SSJ_AFRICAN ALUMNI SYMPOSIUM FY20_FINAL redacted.pdf

For All Actions At or Below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold Use for FAR Part 8, FAR Subpart 13.1, or FAR Part 16, Including Brand Name

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Version – February 2017

Memorandum for Record – Limiting Competition at or below the Simplified

Acquisition Threshold

1. Contracting Activity: Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC)- Carlisle Barracks

2. Description of Action: USARAF requests a sole source contract with Comfort Suites Downtown Carlisle (Carlisle Suites 10, LLC.). An acquisition plan is not required because this procurement does not meet the threshold at Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement 207.103(d)(i)(B).

Nature: New Requirement

Contract Vehicle: X Purchase Order Number TO BE DETERMINED

Pricing/Contract Type: Fixed Price

Funds: Operations & Maintenance, Army (OMA) FY: 20

Name of Proposed Contractor(s) and Address:

Carlisle Suites 10, LLC.

10 S. Hanover Street, Carlisle, PA 17013 Phone: (717) 960-1000

Brand Name Buy: Yes No

a. LODGING. The contractor shall provide sufficient single, double occupancy rooms to accommodate the total number of personnel for each day listed in the below chart.

7-Mar 8-Mar 9-Mar 10-

Mar

11-

Mar

12-

Mar

13-

Mar

TOTA

L

Single

Rooms 100 100 100 100 100 28 6 534

b. MEAL CATERING. The Contractor shall provide meal catering services for the group size detailed in this document for the days, locations and according to the unique requirements listed in the below table and sub paragraphs.

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Meal Type Location 8-Mar-20 9-Mar-20 10-Mar-20 11-Mar-20 12-Mar-20 13-Mar-20

Lunch Hotel 113 12

Lunch Conference 112 112 112 112

Reception Evening Social 149

Bar Evening Social 149

Dinner Hotel 116 106 106 12

Bar Hotel 106 106

Totals: 229 410 324 324 136 12

Period of Performance: 7 March 2020 to 13 March 2020 Total Value: $ $57,721.00

3. Authority:

FAR 13.106-1(b)(1): For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), only one source reasonably available, urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand name, or industrial mobilization.

4. Reasons for Authority Cited:

a. The African Alumni Symposium (AAS) consists of General Officers and

Field Grade Officers from 29 African Countries, and U.S. General Officers and other senior personnel. The total expected participation in this event is 100 individuals.

The venue required for AAS requires availability for 100 guests and the ability to service catering and provide meals on-site since all travel during the symposium will originate from the lodging facility. The conference will be hosted at the Army War

College’s (AWC) Army Heritage and Education Center (AHEC), and the AWC will be providing group transportation to/from the lodging to the AHEC. USARAF requires a lodging facility that is within a 10 mile commuting distance from the lodging property to reduce the transportation time and costs associated with the events of the symposium.USARAF also requires a facility with in-house restaurant/catering resources.The Comfort Suites Downtown Carlisle is the closest

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Version – February 2017 hotel to the AWC and AHEC that has the capacity to provide the lodging accommodations and restaurant/catering services required in this contract. While there are other hotels in the area, they are at a greater distance from the conference site (greater than the 10 mile commute), they have little to no capability for providing on site meals and catering services, and they don’t possess the necessary conference space within their property to host the various meetings that make up AAS20. Pricing for the Comfort Suites Downtown Carlisle at $94 per night is competitive as compared to the other property options.

b. Another potential alternative would be to use multiple lodging facilities.

Using multiple locations for the lodging of distinguished participants, key and essential staff personnel, and conference spaces would produce a larger footprint for the event which reduces security benefits and increases the security risks associated with executing this event. The transportation needs would increase costs and reduce the amount of time available to execute the various tasks and mission requirements for this symposium. The use of multiple locations would also create a security risk due to the traffic created for personnel traveling to/from the main venue site.

c. Failure to approve this Justification for Limiting Competition at or below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold will result in the requirement being solicited in a full and open competitive environment that would only result in the Comfort Suites

Downtown Carlisle being able to meet all of Government’s requirements for lodging accommodations, conference spaces, and catering services. Essentially, an open and full competition would delay the inevitable decision that the Comfort Suites

Downtown Carlisle would be the selected vendor for this contracted requirement.

This delay could result in the Comfort Suites Downtown Carlisle committing to a competing event and thus making the property unavailable to host this requirement.

As such, this requirement must be solidified as quickly as possible to reserve the property to provide the required lodging accommodations, conference spaces, and catering services.

d. Market research reveals the only hotel capapble of meeting the requirement is the Carlisle Suites 10, LLC. (Comfort Suites). See paragraph 6 below for detailed market research results.

