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12 <br /> To: Finance - Purchasing <br /> From: Angel Barnes, Capital Projects Manager, Asset Management Services <br /> Date: March 10, 2026 <br /> Subject: Sole Source Justification for the Orange County Animal Services and Richard E. <br /> Whitted Fire Alarm Replacement — Siemens Fire Safety System <br /> 1. Scope of Work <br /> This request is for the procurement and installation of a Desigo/XLS Fire Alarm System <br /> at Richard E. Whitted Complex. The work includes a complete Fire Alarm System, <br /> including new cabling, voice notification, two annunciators, Rath Area of Rescue <br /> Assistance, Smart Sprinkler, Building X Gateway, detectors, and mass notification <br /> components. <br /> 2. Justification for Sole Source (Check the primary driver) <br /> • Proprietary Technology& Integration: Our facility currently utilizes an existing <br /> Siemens network. The Siemens Fire Systems use proprietary communication <br /> protocols and software that do not license third-party vendors to interface at the <br /> panel's "head-end" level. Head-End Interface Explanation When Siemens states <br /> that they do not allow third-party interface at the head-end level, they are referring <br /> to the primary fire alarm control and supervisory platform—the system layer <br /> responsible for life-safety functions such as alarm processing, event <br /> prioritization, system logic, annunciation, historical logging, diagnostics, and <br /> code-required reporting. <br /> • While Siemens fire alarm systems can support limited, supervised integrations <br /> at the field-device or monitoring level (for example, dry contacts or defined <br /> protocol interfaces for specific subsystems), Siemens does not permit <br /> third-party control, programming, or replacement of the head-end fire alarm <br /> control equipment or software. Allowing a non-Siemens party to control or <br /> modify that layer would compromise system integrity, UL listings, NFPA <br /> compliance, and manufacturer certification. <br /> • It is not typical, nor supported, for a system to have all other aspects controlled <br /> by third parties while retaining a Siemens head-end. The head-end serves as the <br /> life-safety authority of the system, and Siemens maintains exclusive <br /> responsibility for its configuration, firmware, and programming. <br />