16. Sole Source Justification - Posted.pdf

Single Source Justification Western Area Power Administration

FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), Simplified Acquisitions

(Purchase Request #20WA135791)

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting office.

Western Area Power Administration (WAPA), Rocky Mountain Region (RMR), 5555 E. Crossroads Blvd., Loveland, CO 80538

2. Description of supply or service required to meet the agency’s needs.

Consulting services are required to assist Western Area Power Administration’s Rocky Mountain Region (WAPA-RMR) in reworking the Quality Training Database™ (QTD™) to realize its fullest potential in implementing a Systematic Approach to Training (SAT), pursuant to the requirements of NERC PER-005, for its Power System Dispatcher desks and associated support personnel, located in both Loveland and Phoenix.

WAPA-RMR’s training program for Dispatchers is in need of a refresh due to the recent reorganization of the Control Centers in Loveland and Phoenix. WAPA-RMR is seeking assistance to restructure and refresh all Dispatcher training program-associated data in QTD™ to leverage QTD’s extensive capabilities in facilitating training program management. This will allow more efficient use of time for the Power System Dispatcher Trainers, enabling the group to focus on ensuring competency and development of Dispatchers, rather than performing administrative duties necessary to track the Systematic Approach to Training process to meet NERC Reliability Standard requirements.

The services requested are:

Collect and review current WAPA-RMR training-related data and processes.

Restructure data within QTD and remove redundancies, improve groupings, and create linkages.

Consolidate Loveland and Phoenix data from 6 positions (TSO-LVL, TSO-PHX, TSS-LVL, TSS-PHX, AGC-LVL, and AGC-PHX) to 3 positions (Transmission, Interchange, and Balancing). Ensure preservation of existing task specification data (e.g. steps, sub-steps, EOs, etc.).

Conduct complete Job-Task Analyses on the Transmission, Interchange, and Balancing positions (including task specifications, learning objectives, and DIF surveys for each role).

Design new full training programs for Transmission, Interchange, and Balancing roles, ensuring that there is a comprehensive program in place for each of the roles. This shall include production of design specifications, ILAs, and training maps, at a minimum.

Most data collection will be completed remotely, with a Quality Training Systems (QTS) consultant working with Subject Matter Experts via web conferences. However, site visits may be required during the second phase of the project.

The resultant contract will be a sole source, firm fixed price contract.

3. The rationale or circumstances for limiting competition.

Quality Training Systems is the only sole source to obtain the necessary services. QTD is a proprietary to Quality Training Systems and is utilized WAPA wide for dispatcher training. Dispatcher knowledge and training are critical to WAPA and its mission and consistency and continuity throughout the WAPA enterprise is necessary and vital.

If RMR was to obtain a different program or system to train dispatchers, continuity in training across WAPA would be loss, resulting in a significant time and financial cost to WAPA (training, new acquisition cost), loss of interface with other WAPA dispatch offices and the potential of inadequate training. Properly creating the linkages in this complex database is critical to making our training program efficient and fully functional.