Limited_Sources_Justification_Area_and_State_NRCS_Workload_Analysis.pdf

LIMITED SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

AUTHORITY: GSA Multiple Award Schedule Program FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B): Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized

OFFICE: Operations Branch, Acquisitions Division, Farm Production and Conservation Business Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture

1. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

Approval of a limited source award for consulting services in support of identification of employee staff time required at the above Field Office (FO) level and below National Headquarters level to directly and indirectly support NRCS Field Offices. This work is also referred to as the Area and State Office Study.

2. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value).

The original Task Order (Task Order No. 121A2318F0167) for the Workload Cycle was awarded in July 2018 to Accenture Federal Services. The overall project focuses on staff required at all levels of the organization necessary to implement programs and technical assistance outlined in the Farm Bill.

Given the complexity of this project, it was determined that a phased approach to this work was necessary in order to differentiate staff requirements at the three primary organizational levels; Field Office, Area and State Offices, and National Headquarters. NRCS leadership will use the resultant data to make better informed staffing decisions.

As part of the original award and work performed, Accenture has assisted in identifying employee staff time required at the Field Office (FO) level to produce Field Office work products. A part of that work Accenture developed an “Area and State Design Action Plan” to assist in:

Quantifying staff needs at NRCS offices above the FO level and below National Headquarters

(NHQ)

Identifying staffing distribution needs for NRCS offices above the FO level through:

o Quantifying total need o Quantifying staffing distribution within a fixed staffing allocation of FTEs

Determining the productivity of staff in NRCS offices above the FO level and below NHQ.

This task order award will allow for the implementation of tasks identified in the leadership approved “Area and State Design Action Plan” (A&S Plan).

The contractor will perform the following as a continuation of ongoing Field Office time studies from work completed under prior contracts:

1. Design and build the time data collection tool to be used by Area and State staff as well as partners and other contract staff with e-Authentication Level 2 authorization.

2. Aid in participant selection for tool User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and will conduct UAT and improve the tool based on testing.

3. Aid in time collection participant selection and will provide necessary training, provide telephone and email assistance to participants, provide reports outlining participation.

4. Complete preliminary and final data and statistical analysis on the appropriateness of the data for answering NRCS questions related to above field office and below NHQ staffing needs.

5. Will compile final reports

Value: $ 621,200.00

3. Identify the authority and supporting rationale [see 8.405-6(a)(1)(i) and (b)(1)] and, if applicable, demonstrate the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications to provide the required supply or service.

Authority to be used for this action is FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B).

This contract will further work already performed by Accenture under prior awards with Accenture.

The previous work was awarded against a USDA IDIQ contract vehicle which is no longer available for the FPAC-BC Acquisitions Division, Operations Branch to issue a new Task Order against. The USDA IDIQ was the intended method of award prior to it being placed “on hold” by the Dept for issuance of new obligations.

The cost of obtaining the services of another contractor would result in unacceptable delays to the Government based on the critical time sensitive nature of the funding and resource decisions that need to be made for this project. It is estimated that if awarded to another contractor it would take at least three months to get a contractor up to speed on the organizational structure of NRCS, to explain the work that has been completed to date, and then develop an entirely new tool as opposed to updating the existing tool used for data collection could result in double or more the anticipated cost of this work.

In addition, analysis of Area and State data must be compatible with analysis already completed and continuing to be completed for Field Office data. Failure to have compatible data would create a risk of losing the value of all previously completed work.

4. A determination by the ordering activity contracting officer that the order represents the best value consistent with 8.404(d).

IAW FAR 8.404(d), placement of an order against a schedule contract using the procedures in 8.405 the ordering activity has concluded that the order represents the best value and results in the lowest overall cost alternative to meet the Government’s need.

Best value will based upon a review of the proposed level of effort (LOE) to determine price reasonableness prior to award of the Task Order.

5. A description of the market research conducted among schedule holders and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

Accenture is the only source capable of providing the services required and at the level of quality required. For the reasons described above, award to another Contractor for this work would result in duplicative costs associated with a steep learning curve. It would also create an unreasonable delay in obtaining critically valuable data in support of workload staffing at the Area and State Office level of

NRCS.

Per FAR and Agency policy, market research is not required to be documented in writing for orders under GSA FSS contracts. [FAR 10.001(a)(2); FPACPOP 4I-10.002]

6. Any other facts supporting the justification.

This work was planned to be added to an existing contract vehicle within USDA. However, that contract vehicle is no longer an option for additional work

7. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to the restricted consideration before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services is made.

The limited source award to be issued for this work is a result of unusual circumstances that will not be repeated. This is the last phase of this project; no additional awards will be necessary.

TECHNICAL/PROGRAM OFFICE CERTIFICATION:

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

Anna Bramblett Date Technical/Program Manager

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION:

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

Shaukat Syed Date Contracting Officer

ANNA BRAMBLETT Digitally signed by ANNA BRAMBLETT Date: 2019.02.21 12:32:40 -05'00'

SHAUKAT SYED Digitally signed by SHAUKAT SYED Date: 2019.02.21 11:38:21 -06'00'