Coastal Systems Station, Dahlgren Division, 6703 W. Highway 98, Panama City, FL 32407-7001

42 -- FIRE FIGHTING, RESCUE, AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT SOL N61331-99-Q-3502 DUE 080799 POC Buyer-Kevin Soucy, (850) 235-5058; Contracting Officer, Carol Dreger, (850) 234-4863 WEB: www.ncsc.navy.mil/contracts/synopsis/syntable.htm, www.ncsc.navy.mil. E-MAIL: Soucy_Kevin@ncsc.navy.mil, Soucy_Kevin@ncsc.navy.mil. The Coastal Systems Station intends to award a sole-source purchase order to Sellstrom/RTC for the procurement of a Climb-Rite System. The Coastal Systems Station Fleet Support Branch has been tasked by NAVSEA to outfit Navy Ships with fall protection equipment to be used when climbing machinery space escape trunks for firefighting purposes. NAVSEA requires the Fall Protection System to be comprised totally of Commercially Available Items (COTS) and meet all applicable commercial standards and regulations. In 1995, NAVSEA tasked MPR Associates to conduct an extensive two year evaluation of all Commercially Available Fall Protection Systems. MPR's recommendation to NAVSEA was to use a flat rail-carrier sleeve type system. This type of system proved to be the most reliable, safest, and easiest to use. Also there were commercial standards for this type of system. This acquisition is unsuitable for full and open competition because the Climb-Rite system manufactured by Sellstrom/RTC is the only system available that meets all of the Safety Standards and System Requirements. A standard Ladder Safety Fall Protection System should contain a flat rail, carrier sleeve, and waist belt according to commercial standards. However, the system we are tasked to install requires additional parts. These parts are the spacer brackets and rail extension pieces. The spacer brackets are required so that the flat rail may flex around deck protrusions. Perhaps the most critical safety requirement for the Ladder Safety Fall Protection System is the extension piece. This component is critical because allows the Fall Protection System to be installed in machinery space escape trunks that contain hatches. The extension piece extends the flat rail outside of the trunk so that the user can connect to the system at a safe level. Without the extension piece the user would have to climb into the trunk to connect to the system, exposing themselves to a substantial fall hazard and completely diminishing the effectiveness of the Fall Protection System. Sellstrom/RTC is the only Fall Protection System Vendor that offers the spacer brackets and particularly the extension piece. Therefore in order to maintain an adequate level of safety, Sellstrom/RTC is the only vendor for the Ladder Safety System. Note 22 applies. Posted 07/23/99 (W-SN358497). (0204)

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