22Q0027_SYN_JNA_RDCT_020622.pdf

FAR Part 13 Determination At or Below SAT

SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION - See FAR Part 2.101 & 3.104

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY

DETERMINATION

For

SINGLE SOURCE SOLICITATION - FAR Part 13 (≤SAT)

1. Contracting Agency: Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), Procurement Division

2. Description of Supplies and Services: DoDEA requires kits and annual online scoring subscription for the following three assessments: Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Third Edition (Vineland-3), the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Third Edition (BASC-3), and Behavior Assessment for Children-Behavioral and Emotional Screening

System (BASC-BESS), Third Edition. DoDEA expects to award one contract for a base year and four option years.

a. Provide the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Third Edition (Vineland-3) or similar annual subscription for online Q global scoring with intervention recommendations and the Vineland-3 complete kits. The assessment shall meet the following requirements:

▪ Be a nationally recognized standardized adaptive and behavior assessment.

▪ Have high test reliability and validity to support special education eligibility decisions as required by DoD and Federal special education policies.

▪ Be recognized by Federal courts in special education due process cases.

▪ Be recognized by other US school systems because of the highly transient DoDEA student population.

▪ Provide an integrated assessment of behavioral and adaptive scales for ages 3-21.

▪ Address special needs students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

▪ Offer diagnostic capabilities addressing qualification criteria for special programs, progress reporting, program placement and allowing better treatment planning, that is research based.

▪ Assess adaptive and developmental behavior across four domains: communication, daily living skills, socialization, and motor skills.

b. Provide the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Third Edition (BASC-3) or similar annual subscription for online Q global scoring with intervention recommendations and the BASC-3 complete kits. The assessment shall meet the following requirements:

▪ Be a nationally recognized standardized adaptive and behavioral and emotional assessment.

▪ Have high test reliability and validity to support special education eligibility decisions as required by DoD and

Federal special education policies.

▪ Be recognized by federal courts in special education due process cases.

▪ Be recognized by other US school systems because of the highly transient DoDEA student population.

▪ Provide an integrated assessment of behavioral and emotional clinical and adaptive scales for ages 3-21.

▪ Measure areas important for both the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Diagnostic and

Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth edition (DSM-5) classifications.

▪ Provide the most extensive view of adaptive and maladaptive behavior in children, adolescents, and college-age students.

▪ Provide a behavior intervention guide that includes a comprehensive set of empirically-based interventions for a variety of behavioral and emotional problems.

c. Provide the Behavior Assessment System for Children - Behavioral and Emotional Screening System, Third

Edition (BASC-BESS-3) or similar which consists of a Child/Adolescent Kit, Annual Scoring Report, and Annual

Scoring Subscription and three forms that be used individually or in combination: Teacher form with two levels— preschool (ages 3-5) and children/adolescent (grades K-12), Student Self-Report form with one level— children/adolescent (grades K-12), and Parent form with two levels—preschool (ages 3-5) and children/ adolescent

(grades K-12). The assessment shall meet the following requirements:

▪ Have high test reliability and validity to support special education eligibility decisions as required by DoD and

Federal special education policies.

▪ Be recognized by federal courts in special education due process cases.

▪ Be recognized by other US school systems because of the highly transient DoDEA student population.

assessment was last normed in 1996. Although it is still being marketed, DoDEA considers it out-of-date and inadequate to meet current test reliability and validity.

It is a short form which focuses on the agency as its name indicates, making it inappropriate for DoDEA’s use. It was published in 1986 and does not meet most of the requirements listed in the performance work statement (PWS).

▪ focuses on assessing personal independence and responsibility in daily living. It was published in 1993, which makes its norms out of date.

▪ The following “assessment” companies do not market an assessment that competes with Vineland 3:

o Not a small business, per SAM.gov for NAICS code 611710, CAGE code o (affiliated with NCS Pearson) – Not listed on SAM.gov

BASC-3 and BASC-BESS-3 Market Research: Market research reveals a small, niche market and indicates that the only assessment that will meet DoDEA’s needs is BASC-BESS-3. Using open-access research in April 2022 and professional experience, no assessments comparable to the BASC-BESS-3 were found.