5. Publicizing Contract Actions: For FAR Part 13 actions, the public display and synopsis requirements of FAR 5.101 and FAR 5.203:

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Version – February 2017 do not apply due to an exception at 5.202 (13). Synopsis is also expempt in accordance with FAR 5.101(a)(2)(i) based on the use of oral solicitation.

Requirement to post justification in accordance with FAR 8.405-6(b)(3), FAR 13.105(c), or FAR 16.505(a)(4)(iii)(A):

Action is NOT a brand name restriction and is under $150K, no posting required

6. Market Research: AAS20 Planners conducted online research for properties that were located within a 10 mile commuting distance from the Army War College. The properties also needed to possess the necessary lodging inventory, sufficient spacing to conduct on site receptions/meetings, the ability to provide onsite meals for all of the attendees and supporting staff, and a minimum of a two-star hospitality star rating. The following hotels were contacted:

MARKET RESEARCH

Lodging rates from Saturday, 7 March 2020 to Friday, 13 March 2020

HOTEL LOCATION

HOTEL

RATING

UNIT

PRICE

TOTAL

PRICE

(651 room nights)

MILES TO

CARLISLE

BARRACKS

REMARKS

Wingate by

Wyndham

Mechanicsburg, PA

3-Star $94.00 $61,194.00 14.5

More than 10 miles from

AHEC/AWC

No in house restaurant/catering resource

Hampton Inn Carlisle, PA 3-Star $96.00 $62,496.00 3 No in house restaurant/catering resource

Hampton Inn Mechanicsburg, PA

3-Star $96.00 $62,496.00 14.9

More than 10 miles from

AHEC/AWC

No in house restaurant/catering resource

Sleep Inn Carlisle, PA 3-Star $72.00 $46,872.00 2.6 No in house restaurant/catering resource

Comfort Suites

Downton Carlisle Carlisle, PA 2-Star $94.00 $61,194.00 1.5

Closest to Carlisle Barracks

Possess in house restaurant/catering services

Days Inn Carlisle, PA 2-Star $64.99 $42,308.49 3.4 No in house restaurant/catering resource

Homewood Suites Mechanicsburg, PA

3-Star $143.00 $93,093.00 14.8

More than 10 miles from

AHEC/AWC

No in house restaurant/catering resource

Country Inn & Suites Mechanicsburg, PA

2-Star $93.00 $60,543.00 15.8

More than 10 miles from

AHEC/AWC

No in house restaurant/catering resource

Comfort Inn PA

Turnpike - I-81 Carlisle, PA 2-Star $75 $48,825.00 2.7 No in house restaurant/catering resource

From 18 to 22 November 2019, AAS20 Planners conducted traveled to Carlisle, Pennsylvania to visit all of the properties that were determined to possess the requirements determined to be essential for the successful execution of AAS20. During this visit, AAS20 Planners visited each property, met with property representatives and confirmed the information that was obtained during the online research. The market

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Version – February 2017 research resulted in only one vendor/property that was capable of meeting the total number of lodging accommodations required, the size and number of conference spaces, and the ability to provide catering services onsite.

Request for Information (RFI) posted to beta.sam.gov from 13 Jan – 17 Jan 2020 resulted in five (5) companies expressing interest. Further market research of the five companies revealed the following:

MDR Services (SB): Not capable - submitted two hotels outside the mileage radius

GCS Hospitality (WOSB): submitted a request to split requirement into two facilities. Not capable of meeting catering based on cost estimate ($141,908)

Logistics 365 (WOSB): Interested in coordinating the requirement-did not submit potential hotel

Legacy Group (SB): Interested in coordinating the requirement-did not submit potential hotel

Comfort Suites (VOSB): Capable of meeting the requirement and provided a cost estimate of ($65,831)

Market research reveals Comfort Suites is the only hotel capable of meeting the requirement in its entirety in terms of availability, lodging inventory, conference/meeting space, catering services and was location.

7. Procurement History: Previous Purchase Order(s) or Contract(s): No If "Yes", for each purchase order or contract provide:

Purchase order or contract number:

Was action Sole Source? N/A If action was Sole Source, state the cited authority, summarize rationale: N/A

8. Additional Information to support the justification: N/A

9. Technical/Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Name: LTC Cesar N. Feliciano Date: See digital signature Title: AAS20 Requirements Planner, US Army Africa’s Security Cooperation Directorate-International Military Engagement

Signature:

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10. Fair and Reasonable Price Determination: As contracting officer, I hereby determine that the anticipated cost to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable. Basis for the determination: by using one or a combination of the techniques listed in FAR part 13.106-3(a)(2).

11. Contracting Officer Certification/Approval: I hereby certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. Based on the foregoing, I approve this sole source justification subject to availability of funds, and provided that the services and supplies herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

Name: Larry Brown Date: See digital signature Title: Contracting Officer, MICC-CB

Signature: