Commodity Specialist’s Name:



Date: 14 December 2012

Commodity Specialist’s Name: Richard Woodworth

Commodity Specialist’s Recommendation: Approve

Agency: Pennsylvania State Police (PSP)

Supplier Number: 399583

Supplier: Ring Power Corporation

Sole Source ID Number: 17945

Estimated Dollar Amount: $246,000.00

Federal Funds: Yes…This Equipment is being funded by Federal Forfeiture monies

QA Review: No

Materials:

NIJ Level IV Armored Caterpillar Multi-Terrain Loader (THE ROOK), with the following attachments, equipment, and electronics: Hydraulic Breaching Ram, Grapple Claw, Vehicle Extraction, 10 Ton 22' Flat Deck Trailer, Standard Electronics - 2 Infrared Camera's, 5 Low-light Camera's, 8-Channel digital video recorder.

Agency Summary:

Ring Power Corporation is the sole source manufacturer and distributor for the ROOK Tactical Solutions Armored Vehicle and it’s attachments.

Research by the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Emergency and Special Operations has not revealed any other armored equipment which is designed or operates with the capabilities of the ROOK. A thorough search of the internet and vendors that offer armored vehicles provided no results that meet the needs and features being requested of this particular piece of equipment produced no other equipment..

Procurement Summary:

The Commodity Specialist has made substantial effort to provide determination as to whether or not this procurement should proceed as a “Sole Source” procurement action.

➢ From Kelly L. Frederick, Purchasing Agent Supervisor, Pennsylvania State Police, Procurement & Supply Div.:

“Question for you regarding the “ROOK”.  What makes the “ROOK” different from the TAC-CAT offered by TACTICAL-?  In order to submit this as a sole source I have to be able to prove that there isn’t anything similar in design or performance and as much as I can tell the TAC-CAT is very similar.  Please elaborate on the differences or what makes the “ROOK” the only tactical armored vehicle of its kind.”

Response from Captain Keith A. Stone, Director, Tactical Operations Division

Pennsylvania State Police, Bureau of Emergency & Special Operations:

“The TAC-CAT no longer exists as the references to it on the news web site Tactical are from back in 2007 and 2008 time period.  That model was built by a company called Protection Development International, Corp. which no longer exists. 

At that time (2007 / 2008) they (PDIC) took a Caterpillar Model 257B Multi-Terrain Loader, up armored it and then had another company which only makes attachments, a company called EZ Spot UR, provide a claw attachments.  That model (which is no longer manufactured) did not have the large Armor Deployment Platform that the Rook provides, nor the same camera systems mounted within the hydraulic ram, large front mounted ballistic armored deployment platform capable of carrying 5 SERT members and lifting them to a second floor entry point.

EZ Spot UR still exists but they do not build the machine, can only provide modified attachments as they are a company that builds similar claws for the logging industry.  They do not do any up armor or make the Caterpillar 287C vehicle.

  The Rook is also built on a much larger and more powerful platform, the Caterpillar 287C Multi -Terrain loader.

What you are seeing with the extinct TAC-CAT is an earlier version of what is now the Rook when it was first being developed utilizing the Caterpillar equipment as a base vehicle by another group that went out of business.

The Rook is built completely by Ring Power which is a very large Caterpillar dealer in Florida.

Bottom line is that the TAC-CAT and the company that built those couple early models no longer exists.”

➢ Additional info from Captain Keith A. Stone, Director, Tactical Operations Division

Pennsylvania State Police, Bureau of Emergency & Special Operations:

“No problem at all.  I know they do not like sole source purchases but often times in our unique responsibilities with BESO, there are times where the equipment we use is so specialized and purpose built there are not a great deal of people who make this stuff. 

The people from Ring Power Tactical Solutions / Caterpillar who make the Rook are very aware of the history / development of the idea and how it has been developed over the years: what companies were involved, who the investors were, what rights were purchased and sold etc…  It all comes back to Ring Power being the current and only source, manufacturer and distributor for the Rook.

LENCO who makes are BearCat armored trucks does not offer / build anything close to this.

The Armored Group LLC does not offer or build / anything close to this.

John Deere – negative

BobCat – Negative”

➢ Per James Massery, Government Sales Manager, LENCO Armored Vehicles:

“Lenco does not offer a product that meets these specs.”

➢ Per Richard Woodworth, Commodity Specialist, Bureau of Procurement, Department of General Services, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania:

“I have searched the internet for several hours, under every word and word groups that I could think of.  Though, there are several companies that manufacture armored vehicles (cars, trucks, construction equipment, and personnel carriers {military type}), I cannot find another unit with all the features that you are looking for.

The closest I got was reference to a company named Protection Development International Corporation at 1555 Railroad Street, Corona, California; But when I call both phone numbers that I can find for them, I get the same response that neither phone is now in order.”

In light of the research that has been performed, both by the requiring activity (PSP) as well as the Department of General Services’ Commodity Specialist, I recommend that this procurement action proceed, in an expedited manner, as a “Sole Source” procurement action.

Richard Woodworth, Commodity Specialist (YT2)

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