Notice_of_Intent_to_Limited_Source_CJD_Generator_Circuit_Breaker_Monitors_-_.pdf

LIMITED SOURCE ANNOUNCEMENT

1. Introduction The USACE Seattle District intends to award a sole source contract to the ABB Inc.

2. Description of Services

The purpose of the contract is to purchase ABB GCBMs to install on the existing ABB SF6 main unit Generator Breakers. These monitors are needed to track the lifecycle of the currently installed breakers and to provide history and justification for the 15 year overhauls planned starting in 2018. Without these monitors, maintenance is done on a preventative schedule. With the installation of the proposed monitors, the staff at Chief Joseph will be able to schedule maintenance based on technical data (Predictive Maintenance) instead of time-based (Preventative Maintenance) which will reduce the overall cost of maintenance; reducing labor, lost generation and parts.

These monitors measure the current and voltage at which the breaker is opened. This data can then be used to track the condition of the main contacts and arching contacts which have a fixed lifespan. Without this data the Maintenance team can only track the number of breaker cycles and replace the contracts on a set time schedule instead of when they actually need replacing.

The contacts are deep within the breakers and cannot be measured any other way.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 335313 with size standard of 1,250.

3. Authority

Soliciting from a Single Source FAR13.106-1(b)(2) for purchases exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold pursuant to the authority of the test program for commercial items (section 4202 of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996)

4. Reasons for Sole Source

Pursuant to FAR 13.501(a) “Sole source (including brand name) acquisitions”.

(1) Background: Chief Joseph Dam currently has 27 ABB SF6 main unit Generator Breakers installed and operating as the primary method of connecting Hydroelectric Generators to the 230/500kv Transformers. These breakers were installed starting in 2004 and are approaching their 15 year overhauls. These breakers operate using Sulfur HexaFlouride gas which is dangerous and any modifications to system has inherent risk associated with it. The SF6 gas tank is an ABB piece of proprietary equipment, the monitors tap into this tank and allowing ABB to supply the monitors and integration plan between the tank and monitors yields the safest method with the lowest inherent risk to equipment and onsite personnel.

The 27 installed ABB SF6 breakers are a critical piece of equipment for producing power, in the twelve years they have been installed, no third party company has been allowed to supply parts or perform maintenance on them. Allowing a vendor other than ABB to supply the equipment to monitor this critical equipment carries a higher risk or project failure, loss of revenue or damage to equipment or onsite personnel.

(2) Justification:

Fourteen units have already been purchased from ABB via contract W912DW-16-P-0133.

The standard equipment for USACE in the NW Division is ABB. There are hundreds and ABB SF6 breakers installed on our region and dozens of ABB GCBMs already installed. To keep standardization among the region Chief Joseph Dam should install ABB GCBMs. With the recent SF6 failure at Priest Rapids, the HydroElectric Design Center (HDC) based in Portland, Oregon has advised monitors be placed on all SF6 breakers deemed critical to power generation and grid reliability. Their recommendation is to have the monitors furnished by the OEM breaker manufacturer.

It is not a standard industry practice to installed non OEM monitors on equipment of this criticality. If the monitors are not supplied by ABB, the other company will have to accept the liability for the equipment [i.e the breaker], ABB already has that burden due to being the manufacturer. The risk of breaker failure and SF6 gas release including damage to equipment and increased risk of physical harm to onsite personnel and contractors working on this breaker increases with a non OEM monitor. This is due to the dangerous SF6 gas and the proprietary breaker design [only ABB has the tools and drawings to safely integrate the monitors with the existing breaker]. If another manufacturer is allowed to source these monitors, it is unclear if ABB will work on them in the future due to the increased risks.

The best value to the Government is to purchase the additional necessary monitors from ABB to capitalize on the existing Government owned ABB equipment, to ensure efficiency/compatibility with the existing SF6 breakers at Chief Joseph Dam, and to ensure efficiencies with respect to equipment servicing, repairs, and maintenance given the already established relationship with ABB for the service and maintenance of the existing monitoring system.

5. No solicitation package will be issued. This Notice of Intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement. The Government will consider responses received by 10:00 AM Pacific Time on 27 July 2017. Inquiries will only be accepted via email to kim.b.ellerman@usace.army.mil.

No telephone requests will be honored.

A determination by the Government not to compete the proposed acquisition 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 the future.