This is a notice of intent to sole source announcement only. This is not a requst for formal quotes or proposal . Interested source submit data are responsibile for appropriately marking information if it is proprietary in nature. The Government will not reimburse participants for information they provide. This is a notice of intent to sole source with fair opportunity for all responsible sources to see the notice and respond if capable. Information provided is strictly voluntary. Please email responses to Kim Yen Tu at
[email protected] no later than the time indicated below. Telephonic inquiries will not be honored. Closing date for submission is 09/08/2023, at 10:00 a.m. central time. Pursuant to Part 6.3, USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), intends to issue a sole source firm fixed price purchase order to MUNICIPAL EMERGENCY SERVICES, INC. (UEl:T4MGJ9BU63J6) a Self-Contained Breathing Air (SCBA) tank filling system, the RevolveAir Fill Station, RevolveAir Compressor, and associated parts. ---------- Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition United States Department of Agriculture Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 6.3 1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity. USDA NBAF APHIS VS Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) 1980 Denison Ave Manhattan, Kansas 66502 2. The nature and/or description of the action being approved. Purchase of a Self-Contained Breathing Air (SCBA) tank filling system, the RevolveAir Fill Station, RevolveAir Compressor, and associated parts from Municipal Emergency Services. 3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value). The purpose of this procurement is to establish onsite capability of refilling SCBA tanks to support emergency response operations. The estimated value would be $98,000 for the complete system. The most important evaluation factor for this solicitation will be the ability to meet the technical requirements. System reliability and ability to support the system through the availability of trained and locally available personnel, as well as capability to offer service contracts or agreements will be of secondary importance. The initial cost of the instrumentation will be of third and lesser importance, since long-term program costs will escalate if the instrumentation is not able to meet the technical requirements.The SCBA tank filling system must meet the following minimum requirements: 1. The system must be compatible with and capable of filling currently owned SCBA tanks Air-Pak 3M™ X3 Pro SCBA 2018 Edition - Config 3 (Model: X8814025305A04) to a pressure of 5500 psi. 2. The system must be capable of filling 2 tanks simultaneously while two cylinders are being exchanged on the outside of the system. 3. The system must be designed to have a have a quiet noise rating so that personnel do not require hearing protection during routine operation. 4. The system must include 4-bottle air storage system. 5. The system must have an auto cascade function to enable filling SCBA tanks without manually opening and closing multiple valves. 6. The system must include a protective chamber for the SCBA tanks to provide personnel protection in the event of a tank rupture during filling operations, and must meet the NFPA 1901 containment standard. 7. The compressor system must have dimensions less than or equal to 34”w x 40”d x 71”h and the tank filling station must have overall dimensions of 30”w x 52”d x 71”h or less in order to fit in the allocated space. 8. The system must be ergonomically designed. 9. The system must have a 5 stage compressor capable of 7000 PSI 10. The system must include safety pressure gauges, a carbon monoxide (CO) monitor with alarm that conforms to NFPA 1989, 2019 edition. 11. The system must produce high quality compressed breathing air that meets the breathing air quality testing requirements specified in NFPA 1989, 2019 edition. 12. The system must be designed to Underwriters Laboratory (UL) standards 13. The system must be at least 10 horsepower (hp) powered by single phase 208-230 VAC at 60Hz. 14. The compressor system must be designed for reduced vibration and crankshaft loading. 15. The system must include installation, and training support. 4. The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition. 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, titled "Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements." 5. A statement demonstrating the unique qualifications of the proposed contractor or the nature of the action requiring the use of the authority. The RevolveAir Systems SCBA Tank Filling system is the only identified system that meets or exceeds all the requirements. RevolveAir Systems is a staple in fire departments for SCBA tank filling across the United States and has a strong customer following. RevolveAir Systems has products that provide unmatched features and benefits. NBAF currently uses MES Fire to perform required annual testing and certification of NBAF owned SCBA Air-Pak components (regulator assemblies). Additionally MES Fire provides routine services and inspections of SCBA tank filling systems at local area fire departments. Purchase of any other SCBA filling system besides the RevolveAir Systems would result in significant cost (i.e., both monetary and to providing services) to NBAF due to additional training, and routine maintenance services from non-local providers. As a result, it is recommended that the RevolveAir SCBA tank filling system, (RevolveAir Fill Station, RevolveAir Compressor, and associated parts) from MES Fire be purchased to ensure the ability of the Agency to meet emergence response needs. 6. A description of efforts made to ensure offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable. Web searches and visits to local fire departments were used to identify available systems and companies that could sell and provide customer support for an SCBA filling system. The table below shows the three identified suppliers of SCBA tank filling systems with descriptions and specifications of their systems, along with quotes for systems and adaptors that would be necessary to meet our needs. No other vendors were identified from these searches for systems that would meet our requirements. Municipal Emergency Services - RevolveAir System- Meets requirements Air Systems International BAFC10C16K with FCFS-24CP3 and associated equipment - does not meet requirements Bauer Compressors UNICUS4I/13 - does not meet requirements Municipal Emergency Services (MES) owns the intellectual property, designs, patents, and trademarks for the RevolveAir, Smart Fill and RevolveAir Connect products. We did not find any additional authorized sellers of this RevolveAir system through online search. 7. A determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. The total cost to purchase the complete RevolveAir System is $98,000. Market research shows that the competitor system, Bauer Compressors Model UNICUS4I/13 costs around $100K as well (inclusive of shipping and installation). Comparing these two products the pricing is close in range which indicates the pricing is fair and reasonable for a typical product of this kind. The third system reviewed was from Air Systems International, Model BAFC10C16K with Model FCFS-24CP3 and associated components is priced a lot lower but is a smaller system that does not meet the specified horsepower pressure and other requirements outlined above. 8. A description of the market research conducted and the results or a statement of the reason Market Research was not conducted. For market research, three vendors were identified that manufacture/market SCBA tank filling systems in the United States, including Municipal Emergency Services and Air Systems International, and Bauer Compressors. These vendors were contacted to obtain technical and pricing information for the type of system targeted. Each vendor sells systems with different features and configurations, so effort was made to make the comparison as consistent as possible. The RevolveAir System is the only system capable of meeting our needs. The RevolveAir System was identified through web searches and discussions with Municipal Emergency Services representatives during performance of routine service on our existing equipment. 9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition. N/A 10. A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed a written interest in the acquisition. N/A 11. A statement of actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition if subsequent acquisitions are anticipated. NA