-15366.pdf

JUSTIFICATION FOR A SOLE SOURCE AWARD

FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Procurement Acquisition and Logistics

Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick 321 Ballenger Center Drive Ste.125 Frederick, MD 21703

2. Description of Action:

The proposed sole source action is for an eighteen month firm-fixed price (FFP) effort to healthcare focused data analytics support to the Office of Enterprise Integration (OEI).

The required analytics will be used to generate feedback and inform the recommendations on VA’s Mission Act strategic plan.

3. Description of Supplies or Services:

The mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), OEI is to strengthens the operational capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs executing across its Administrations and Offices. In meeting these goals, OEI is responsible for optimizing VA resources including human capital, processes and technology to anticipate and rapidly adapt to the needs of our nation's Veterans their families and caregivers. Thus, OEI is required to develop the strategic plan for Mission Act implementation to include future healthcare transformation. The Mission Act will drive systemic change to delivery of Veterans healthcare through realignment of services to support choice, coordination of care, facilities and personnel. Congress sought to drive changes while simultaneously supporting Veterans choice of providers and access to care. The legislation was informed by various reviews, most notably, the Commission on Care report. The Mission Act compels significant activities to achieve compliance within one year of its enactment on June 6, 2018. These activities are primarily being undertaken by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) with support from offices across VA and independent contractors. While these activities are underway, defining how they integrate and support the broader strategic change must be pursued in parallel. The legislation requires VA to develop a strategy towards achieving a high performing healthcare network and conduct quadrennial review. Further, the Secretary is required to submit a strategic plan to the appropriate Congressional committees by June 6, 2019, that specifies a 4-year forecast of: 1) The demand for health care from VA, disaggregated by geographic area; 2) The health care capacity to be provided at each VA medical center; and 3) The health care capacity to be provided through community care providers. Also, significantly the strategic plan is intended to address how the healthcare delivery system has addressed operational deficiencies as identified by numerous external studies and reports.

OEI Mission Act Support

4. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Processed:

This activity proposes to negotiate a non-competitive award (sole-source) with Pilot Consulting a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), for the procurement of healthcare focused data analytics support to the Office of Enterprise Integration (OEI) for a period of one 6-month base and two6-month option periods. The estimated value for this acquisition is $1,977,919.00.

5. Statutory Authority:

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 41 U.S.C.

§ 253(c)(5) as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 6.302- 5 entitled, “Authorized or required by statute”. The applicable statute is Public Law 109- 461: “Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006” specifically, the “Veterans First Contracting Program” outlined in 38 USC § 8127(c).

6. Rationale Supporting Use of Authority Cited Above:

As stated above, OEI is responsible for optimizing VA resources to rapidly adapt to the needs of our nation’s Veterans and their families. On June 6, 2018, President Trump signed into law the VA Mission Act of 2018 VA Maintaining Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act. This Act will drive a universal change to the delivery of healthcare to Veterans by realigning services to support choice, coordination of care, facilities and personnel. The Mission Act requires that the VA coordinate Veterans care and are be required to; 1) Ensure the scheduling of medical appointments in a timely manner; 2) Ensure continuity of care and services; 3) Coordinate coverage for veterans who utilize care outside of a region from where they reside; and 4) Ensure veterans do not experience a lapse in health care services.

The Missions Act necessitates activities to achieve fulfilment within one year of the enactment. The Secretary of the VA is obligated to produce a strategic plan to the appropriate Congressional committees by June 6, 2019. Pilot Consulting is the proposed business for this acquisition. It is vital that start up for the Mission Act program begin immediately. