J&A 13.106(b)(1) Carbon Exciter Brushes

DETERMINATION TO SOLICIT FROM A SINGLE SOURCE Solicitation No.: R13PS30092 Project Name: Specialty Carbon Exciter Brushes for Hoover Dam 1. Agency and Contracting Activity. Bureau of Reclamation, Lower Colorado Regional Office, Hoover Dam. 2. Name and Address of Single Source. Mersen USA Bn. Corp. 400 Myrtle Ave. Boonton, New Jersey, 07005 USA 3. Description of Supplies/Services and Estimated Cost. The proposed requirement is for the supply of various types of Specialty Exciter Brushes on an as needed basis with the following performance requirements: Current density of 12 to 20 A/cm2 with a low friction, high electrical conductivity, good mechanical stability, low friction coefficient, low resistivity material, high quality tamping, optimized cable dimensions, has a brush wear warning systems, brush-holders with dust exhaust system and wide speed range. 4. Description of Circumstances, including why only one source is reasonably available. Mersen is the only vendor that designs, manufactures, and distributes the exciter carbon brushes and exciter brush holders that are customized to meet Hoover Dam's specific requirement. Mersen designed these brushes to meet Hoover Dam's performance requirements. The following performance requirements are: Current density of 12 to 20 A/cm2 with a low friction, high electrical conductivity, good mechanical stability, low friction coefficient, low resistivity material, high quality tamping, optimized cable dimensions, has a brush wear warning systems, brush-holders with dust exhaust system and wide speed range. Due to these factors, these brushes are the only brushes available in the market place that is specially designed for cleaning Hoover Dam's Exciter Rotors. Mersen is the only vendor that manufactures and distributes specialty brushes designed for Hoover Dam's exciter Rotors. Orders for these brushes can only be placed through Mersen because they do not have authorized distributors. Changing the brush type at this time would require and other Vendor to reverse engineer and design and custom fabricate all brushes to be compatible to the existing Mersen brush holders, etc. 5. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost. Comparison with similar items in the related industry show that Mersen's prices reflect the prices being charged on GSA and their prices are within the GSA price ranges. Furthermore, FAR 8.404 (d) states that GSA has already determined the prices of supplies to be fair and reasonable Therefore, Mersen's price is determined to be fair and reasonable to the Government. Additionally, changing products would incur additional and unnecessary costs to the Government because if an equal product was purchased, the Government would have to incur additional costs associated with replacing all the existing Mersen brushes, holders, and hardware in Hoover's inventory. Purchasing an equal product would also create substantial engineering costs associated with attempting to customize the equal products in order to be compatible with Hoover Dam's Exciter Rotors. 6. Description of Market Research. A sources sought notice was posted on 01/30/2013 and no capability statements were received. Therefore, based on factors outlined in section 4, Mersen is the only vendor that designs, manufactures, and distributes the exciter carbon brushes and exciter brush holders that are customized to meet Hoover Dam's specific requirement and there are no other vendors that can manufacture Specialty Exciter Brushes in accordance to Hoover Dam's performance requirements.