Program/Item: GCSS-Army Panasonic Tablets Est. Dollar Value: Department of the Army Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity - Brand Name Order Under ADMC-2 CHESS Multiple Award Schedule 1. Contracting Activity: U.S. Army Contracting Command - Rock Island (ACC-RI), Rock Island, IL 61299-8000. 2. Description of Contract Action: This action requests approval of a Brand Name Justification for the purchase of quantity 21 Panasonic tablets (12 each H2 tablet and 9 each U1 tablet) to be tested by and fielded to the users at Virginia National Guard and the Ft Lee DOL. The required date is 30 days ARO. Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) funds have been provided to support this action. A firm-fixed-price delivery order is anticipated. 3. Description of Supplies/Services: The estimated value of the proposed action is . The panasonic H2 and U1 tablets are required as part of the Lead Site Verification Test at Ft Lee DOL and the Virginia National Guard. 4. Authority Cited: Section 803 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 (Pub. L. 107-107), DFARs 216-505-70(b) and 8.405-6(b)(1). The supplies or services to be ordered are unique or highly specialized by brand name. However, more than one vendor under the ADMC-2 contract is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required. Thus, competition will be restricted to vendors with an AMDC-2 contract that can quote Panasonic products. 5. Rationale for Limiting Sources: Hundreds of hours have been dedicated to complete Lead Site Validation Test (LSVT) test cases to support a device that will evaluate the critical Mission Task associated with the GCSS-Army software solution. This requirement is a follow-on action for hardware that was ordered under contract W91QUZ-06-D-0003,DO BA95 by ACC-RI. The requirement was not completely fulfilled to complete the original test case. Therefore, additional tablets are required to support the completion of testing. The purpose of this test case is to investigate whether this configuration of equipment will satisfy the technical requirements or if a configuration consisting of higher capabilities will be required. If this brand-name specific equipment is not procured, the Army Test and Evaluation Command, who performs the independent assessment, would not be able to complete this test case task and consequently, the mission would fail. This specific hardware is currently being tested at 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR) at Ft. Irwin and there is not enough data for the test case being produced. Consequently, in accordance with the Department of Army G4 SES, we are being directed to provide additional testing at the Ft. Lee Directorate of Logistics (DOL) and the Virginia Army National Guard. If a different platform other than the Panasonic that was tested in the LSVT was utilized for the additional test case, requiring the developers to configure a new test case. the Government would incur a substantial and unacceptable time delay causing Congress to shut down this program. The Government would also experience a significant cost increase that would exceed on impact and place the program at risk of shut-down with the office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). Utilizing other than these Panasonic tablets would prevent the Government from receiving a successful evaluation report and the Government would not be able to move forward with the fielding of this Acquisition Category I MAIS (ACAT IAM) program as directed by the OSD. 6. Market Research: Market research will continue to be conducted to determine if changes occur in the marketplace that would enable competition for further actions, but at this time, the Panasonic is the only device that can run the Army Golden Master, will meet the IAVA requirements for the GCSS-Army SAP solution, and perform the IUID and AIT requirements as mandated by the Department of Defense. The Contract Specialist at ACC-RI confirmed that the required equipment is available on both the ADMC-2 CHESS contract and GSA schedules. 7. Actions to Increase Competition: At this time, the assessment that will be performed on the tablets, once fielded, will determine the future procurements and competition that will be performed. If these specific tablets pass the test case, 8. Other Facts: Contract was originally awarded under W91QUZ-06-D-0003, DO BA95 by ACC-RI, however, the requirements authorized to the units was not fulfilled. This order will complete the requirement for the LSVT and allow Army Test and Evaluation Command performs the independent assessment as required. 9. Technical Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in this limited source justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. 10. Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in this limited source justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. After reviewing the requirement, and the Office of Management and Budget's July 29, 2009 letter, I hereby certify to the best of my knowledge and belief that there are no alternatives available other than an order limiting competition by brand name to fulfill this requirement. 11. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination: I hereby determine that the anticipated cost or price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable. Typed Name: Jeffrey S. Gollon Title: Contracting Officer Signature: //signed/// Date: October 22, 2012 12. Contracting Officer Certification: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief, and that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. After reviewing the requirement, and the Office of Management and Budget's 29 July, 2009 letter, I hereby certify to the best of my knowledge and belief that there are no alternatives available other than the use of an order limiting competition by brand name to fulfill this requirement. Typed Name: Jeffrey S. Gollon Title: Contracting Officer Signature: //signed// Date: October 22, 2012
