NATIONAL INCIDENT SUPPORT CACHE FLARES PURCHASE

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION (1) Identification of your unit with your name and title: USDA Forest Service Region 3 Western Zone Contracting and Property Office, Acquisition Management, located at 2324 East McDowell Road, Phoenix, Arizona. Janet Scaggs, Contracting Officer. (2) Nature and/or description of the action being approved. Purchase Firequick Products P/N: NFES #0299, NFES# 0371, NFES# 0372, NFES# 0687, and NFES# 0690 for five USDA Forest Service Fire Cache locations. (3) A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs. Firequick Products, Inc. is the only approved manufacturer identified by the NWCG Equipment Technology Branch, Equipment Technology Committee in the Interagency Ground Ignition Guide (PMS-443) and in the National Fire and Equipment System Catalog (PMS-449-1). (4) An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition. A - Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. (1) Citations: 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1). (2) When the supplies or services required by the agency are available from only one responsible source and no other type of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, full and open competition need not be provided for. EXPLANATION/JUSTIFICATION: Firequick Products, Inc. is the only approved manufacturer identified by the NWCG Equipment Technology Branch, Equipment Technology Committee in the Interagency Ground Ignition Guide (PMS-443) and in the National Fire and Equipment System Catalog (PMS-449-1). Use of non-Firequick brand firing devices poses compatibility and safety concerns for end users. Items purchased must be of models (P/N) listed above and meet item descriptions found on pages 133 and 140 of the 2016 National Fire Equipment System Catalog. Items purchased must carry all manufacturer's guarantees and warranties and be within manufacturer's recommendations of expiration time frames. (5) A demonstration that the proposed contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited. Firequick Products, Inc. is the only approved manufacturer identified by the NWCG Equipment Technology Branch, Equipment Technology Committee in the Interagency Ground Ignition Guide (PMS-443) and in the National Fire and Equipment System Catalog (PMS-449-1). (6) A description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies. Notice published on the Federal Business Opportunities GPE. (7) A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. This requires a full explanation from the requestor - how is the price considered fair and reasonable? What is the methodology for determining fair and reasonable? Fair and reasonable pricing will be determined using catalog pricing and comparison to previous purchases of the same products. (8) A description of the market research conducted and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted. Market research was conducted by the Project Manager and Contracting Officer. (9) Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition, such as: (i) Explanation of why technical data packages, specifications, engineering descriptions, statements of work, or purchase descriptions suitable for full and open competition have not been developed or are not available. (ii) When 6.302-1 is cited for follow-on acquisitions as described in 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii), an estimate of the cost to the Government that would be duplicated and how the estimate was derived. (iii) When 6.302-2 is cited, data, estimated cost, or other rationale as to the extent and nature of the harm to the Government. (10) A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition. Firequick Products, Inc. (11) A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required. (12) Contracting officer certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the contracting officer's knowledge and belief. JANET SCAGGS, CONTRACTING OFFICER 3/31/2017 Print Name, Title of Contracting Officer Date SIGNED