CSUSoleSourceJustificationrevised_Redacted.pdf

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Description of supplies or services required (including estimated value).

Colorado State University (Contractor) shall provide employees to deliver climate services and technical assistance to the USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub (NFCH), especially to projects led by the NFCH Fellow. Duties may include but are not limited to organizing workshops, providing training in the Adaptation Workbook, assisting development of vulnerability assessments and adaptation plans, and leading training in adaptive silviculture. The NFCH is operated by the Forest Service Northern Research Station on behalf of USDA, and the NFCH provides forest adaptation expertise nationally to the nine regional USDA Climate Hubs. Duties may also be conducted in support of other regional Hubs.

Estimated Value is not expected to exceed $ in a one-year period.

The award contract will begin September 25, 2019 to September 24, 2020.

The deliverable that will result from the contract is high quality climate services and technical assistance to facilitate more effective training, vulnerability analysis, and adaptation planning by USDA Climate Hub staff and stakeholders.

2. Which of the Following Circumstances Permitting Other than Full and Open Competition Applies:

The authority permitting other than full and open competition in this acquisition is in FAR 6.302- 3(a)(2)(ii), under the Application in 6.302-3(b)(2)(iii). This authority allows for other than full and open competition with the requirement is needed to “establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution . . . “

Colorado State University is the premier forestry education institution in Colorado and the Forest and Rangeland Stewardship Department employs staff who have worked extensively with the NFCH, receiving over a year of training in specialized tools and processes.

The two organizations work together in a formal capacity to substantially increase the technical assistance and training capabilities of each organization, leveraging the dollars of each organization for the future of employees, university faculty, and USDA Forest Service stakeholders.

3. A demonstration that the proposed contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited.

Colorado State University employees are highly trained and specialized in both climate services and technical assistance skills. The shared mutual interests and knowledge these two organizations lend themselves to a stronger basis for future scientific knowledge in this field.

4. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable.

The nature of R&D service contracts do not lend themselves to competition, as referenced in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 35.007-Research and Development Solicitation, which reads in part:

The submission and subsequent evaluation of an inordinate number of R&D proposals from sources lacking appropriate qualifications is costly and time-consuming to both industry and the Government. Therefore, contracting officers should initially distribute solicitations only to sources technically qualified to perform research and development in the specific field of science or technology involved. Cognizant technical personnel should recommend potential sources that appear qualified, as a result of –

(1) Present and past performance of similar work;

(2) Professional statue and reputation;

(3) Relative position in a particular field of endeavor;

(4) Ability to acquire and retain the professional and technical capability, including facilities, required to perform the work; and

(5) Other relevant factors.

As previously acknowledged, Colorado State University has similar areas of concentration that complement the work of the NFCH, hosted by the Northern Research Station. This is a specific confluence of specialized tools and approaches in climate services, experience in technical assistance, and familiarity with climate science and forest adaptation that would not allow for another vendors inclusion.

5. Is the Price Fair and Reasonable?

The Contracting Officer will make this determination at the time of award.

6. A description of market survey conducted and the results or a statement of reasons why market survey was not conducted.

No market survey was performed because of the contractor’s unique qualifications as stated above.

7. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition.

FAR 35.002 – Research and Development General, acknowledges the unique purposes and difficulties in contracting for research actions. It reads:

The primary purpose of contracted R&D programs is to advance scientific and technical knowledge and apply that knowledge to the extent necessary to achieve agency and national goals. Unlike contracts for supplies and services, most R&D contract are directed toward objectives for which the work or methods cannot be precisely described in advance. It is difficult to judge the probabilities of success or required effort for technical approaches, some of which offer little or no early assurance of full success. The contracting process shall be used to encourage the best sources form the scientific and industrial community to become involved in the program and must provide an environment in which the work can be pursued with reasonable flexibility and minimum administrative burden.

To the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that this justification is accurate and complete.

Approving Official/Technical Person Date Contracting Officer Date

20 September, 2019