FBO_ApprovedRevised_J_A_OAS_28SEP2019.pdf

UNCLASSIFIED

REVISION FOR COST INCREASES DURING THE RFP PROCESS

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL (J&A)

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

FOR ONLY ONE RESPONSIBLE SOURCE

FOR THE PERIOD OF ONE BASE YEAR AND FOUR OPTION YEARS

1. The Department of State Office of Acquisition Management (AQM) is conducting this acquisition for Support Services of the Summit of the Americas Secretariat (SAS) to conduct document management, data management, meeting organization and support, which is expected to facilitate U.S. Government engagement in the Summit of the

Americas process, improve coordination among international organizations and other stakeholders, including civil society and social actors, in the implementation of Summit initiatives. This acquisition is being coordinated for the Office of Western Hemisphere

Affairs, Office of Regional Economic Policy and Summit Coordination

(WHA/EPSC). The period of performance for this acquisition is determined to be one-twelve month base year and four twelve-month option years. The total estimated ceiling cost is $6,000,830.00 for the base year and three option year.

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

The office of WHA/EPSC requires the support of the Organization of American States

(OAS), Summit of the Americas Secretariat (SAS) for services, such as document management, data management, and meeting organization and support, to facilitate U.S.

Government engagement in the Summit of the Americas process, of which it is now the vice-chair; improve coordination among international organizations in the implementation of Summit initiatives; increase the engagement between civil society, social actors, the private sector, and governments in the Summit process; and ensure timely and reliable access to information and reporting pertaining to the Summit.

3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the Department’s needs:

The services to be provided includes:

Facilitate the process of the Summit of the Americas’ managing body, the Summit Implementation Review Group (SIRG), and associated meetings: Meeting logistics, and conference liaison services; document management and performance of administrative tasks and procedures related to Summit Secretariat functions;

translations and meeting interpretation for SIRG.

Coordinate the participation of the Joint Summit Working Group

(JSWG) in the Summit process; convocation of JSWG technical and high-level meetings at facilities of partner institutions; design and publication of reports on JSWG activities to implement Summit initiatives.

Facilitate engagement between civil society, social actors, the private sector, and governments in the Summit process; meeting logistics and conference services associated with the convocation of meetings with non-government stakeholders; maintenance of on-line tools to facilitate interaction between civil society, social actors, the private sector, and governments.

Ensure timely and reliable access to information and reporting pertaining to the Summit process; maintenance of electronic resources, historical documents, and formal reports; production and maintenance of public information including the Summit website and fact sheets. Provide a communications expert for administrative and technical management of Summit information.

4. An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition. 41 USC 3304(a)(1), FAR 6.302-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

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

a. Leaders at the Second Summit of the Americas instructed the OAS to support the Summit process. The OAS created the Summit of the Americas Secretariat (SAS) specifically to serve as the technical secretariat and institutional memory of this political process and the attending interactions with JSWG institutions and stakeholder representatives. The

Summit Secretariat, housed under the OAS Secretariat for Hemispheric Affairs

(OAS/SHA) has been mandated to fulfill these functions by the region’s leaders at subsequent Summit and reaffirmed by OAS member states via its General Assembly. As such, the Summit Secretariat maintains the institutional knowledge and has the exclusive experience of facilitating the Summit of the Americas process, and ensured consistent, productive relations with all stakeholders, as well as developed specific procedures and mechanisms to support their contribution to the Summit process.

b. The Summit Secretariat under OAS/SHA provides full technical support to the meetings of the SIRG, which are frequently held at OAS headquarters and utilize existing OAS meeting management infrastructure and document management systems to both carry out the meetings and maintain accurate institutional memory of the process. The Summit

Secretariat serves as the Chair to the JSWG, coordinating the efforts of the twelve partner international institutions to provide technical and financial support to the Summit process.

c. To facilitate interaction with and provide more opportunities for stakeholders, like social actors in the Summit process, the SAS developed the Summits Virtual Community

(SVC). The SAS also developed and implemented the Summit Follow-up System, which provides the centralized, user-friendly platform for the United States and other Summit governments to meet reporting requirements under the Summit of the Americas follow-up mechanism to which governments agreed following the 2018 Summit of the

Americas.

