Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF JUNE 02, 2011 FBO #3477
SOLICITATION NOTICE

41 -- 52 AHUs/OA Dampers

Notice Date

5/31/2011
 

Notice Type

Justification and Approval (J&A)
 

NAICS

334512 — Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;West Palm Beach VA Medical Center;7305 North Military Trail;Palm Beach Gardens FL 33410-6400
 

ZIP Code

33410-6400
 

Archive Date

6/24/2011
 

Point of Contact

Deborah L Murphy
 

E-Mail Address

2-6517<br
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Award Number

GS-07F-8728D V548-C-10288
 

Award Date

5/25/2011
 

Description

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Justification and Approval for Other than Full and Open Competition Contracting Organization: This is a Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition for Purchase Request #548-11-1-5731-0001, issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 8, VAMC West Palm Beach. The contracting activity responsible for the proposed contracting action is Service Area Organization East, Network Contracting Activity 8, West Palm Beach. 2.Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Processed: The action being reviewed and approved is for the purchase and installation of Siemens proprietary building automation controllers which are BacNet compatible for the control of 55 Air Handing Units "minimum outdoor air dampers sets" digital output, and exhaust fan cycling of selected/coordinating exhaust fans. This is an approved VISN Energy Project, #548-11-201, and the action will be awarded as a new, firm fixed price contract. 3.Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet the Agency's Needs: This request calls for the installation of BACNet panels to control the minimum OA dampers on 52 AHU's. This will include 52 each: PXCIOOBACNet, PXA-ENC19, PXA-SCU Power Supply, and TXM1-8U, miscellaneous conduit, wire and fasteners, installation, software, system programming of the dampers, fans and graphics, system testing and system backup. The estimated value of the project is $291,885. The performance period of the project is anticipated to be twelve (12) weeks after receipt of the Notice to Proceed. The program supports our energy program and is supported by the VISN 8 Energy Manager. In addition to controlling the outside air dampers, this project also requires the modification of the TOD schedules for the exhaust air system in the building. In general, by closing off 159,000 cfm of supply air entering the building, we must also limit exhausting a percentage of that air to maintain a building with a slightly positive pressure. Therefore, this project also calls for the programming of certain exhaust fans to be cycled off during modified outside air dampers events. A single emergency point shall be created and graphically represented on the main graphic screen and shall shut Wall dampers and associated exhaust fans upon demand with an interacting icon on the graphic's screen. The OA Damper project is also intended to be used in the future with daytime control CO2 controls. This project will also provide a means to close outside air dampers to the facility when perimeter outdoor environmental concerns are present surrounding the facility. The project will be done using new Siemens BacNet compatible controllers. Although the existing Siemen's system is proprietary, this type of controller will enable full and open competition in the future when building automation modifications or expansions are needed. 4.Statutory Authority Permitting Other than Full and Open Competition: 41 USC 253(c)(1), as implemented by Far 6.302-1(a)(2) Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. 5.Demonstration that the Contractor's Unique Qualifications or nature of the Acquisition Requires the Use of the Authority Cited Above (applicability of the authority): The existing 1995 vintage Power 600 building automation system is a Siemen's proprietary system and is not an open protocol system. At the time the VAMC WPB was built, 16 years ago, only proprietary systems were available in the industry, completely restricting the availability of building automation services and parts to the one providing supplier. Since that time, the industry has changed and open protocol systems are now available from all the building controls manufacturers. However, the cost to replace an entire building automation system in a building this size would cost several million dollars, would be very disruptive to the building occupants and the IIVAC service to the hospital, and total replacement is not necessary at this time. This energy reduction project cleverly uses Siemens own (newer) open protocol system to achieve the goals of this project, and also opens up limited future projects for competition by using the BACNet open protocol system. Accordingly, Siemen's is the only firm capable of providing the specific equipment and services described in Section 3, which are essential to meeting the government's requirements without the Veteran's lIealth Administration incurring a substantial duplication of costs that cannot be reasonably expected to be recovered through competition. Siemen's is the only authorized provider of the required supplies, and only authorized installer of items directly to this system, and as such their products and services are essential to meeting the Government's requirements. 6.Description of Efforts Made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as deemed practicable: The existing Siemen's System 600/Apogee System is a proprietary system installed at the VAMC West Palm Beach when in was constructed sixteen (16) years ago..Documentation was requested and received from Siemen's indicating that they are the only authorized agent/manufacturer of the parts and equipment, and the only authorized technicians/engineers capable of providing the requirements of this request. Their (Siemen's letter dated January 27, 2011 can be found in the contract file, Tab P02). To confirm the validity of the Siemen's self certification as the sole source for this requirement, a Sources Sought Notice, VA-248-11-RP-0107, was posted to FBO on January 14, 2011 IAW FAR 6.303-2(a)(6) since no specific exemption exists under FAR 5.202. The closing date of the Sources Sought Notice was January 28, 2011. The Sources Sought Notice instructed interested parties to submit their qualifications and authorization to provide the required equipinent and labor on the Siemen's System 600/Apogee System. As instructed in the Sources Sought Notice, four contractors submitted their qualifications (the responses to the Sources Sought Notice can be found in the contract file at tab P02). In evaluating these submissions, it was determined that all interested vendors intended to purchase supplies and subcontract the work on this project to Siemen's as the sole source provider. It is apparent from the response to the Sources Sought Notice, that Siemen's is the solely authorized supplier of the required parts, and the solely authorized installer of parts for the existing system, as indicated in their self certification. 