-to-point reporting, is the capability to relay the status of each addressable device and certain system components such as Signaling Line Circuits (SLC) to a Central Receiving Station in real time. The FAS/MNS shall be tested and perform as a critical life-safety system. The FAS/MNS shall be compatible with and shall communicate seamlessly with the sitewide Simplex network/receiving system, without impairing operational function or reliability of any existing FAS or MNS. The estimated amount of this requirement is $30,000.00.

4. AUTHORITY CITED:

10 U.S.C. § 2304(c)(1), Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements, as implemented by FAR 6.302-1(c), Application for Brand Name Descriptions. In accordance with FAR 6.302-1(c), the Contracting Officer will specify that all offerors be required to procure an item peculiar to one supplier (Simplex).

5. REASON FOR AUTHORITY CITED:

A. Background:

Due to the presence of an existing to remain Simplex Fire Alarm system within a single bay of a multi use operation within Building 135, and the presence of a sitewide Simplex Fire Alarm network at Watervliet Arsenal, proprietary Simplex equipment and programming is required to maintain compatibility of new equipment with existing systems. The existing to remain Simplex Fire Alarm system is within its usable service live and is not required to be or intended to be replaced under the scope of the Radial Forge Infrastructure project.

B. Justification:

To satisfy UFC 4-021-01 requirement of a Mass Notification System, a seamlessly compatible system must be maintained at WVA Building 135. The capability to send out mass notification to the entire site in an efficient manner during emergencies must be maintained. The Simplex Fire Alarm System is used throughout WVA. Due to compatibility issues with other systems, it will not be possible to guarantee delivery of emergency messages to all persons located at Building 135, if any other system is installed.

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. If the Simplex equipment is not installed in this facility, the fire station will be unable to receive an alarm or trouble signal due to the activation of a detector, pull station, sprinkler system flow switch, or fire protection tamper switch. This would delay the response time of the fire department, which could result in extensive damage to the facility and/or personnel.

C. Alternatives:

No viable alternatives will be acceptable to meet the mission requirements of an integrated Mass Notification System due to compatibility issues of the Simplex Fire Alarm System with equipment from other manufacturers, any fire alarm system other than a Simplex Fire Alarm System will not be able to guarantee operational effectiveness of the Mass Notification System within Building 135 during an emergency.

The only alternative action to ensure compatibility of a different manufacturer’s Fire Alarm and Mass Notification Systems with the systems used throughout Watervliet Arsenal would be to remove and replace the Fire Alarm and Mass Notification Systems in every building at WVA with the same system used in Building 135. This would be cost prohibitive effort and is not authorized under this project.

D. Impact:

If the J&A is not approved and a different Fire Alarm System is installed at Building 135, the fire alarm system would fail the mission requirement to provide an integrated fire alarm system with a mass notification system. During an emergency situation this could lead to confusion, injury, and even loss of life that could have been avoided if Building 135, was not integrated into the Simplex Fire Alarm System network that is used in other new fire alarm installations at WVA.

6. EFFORTS TO OBTAIN COMPETITION:

The brand name product has been published as required by FAR 5.201, a Notice of Intent (NOI) for Brand Name Simplex Fire Alarm System at Watervliet, NY (W912DS24S0013) to determine sources for this system was synopsized on 2 9 N o v 2023 as part of the Radial Forge Infrastructure construction project (Advanced Notice WVA Radial Forge Infrastructure- Design- Bid-Build for Construction Contract W912DS24R0009). The brand name justification and approval will be posted with the solicitation. As stated in paragraph 5 above, Simplex Fire Alarm and Mass Notification System is the only brand available to ensure compatibility within the Watervliet Arsenals existing system. Simplex Fire Alarm and Mass Notification System is available on the open market for purchase and installation by all offerors.

7. ACTIONS TO INCREASE COMPETITION:

This J&A supports a discrete requirement that will end when the project is complete. Therefore, there are no planned actions to increase competition for the requirement covered by this J&A.

8. MARKET RESEARCH:

Market Research to determine sources for WVA Radial Forge Infrastructure was synopsized on 16 October 2023. The Sources Sought was published for the required 15 days in SAM.gov (W912DS24S0002). There was an amendment to provide an extension thru 14 November 2023.

9. INTERESTED SOURCES:

There was one response to the NOI posting, however it was not an acceptable solution, due to the justifications noted in paragraph 5. The solicitation will be synopsized in accordance with FAR 5.201 and responses will be evaluated per FAR Part 15.

10. OTHER FACTS:

All pertinent facts are included above.

11. TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION:

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

Name: Robert J. Gerrits Date:

Title: Chief, Engineering Management Branch

12. REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION:

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

Name: Evan Sick Date:

Title: Military Programs Branch Project Manager

13. FAIR AND REASONABLE COST DETERMINATION:

“I hereby determine that the anticipated cost or price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable. This determination is based on the Independent Government Cost Estimate, the items being procured, and historical data.”

Name: Francis Cashman Date:

Title: Contracting Officer

14. CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION:

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

Name: Francis Cashman Date:

Title: Contracting Officer

APPROVAL

Based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the brand name requirement for Simplex Fire Alarm and Mass Notification System, estimated at $30,000.00 in support of the Building 135 Renovations Project as authorized by 10 U.S.C. § 2304(c)(1), Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements, and as implemented by FAR 6.302-1(c), Application for Brand Name Descriptions, subject to availability of funds and provided that the product herein described has otherwise been authorized for this acquisition.

Date: ___________________________ Signature:

Francis Cashman Contracting Officer