Justification_Sole_Source_20190510_(Redacted).pdf

Version 2, MAY 2018 PREVIOUS VERSION IS OBSOLETE

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION for

SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITIONS VALUED BELOW $250K

☐ FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) Soliciting from a single source ☐ FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(ii) Brand name specification

PURCHASE REQUEST NUMBER: DESCRIPTION OF ACTION:

☐ New Requirement

☐ Modification

ESTIMATED VALUE (inclusive of options):

FUND TYPE: YEAR:

1. NAME OF PROPOSED SOLE SOURCE CONTRACTOR / BRAND NAME MANUFACTURER:

2. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED AND THE INTENDED USE:

3. UNIQUE SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS THAT LIMIT AVAILABILITY TO ONLY ONE SOURCE, WITH THE

REASON NO OTHER SUPPLIES OR SERVICES CAN BE USED:

4. REASON WHY CONTRACTOR IS THE ONLY SOURCE CAPABLE OF MEETING MISSION REQUIREMENTS;

SPECIFICALLY, THE REASON NO OTHER SOURCE CAN MEET THE UNIQUE CAPABILITIES IN SECTION 3:

Is this a follow-on contract? yes☐ no☐ If yes, provide contract number: _____________________________

5. MARKET RESEARCH:

6. TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION:

I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which is included in the sections above, is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

NAME AND TITLE OF CUSTOMER DIGITAL SIGNATURE EMAIL ADDRESS DATE

7. ACTIONS TO INCREASE COMPETITION (For Contracting Personnel Use):

8. CONTRACT SPECIALIST/PURCHASING AGENT REVIEW:

I have done my due diligence in verifying the information presented above by the requiring activity and have attempted to obtain competition to the maximum extent practicable.

NAME OF REVIEWER DIGITAL SIGNATURE EMAIL ADDRESS DATE

9. ENDORSEMENT OF THE ACC-APG TENANT DIVISION CONTRACTING OFFICER

I hereby ☐approve / ☐disapprove this justification in accordance with the authority cited on this document.

Approval is based on the availability of funds and provided that the services and property herein described have been otherwise authorized for procurement.

NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER DIGITAL SIGNATURE EMAIL ADDRESS DATE

chanel.d.williams Highlight

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(see additional comments on continuation sheet)

Findings from a search of the Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) engine using NAICS code 334516 – Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing and key phrase/word “Halocarbon monitor” and “Vertrel” identified zero (0) small business concerns with the capability of supporting this requirement.

A search of the OSBP-APG Small Business Kiosk found no small business concerns with a capability of meeting this requirement.

A search on USAspending.gov for Government contracts awarded for similar purchases of Halocarbon Monitors found two (2) awards by the Army. Those awards include Army award – W91ZLK-19-P-0065 ($68,500) W911SR-17-P-0029 ($67,500.00) and W91ZLK-17-P-0054 ($67,500.00).

Online Market research using the Google and Bing search engines confirmed that NCS Corporation is the only manufacturer that currently offers a halocarbon monitor with the required Vertrel conversion capability. NCS Corporation is a large business that does not utilize resellers. Online research was unable to find an alternate manufacturer that produces a halocarbon monitor equivalent to the specifications required by the requiring activity.

Based on the market research findings by the contracting office and the needs of the requiring activity it is recommended to be in the best interest of the Government to issue a sole source request for quote to NCS Corporation. A notice of intent to sole source will be posted through the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) webpage at www.FBO.gov.

4. NCS Corporation is the sole distributor of the LMP-3000. LMP 3000 is the only equipment that can automatically identify Vertrel, a non toxic, safe test stimulant desorption resulting from wet or degraded carbon and calculates the system leak rate from a best fit, non linear plot time zero. The LMP-3000 is a proprietary design and no other source can currently duplicate this technology. No other system meets the specified needs without unacceptable delays in fulfilling the requirement and/or substantial development costs to the government.

Other instruments that detect halogen group elements in air are not compatible with detection of the tracer gas Vertrel, do not meet our portability requirements, or do not contain upstream and downstream sampling ports within one individual unit. Other suppliers consider their product to have similar capabilities, however these products are not acceptable because they are lacking one or more of the technical specifications. Gas analyzers from RKI Instruments Inc., NUCON International Inc., and Servomex were reviewed. RKI produced a wide range of gas analyzers that work with specific gases, but the gases that are used with these detectors would either be destructive to the filters during testing, are not Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Air Act (CAA) compliant, or are not picked up by the carbon and would register as the system is leaking. Instruments from RKI are also not designed to meet ANSI standard N510 for Testing Nuclear Air Treatment systems. The Halide Tracer Gas Detector designed by NUCON uses R-11, R-12, or R-123 for testing and therefore is not compliant with the EPA CCA requirements. Servomex produces four portable gas analyzers, however all of them use either Oxygen, Carbon Monoxide, or Carbon Dioxide as tracer gases and therefore would not be able to be used to test the filtration systems required because the carbon cannot pick up these gases.

For testing requirements, our team already maintains several older halocarbon monitors, specifically LMP-2000's, produced by NCS Corporation. The operational differences between a model LMP-2000 and model LMP-3000 are minimal. Introducing a different brand and type of halocarbon monitor other than from NCS corporation would require extensive time and effort to learn, train, and teach operation to multiple personnel. Using a different instrument that utilizes a different tracer gas would have significant costs and significant operational changes to our in-place filter certification testing program (see reasoning in Section 3). Continuity of our in-place filter certification testing program would also be affected if we changed the tracer gas that is used and/or changed the type of halocarbon monitor.

5. Market research was recently performed in Feb/Mar 2019. The LMP-3000 instrument is a proprietary process controlled by the manufacturer NCS Corporation and the only source of an analytical gas analyzer that can automatically identify Vertrel, a non toxic, safe test simulant. This instrument was designed with the intention of in-place carbon filter testing per the ANSI N510. The Physical Protection Engineering Branch uses this instrument in their mission to certify the chemical /biological/radiological filtration systems at special protected sites of significant importance to national security. Market surveys have been performed to obtain information for all potential/relevant sources. Internet tools/web searches have been performed. Previous market research for similar or identical requirements has been reviewed and known sources of similar products are annually contacted to review if there have been changes in technology on the market.

Similar items have been procured before through contracts W91ZLK-19-P-0065, W91ZLK-16-P-0284 and W91ZLK-14-P-0494, requirements for each of these contracts were prepared by the Collective Protection and Fixed Site Sustainment Team.