Sole_Source_Justification_JohnMankowski_Redacted.pdf

Last Updated: 11/15/2011 Version 1

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Name of Contracting Activity

Requisition No. Enter number

Purchase Order No. Enter number

Sole Source Justification

A. Description

The Pacific Northwest Landscape Conservation Design (PNW-LCD) project is a USFWS-lead collaborative effort to engage local communities throughout the coastal ecoregion of Oregon and Washington on landscape-scale conservation issues. In its third year, the PNW-LCD has made significant progress on collaborative science and identifying local issues related to land use and management, and proactive planning for the future.

The purpose of this contract is to develop a private lands engagement strategy. This strategy is needed to engage willing landowners in a Landscape Conservation Design (LCD) effort with particular emphasis on private farms, forests, and tidelands. This recognizes that landscape design should be done in partnership with those whom we rely on to continue producing environmental values. This project also recognizes that changes in management practices must be done with landowner support via a suite of effective of incentives, education, and technical support. It is absolutely critical to maintain trust between this Project and the private lands community. Changing contractors at this point would be damaging to the effort and lead to loss of efficiencies with limited funds.

B. Justification

a. Circumstances

This is follow-up to successful work that has completed to date under 140F0118P0276.

140F0118P0276 was openly competed in FY18. The work is essentially the same as under that contract, but with an expansion to other sub-geographies in the region. Continuing with Mr. Mankowski provides continuity of service and builds from existing relationships that Mr. Mankowski has built as part of the previous work. While we will be working in different sub-geographies, several of the stakeholders will be the same. For example, large forest land owners and associations of small woodland owners. Building trust with local stakeholders is one of the most important aspects of landscape conservation. Mr. Mankowski’s experience with the project will provide benefits for reaching out to new stakeholders. Hiring a new contractor would mean re-building trust and re-engaging dialogue around natural resources management that Mr. Mankowski has effectively lead. Mr.

Mankowski has developed an effective approach to documenting the conservation goals, values and needs of the working lands community using the Open Standards for Conservation. This is a unique skill set and would require significant training for someone else to integrate that approach.

b. Other Capable Sources

There are no other capable sources that would be acceptable to perform this work, given the inherent complexity of the work, as well as the relationships that have been built.

c. Barriers to Competition

The main barrier to competition in this case is the ongoing nature of landscape-scale conservation partnerships. The piecemeal nature of funding for this effort has made it necessary to develop small contracts for Facilitation. In subsequent procurments, the most realistic remedy to increase competition would be to have a significant amount of money to cover a 3-year period.

C. Recommendation and Certification by Program Office

Based on the above justification, I recommend this acquisition to be conducted using sole source acquisition procedures as specified in FAR Part 13. I hereby certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Last Updated: 11/15/2011 Version 1

Pro

D. Contracting Officer Certification and Approval

Based on the above justification, I hereby certify that the circumstances of this contract action deem only one source reasonably available and approve the use of sole source acquisition procedures for this purchase.

Contracting Officer Name, Contracting Officer Date

E. Concurrence by Chief of Contracting Office (only required for awards exceeding $25,000)

I hereby concur that the circumstances of this contract action deem only one source reasonably available.

Chief of Contracting Office Name, Chief of Contracting Office

Date