JA Trane Redacted.pdf

Personnel Recovery HC-130J Flight Simulator

Trane

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL (J&A)

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1) Contracting Agency: US Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, PO Box 59, Louisville, KY 40201-0059

2) Description of the Action: This justification and approval (J&A) is being prepared for the use of a brand name item, Trane HVAC Chillers, in the firm fixed price construction contract for the construction of the Personnel Recovery HC-130J Flight Simulator Renovation at Patrick Space Force Base, FL. The government will not purchase the Trane equipment directly, instead brand name specifications will be included in the design bid build solicitation that will lead to a new firm fixed price (FFP) construction contract. The construction contract is planned to be awarded under a full and open solicitation, using FY21 AF O&M funding.

Description of Supplies/Services or Nature of Construction: The construction contract requires that the contractor build a two-story Personnel Recovery HC-130J Flight Simulator.

This action requires Trane to be the sole source manufacturer with a specific estimated value of

. Trane is the approved sole source supplier for Patrick Air Force Base as explained below.

3) 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).

4) Reason for Authority Cited: As described at FAR 6.302-1(a)(2), when the supplies or services required by the agency are available only from one responsible source and no other types of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, full and open competition need not be provided for. This J&A applies that ‘Only One Responsible Source’ authority using the application of FAR 6.302-1(b)(4), which states that “[w]hen the agency head has determined in accordance with the agency’s standardization program that only specified makes and models of technical equipment and parts will satisfy the agency’s needs for additional units or replacement items, and only one source is available.”

a) Background: This project supports the construction of a flight simulator facility consisting of two-story bay for an HC-130J simulator. The purpose of the HC-130J simulator is to provide realistic training and accurately portray the Mission Design Series needed to properly train and increase readiness of the Personnel Recovery community. The facility will house the simulator, loadmaster floor trainer, control systems, training and instructor personnel, classrooms, mission brief/debrief rooms, and administrative support. There are no existing facilities on Patrick AFB that meet this requirement.

b) Justification:

1. FAR 6.302-1(b)(4) permits use of the Only One Responsible Source authority when the agency head has determined in accordance with the agency's standardization program that only specified makes and models of technical equipment and parts will satisfy the agency's needs for additional units or replacement items, and only one source is available.

2. In a memorandum signed on 22 June 2017, the Under Secretary of the Air Force appointed the Deputy under Secretary of the Air Force, Management and Deputy Chief Management Officer as the AF Category Management Accountable Official. On 14 July 2017, the Deputy under Secretary of the Air Force, Management and Deputy Chief Management Officer, appointed the Civil Engineer Center Director (AFCEC/CL) as the Air Force Category Manager for the Facilities and Construction Category. On 16 May 2019, the AFCEC/CL directed the mandatory standardization of HVAC chiller systems and delegated manufacturer selection to the AFCEC Operations Director (AFCEC/CO).

3. On 3 May 2019, the AFCEC/CO executed a memorandum, Subject: HVAC Chiller System Standardization, Single Manufacturer Selection, which set forth the AFCEC/CL intent to standardize HVAC chiller systems to a single manufacturer at the installation level. The memorandum explained that standardization of all HVAC chiller systems allows the Air Force to significantly reduce the total cost of ownership which includes the initial procurement, subsequent maintenance, and associated training costs to operate the system over its lifecycle.

The memorandum went on to provide guidance for the evaluation, recommendation, and subsequent approval of a single manufacturer for HVAC chiller systems at each installation and stated that Base Civil Engineers (BCEs) were to request and provide justification for the recommended single HVAC chiller manufacturer. The memorandum concluded with a requirement to repeat the analysis after five years from the date of AFCEC/CO approval for a single manufacturer. The purpose of this secondary analysis is to document the installation's progress in standardizing HVAC chiller systems, consider any changes in the decision facts, and confirm no external factors exist that may drive a reconsideration of the approved single manufacturer.