▪ measures the presence and severity of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Its focus is far too narrow. It does not meet most of the requirements listed in the PWS.

▪ only measures symptoms of the autism spectrum. Its narrow focus does not meet most of the requirements listed in the PWS.

▪ ) is for the child’s parents and teachers. It is not the broad screening assessment that DoDEA requires.

▪ The “assessment” companies listed above— —do not market an assessment that competes with BASC-3 or BASC-BESS-3.

Review of Government and/or commercial databases for relevant information. Summary: The three contracts that are being replaced all used NAICS code 611710 (Educational Support Services) – Keywords: adaptive behavior, emotional behavior, and behavioral assessment.

Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS)

▪ Under adaptive behavior was one match, the incumbent, NCS Pearson, Inc.

▪ Under emotional behavior were no matches.

▪ Under behavioral assessment were no matches.

Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS)

▪ Under adaptive behavior was one match, , which provides consulting and related services that focus on autism—not the required assessments.

▪ Under emotional behavior were no matches.

▪ Under behavioral assessment were two matches:

These consulting firms cannot meet DoDEA’s requirements.

6. Rationale for Single Source:

DoDEA provides the most current iterations of a battery of psychological assessments for use by our school psychologists. In FY2017 DoDEA procured the following three assessments on a sole source basis from NCS Pearson, Inc.: Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Third Edition (Vineland-3) and the Behavior Assessment System for

Children, Third Edition (BASC-3). They were procured via the following contracts: HE125417P0008 (Vineland-3), HE125417P0010 (BASC-3), and HE125417P0011 (BASC-BESS-3).

Vineland-3 is the only current adaptive assessment that supports the diagnosis of intellectual and developmental disabilities in schools; whereas other assessments either provide clinical diagnoses for institutional settings or are out-of-date. The Vineland-3 assessment addresses special needs populations, such as students with intellectual and develop-mental disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The BASC-3 and

BASC-BESS-3 form an excellent Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). BASC-3 focuses on assessing Tiers 2 and 3. BASC-BESS-3 focuses on assessing Tiers 1 and 2. They provide a seamless diagnostic tool for school psychologists.

The use of this battery of assessments by DoDEA school psychologists is consistent with research-based best practices.

DoDEA school psychologists have used the aforementioned assessments for years. Without these assessments DoDEA would not be able to obtain comprehensive test data to adequately address DoDEA student’s individual needs and requirements. School psychologists would not have the continuity to compare a student’s test results from earlier grades. This continuity also spares the Government from incurring the professional development, information technology, and other costs associated with implementing a new assessment system.

NCS Pearson, Inc. is the sole distributor of the Vineland-3, BASC-3, and BASC-BESS assessments. Therefore, based on the rationale above, the Contracting Office has made the determination to issue a sole source solicitation to NCS Pearson, Inc. as the only entity that can provide the required educational services.

A notice of the proposed contract action as a sole source procurement will be synopsized and posted in SAM.gov for a period of ten days as required by FAR 5.201. There are no sources that expressed interest, and none are anticipated. Any interested sources that result from the synopsis of this action posted in SAM.gov will be considered. The proposed assessments are required for use until the re-normed assessments are placed on the market. DoDEA will conduct market research to determine if this requirement can be competed or if it remains a sole source requirement.

Technical Certification (required): I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance and which forms a basis for this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signature: _ __ Date: 5/25/2022

Print Name: Office: DoDEA Education

DETERMINATION

Contracting Officer (required): I certify that the facts and representations included in this determination are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge. I hereby determine that the circumstances of this contract action deem only one source reasonably available and the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. Approval is granted subject to the availability of funds and provided that the products/services described herein have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

Signature: Date: 5/26/2022

Print Name: Office: DoDEA Procurement