JA - District (SidePlate - Brand Name) - B1600 (Clean).pdf

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Agency: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Louisville District, Post Office Box 59, Louisville, Kentucky 40201-0059.

2. Description of Action: This justification and approval (J&A) is being prepared for the use of a brand name proprietary steel connection system developed by SidePlate Systems, Inc.

(SidePlate) in lateral load resisting and progressive collapse resisting steel framing in the firm fixed price construction contract for the AMC Headquarters Renovation project at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Though a contract will not be awarded directly to SidePlate by the Government, SidePlate’s proprietary steel connection system will be specified in the design-bid-build contract for construction of the project, requiring the construction contractor to contract directly with SidePlate.

This is a justification for engaging a specialty connection engineering firm to implement their connection system in the lateral load resisting and progressive collapse resisting steel framing of the building. While the design of the system is protected by intellectual property patents and subject to a licensing fee, none of the components of the connection are single-source materials or products. Therefore, any qualified steel contractor is capable of constructing these connections.

The construction contract is planned to be awarded under a full and open solicitation, using FY21 Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization (SRM) funding.

3. Description of Supplies/Services: The SidePlate steel connections will be specified in the solicitation for the renovation of the Air Mobility Command (AMC) Headquarters project at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. The estimated sole source cost for the licensing agreement is approximately XXXXX.

The agency requires the design of high-performance structural steel connections that are efficient and resilient in resisting lateral structural loads on the building and protecting the building from progressive collapse. These connections are typically a point of weakness in the resistance of lateral loads on a building, and significant cost savings can be realized in the structure by using efficient connections.

The agency also seeks to meet the design requirements set forth in UFC 4-023-03 for protection against progressive collapse, and the agency seeks to use structural connections from that document with a demonstrated resilience to progressive collapse. Thus, a high performance connection will be used.

4. Authority Cited: 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) 2304(c)(1), as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1(a)(2) “Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.” This authority is applicable to brand name justifications in accordance with FAR 6.302-1(c)(1).

5. Reason for Authority Cited:

a) Background: The Air Mobility Command Headquarters Renovation project at Scott Air Force Base is a wholesale renovation and systems replacement project. Once complete, the facility will be 314,000 SF.

The design for this work was procured by USACE Louisville (CELRL) under a separate contract awarded to HDR-CH2M Joint Venture. In designing the project, HDR-CH2M Joint Venture chose the most efficient steel connection to meet the code, strength demand, and functionality requirements of the complicated project.

b) SidePlate steel connections have been extensively tested for blast and progressive collapse resistance by the GSA and the Defensive Threat Reduction Agency of the Department of Defense (DoD) during their 2004-2007 Blast and Progressive Collapse Test Program. Research and test results from this program were used to create DoD’s Unified Facilities Criteria for Progressive Collapse Design 04-023-03 (July 2009), which is enforced on this project, and which ranks SidePlate as the highest-performing steel connection system (reference UFC 4-023-03, Table 5-2). Further, designs using SidePlate connections have proven to be the most cost-effective for numerous federal buildings in the past, and hundreds of private sector buildings.

SidePlate is uniquely qualified because their system has unique structural properties that allow for more efficient (lighter and/or shallower) steel framing and faster steel erection versus other systems, but especially for structures that are designed to resist progressive collapse. SidePlate’s system is protected by intellectual property patents, but the connections themselves are constructed of standard steel pieces by any steel fabricator using industry-standard techniques. The orientation of these shapes, the analytical and design procedures, and the methodology are exclusive to SidePlate and based on over 20 years of their research.

c) The design team will use the performance characteristics of the connections developed by SidePlate Systems, Inc. (SidePlate) and incorporate SidePlate’s connection information into the Contract Documents. SidePlate’s engineers will provide information to the HDR-CH2M Joint Venture design team as requested for the purpose of accurately modeling the SidePlate connection behavior within the overall structural design of the building. SidePlate will then be involved during construction phase to answer bidder questions, to perform relevant shop drawing review, to perform periodic fabricator shop observations, and to perform periodic field observations for the limited purpose of reviewing conformance of the SidePlate connection technology being used on the project.

Justification: It is standard industry practice for Designers of Record to base facility design around products and systems that meet the needs of the project based on the standards of quality required, and to use those products and systems as a basis for design.

The Designer of Record for the AMC Renovation project at Scott Air Force Base – HDR- CH2M Joint Venture – chose to employ SidePlate connections in its design for the facility to satisfy the government’s progressive collapse requirements due to the performance criteria listed for those connections in UFC 4-023-03, Table 5-2, as well as their ability to deliver substantial construction savings through the use of less material, and their ability to increase worker safety through a quicker installation. Only SidePlate connections satisfy the performance criteria required by the government’s progressive collapse requirements, and fit within the project as currently designed. To substitute a different connection system in HDR-CH2M’s design would require significant re-design efforts, which would impact multiple disciplines beyond the structural steel. Using an alternative steel connection system would require addressing interferences with mechanical ductwork, architecture/ interior design features, and impacts to useable floor space and facility functionality. Because SidePlate connections allow the use of smaller steel beams and less substantial foundations, and because no other connection system exhibits the performance characteristics that SidePlate connections do, it is not possible to simply substitute a different connection system. Additionally, it would not be possible for project construction to be completed in the required timeframe without using SidePlate. The Building 1600 Renovation includes a complete tear down of exterior facade exposing steel and floor slabs. Aside from the seismic bracing and progressive collapse considerations mentioned above, use of this technology also significantly reduces construction time associated with the steel structure support. The project is required to be completed within 48 months. If SidePlate is not utilized, the time growth to provide alternate structural support methods would not allow the project to be completed within the required schedule. Therefore, SidePlate connections are the only connection system that will satisfy the agency’s requirements.

d) Impact: Selecting products and systems as the basis of design is an industry standard necessary to complete a 100% design needed for a Design-Bid-Build procurement. If SidePlate connections cannot be employed as a basis of design for a Design-Bid-Build project, it would significantly limit the ability of a Designer of Record to provide the most cost-effective, and high-performing design to the government. The use of SidePlate structural connections will allow for less steel, less foundation material, and quicker installation of the structural members, which will save cost and increase worker safety.

e) Alternatives: None viable to achieve a fully functioning system for the reasons noted above in paragraph 5. b) and c). Construction under normal methods (larger steel, additional equipment for material handling, additional labor hours for installation, larger foundations to support the additional steel) would increase the cost significantly.

Additionally, the re-design effort would be cost and time prohibitive..

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Technical capabilities of various manufacturers were reviewed; however no other manufacturers offered the benefits provided by utilizing SidePlate.

A Notice of Intent to Sole Source will be posted on the beta.sam.gov website.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: This is a finite requirement with no future needs, and therefore there are no actions to increase future competition.

8. Market Research: A technical review and evaluation was conducted of the system requirements for the AMC HQ facility project. As discussed above, in paragraph 6 above, only Sideplate technology will provide the compliance with structural codes, while providing the time/labor/material savings discussed. .

A Notice of Intent to Sole Source was posted on the beta.sam.gov website. To date, no other sources have written to express interest.

9. Interested Sources: A Notice of Intent to Sole Source will be posted on the beta.sam.gov website.

h2ctcbth Cross-Out