4. On 10 May 2019, the AFCEC/CL signed a memorandum, Subject: Mandatory

Standardization of HVAC Chiller Systems. The memorandum directed the mandatory standardization of HVAC chiller systems to a single manufacturer at the installation level and reiterated the process laid out in the above referenced 3 May 2019 guidance. The memorandum also delegated the AFCEC/CL’s approval authority to the AFCEC/CO for the selection of a single manufacturer for HVAC chiller systems.

5. In a memorandum dated 10 September 2019, Subject: HVAC Chiller System

Standardization, Single Manufacturer Selection, the AFCEC/CO approved the selection of specific brands as the single manufacturer for various installations, including Patrick Air Force Base. This memorandum specifies Trane Inc. as the selected manufacturer for this installation.

This selection, supported by the other memorandums summarized above, satisfies the FAR 6.302-1(b)(4) application of the ‘Only One Responsible Source authority,’ as the Agency Head (delegee) has determined in accordance with the agency's standardization program that only specified makes and models of technical equipment and parts will satisfy the agency's needs for additional units or replacement items, and only one source is available.

6. Impact: If this J&A is not approved, USACE will be unable to implement the Air

Force’s standardization decision for Personnel Recovery HC-130J Flight Simulator project at Patrick Air Force Base. If the HVAC equipment at this installation is not standardized, the Air Force will not be able to realize the efficiencies and reduction of costs that have been targeted in its category management analysis. Anticipated advantages include reduced training costs for Air Force maintenance personnel, efficiencies in obtaining and storing spare parts, and decreased disruption to mission by rapid resolution of any HVAC system failures. If Trane chillers are not utilized in this facility, the Air Force will be required to expend significant resources in additional training for maintenance personnel or in contracts for outside maintenance personnel to perform work on the non-Trane systems, and it would not be able to fully realize the benefits of its standardization decision in gaining efficiencies, decreasing disruptions, and achieving less system down time.

7. Alternatives: The standardization determination executed by the Air Force compels

USACE to include the base-specific requirement in the solicitation for Personnel Recovery HC- 130J Flight Simulator. There is no alternative product that meets the AF’s need to standardize this equipment. The only alternative available would be to purchase the HVAC equipment separately and provide it to the construction contractor as government furnished equipment (GFE). This alternative would still involve the purchase of the Trane equipment on a sole source basis. Further, the effort associated with purchasing, storing, equipment warranty, conveying and managing the GFE was determined to both be inefficient and uneconomical. No other feasible alternatives were identified.

5) Efforts to Obtain Competition: The Air Force Civil Engineering Command (AFCEC) conducted a technical review and evaluation of the Chillers for all of the Air Force, per Installation. AFCEC determined TRANE would be the official sole-source provider of Chillers for Scott AFB to provide efficiencies in maintenance support and in savings of training time and money for their maintenance staff.

A Notice of Intent to Sole Source was posted on 07 May 2021. To date, no other sources have written to express interest. If prior to issuance of the solicitation, responses are received expressing interest, the justification will be amended.

6) Actions to Increase Competition: In order to achieve the benefits of the Air Force’s standardization decision competition must be limited. This is a finite requirement with no future needs, and therefore there are no actions to increase future competition.

7) Market Research: The Air Force Civil Engineering Command (AFCEC) conducted a technical review and evaluation of the Chillers for all of the Air Force, per Installation. AFCEC determined TRANE would be the official sole-source provider of Chillers for Scott AFB to provide efficiencies in maintenance support and in savings of training time and money for their maintenance staff.

A Notice of Intent to Sole Source was posted on 07 May 2021. To date, no other sources have written to express interest. If prior to issuance of the solicitation, responses are received expressing interest, the justification will be amended.

8) Interested Sources: A Notice of Intent to Sole Source was posted on 07 May 2021. To date, no other sources have written to express interest. If prior to issuance of the solicitation, responses are received expressing interest, the justification will be amended.

9) Other Factors: None.