7.Determination by the Contracting Officer that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable: The Independent Government Estimate for this project is $291,855. Two methods of determining price reasonableness will be used: comparison of the proposed price to the Independent Government Estimate, and comparison of proposed contractor pricing to published prices for the same items manufactured by Siemen's and available to the general public. 8.Description of the Market Research Conducted and the Results, or a Statement of the Reasons Market Research was not Conducted. The current building automation system is a proprietary system to Siemens. Siemen's letter dated January 27, 2011 found in the contract file at tab P02 attests to that fact. Additional market research in the form of a Sources Sought Notice, VA-248-11-RP-0107 was conducted by the CO to determine that the information provided by Siemen's is in fact valid. The Sources Sought Notice closed on January 28, 2011, with a response from four interested contractors. Two of the responses indicated they were not an authorized distributer of the parts required, or an authorized installer, but would subcontract the work. Two of the responses indicated that the contractors were partners with Siemen's and authorized to perform the work. The CO sought further clarification of these statements from Siemen's and was informed that the companies were not partners and were not authorized to do the work, but that Siemen's had agreed to be their subcontractor and perform all work, in the event that the solicitation was posted for competition. This does not meet the Government's requirement for an authorized provider. 9.Any Other Facts Supporting the Use of Other than Full and Open Competition: Modification of the existing Siemen's system IAW the SOW for this project, will serve to make parts of the system more compatible with open protocol systems that exist in the market today. Although it will not convert the entire system to an open protocol system, it will convert parts of it to a system that will allow for competition for some future work. - 10.Listing of Sources that Expressed, in Writing, an Interest in the Acquisition: Five contractors entered their information on the MO Interested Vendors List in conjunction with the Sources Sought Notice dated January 14, 2011. Four contractors submitted the requested information by the closing date of the Sources Sought Notice (January 28, 2011). The Interested Vendors List and the responses from the contractors have been included in the contract file. 11.A Statement of the Actions, if any, the Agency May Take to Remove or to Overcome Barriers to Competition before Making subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required: By initiating the installation of some parts and sub systems, the agency is taking steps towards bringing the air handling system at VAMC WPB more in line with the open protocol systems available in the industry now that were unavailable 16 years ago. This action will help to ensure that some of the future maintenance and repair work on the system will be available for full and open competition, and that upon determination that the existing system requires replacement, an open protocol system will be available that will be able to utilize the sub system that is being installed as part of this project. Both accomplishments will allow for greater competition in the future. 12. Requirements Certification: I certify that the requirement outlined in this justification is a bonafide need of the Department of Veterans Affairs and that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in the justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief Edward Snyder General Engineer VAMC West Palm Beach 13. Approvals in accordance with FAR 6.304 a. Contracting Officer's Certification: (required) I certify that the foregoing justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. eborah L. Murphy Contracting Officer SAO East, NCA. 8 West Palm each b. One Level above Contracting Officer : I certify the justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief *This signature may be the VISN NCM if the Contracting Officer and Contracting Supervisor is the same individual. Michael Supervisory `Contract Specialist SAO East, NCA 8, Orlando c.NCM: I certify the justification meets requirements for other than full and open competition. /ES/ Mitchell Thomas Mitchell ThomasDate Network Contract Manager, VISN 8 d.SAO East: I certify the justification meets requirements for other than full and open competition. Not Required Jeffrey R. RyanDate Director Service Area Office East e.VHA IICA's Review and Approval: I have reviewed the foregoing justification and find it to be complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief and recommend approval (over ($50 million), approve (up to $50 million) for other than full and open competition. Not Required Joseph A. Williams, Jr. RN, BSN, MPMDate Head of Contracting Activity (FICA) Veterans Health Administration f.VHA Senior Procurement Executive Approval (over $50 million): I have reviewed the foregoing justification and find it to be complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief and approve for other than full and open competition. Office of Acquisition and Logistics Senior Procurement Executive (SPE) Department of Veterans Affairs
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/f56246bf5eb7685c0cd3b65d7cb0998b)
 

Record

SN02460475-W 20110602/110531234624-f56246bf5eb7685c0cd3b65d7cb0998b (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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