6. A description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable.

Since the Summit of the America has not issued a new executive order or change to the existing order to replace the SAS in their role for the summits. For this reason, SAS is the only one responsible source.

A FedBizOps notice will be publicized on FBO for 14 days.

7. A determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the

Government will be fair and reasonable. The Contracting Office determines that the anticipated price(s) will be fair and reasonable based on prior awards to the OAS/SHA.

8. A description of the market survey conducted (see Part 10) and the results or a statement of the reasons a market survey was not conducted.

OAS is the only entity that can conduct the logistics with the various countries to facilitate these high-level meetings in the region per the Charter of the OAS, which entered into force December 1951

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

United States government – primarily through the Department of State (DOS) and in particular WHA/EPSC is a participant in the SIRG, and utilizes the information and institutional capacities of the SAS. Additionally, DOS has asked that the SAS, in its capacity as the secretariat for the Summit and chair of the JSWG, to organize and conduct coordination meetings among the member institutions of the JSWG in order to improve the implementation of Summit initiatives undertaken by the United States and partner governments; and to enhance opportunities for social actor/civil society engagement with the United States government and partner governments through the use of information technology and the facilitation of virtual and in-person meetings.

10. A listing of sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

The OAS Secretariat for Hemispheric Affairs and the Summit of the Americas Secretariat have been mandated in writing to provide technical Secretariat services to the Summit process by leaders of the participating states through Summit declarations and by foreign ministers in OAS General Assembly resolutions. Examples of these written mandates are provided here:

"We recognize the pivotal role that the OAS plays in the implementation and follow-up of

Summit mandates, and we instruct the General Secretariat to continue to act as technical secretariat; provide support for meetings of the Summit Implementation Review Group

(SIRG), ministerial meetings, and specialized conferences; coordinate the participation of civil society; and ensure the dissemination of information on the Summits Process and the commitments adopted by the countries." (Paragraph 74, Declaration of Mar del

Plata, Fourth Summit of the Americas, 2005)

“To request that the General Secretariat, through the Summits of the Americas

Secretariat (SAS), continue to serve as the institutional memory and secretariat of the

Summits of the Americas process, advising the host country of the Summit and member states, as requested, in general on all aspects related to the Summits process, supporting follow-up and dissemination of Summit mandates, offering support to member states in implementing existing mandates and those of future Summits, and supporting preparatory activities and technical coordination for the next Summit of the Americas.” (OAS

General Assembly Resolution 5281, Forty-Second Regular Session of the OAS GA, 2012)

"Recognizing the importance of the Summits Secretariat in following up on the implementing the mandates and initiatives stemming from the VII Summit of the Americas and prior Summits, as well as that of the Technical Secretariat, which is the institutional memory of the process and the coordinating body of the Joint Summit Working Group

(JSWG), and recalling that all tasks to be executed by the OAS stemming from this Lima

Commitment and prior Summits are to be implemented respect in the necessary budgetary sustainability of the Organization." (Paragraph 56, Lima Commitment, Eighth Summit of the Americas, 2018)

11. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required. No actions can be taken to remove or overcome any barriers to competition, as this is the only source that can provide the services. However, prior to award, the J&A will be published on FedBizOps for 14 days prior award to ensure that this is the only source capable of effectively completing this requirement.

CERTIFICATIONS

Technical and requirements certification required by FAR 6.303-2(b).

As Technical Representative of the requiring office, I have reviewed the information provided in support of this Justification and Approval to acquire the services described in Item #2. I certify that the date provided is accurate and complete of my knowledge and belief to support the recommendation for other than full and open competition.

SIGNATURE:

n/a

Name: David Silverman Date Title: Deputy Director

Requiring Office: WHA/EPSC

Contracting Officer Certification required by FAR 6.303-2 (a) (12):

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

SIGNATURE:

_________________________________ _________28SEP2019_______

Name: Jocabed Domingue Date

Title: Contracting Officer, AL/OPE/AQM/WWD/RSB

APPROVALS

Shapleigh C Drisko, Branch Chief, A/OPE/AQM/WWD/RSB

L/BA

John J Stever, Director, WWD, A/OPE/AQM/WW

9/28/2019

9-28-2019 Dennis Gallagher, Assistant Legal Adviser

Vincent J Sanchez, Director, Business Operations Division AQM Competition Advocate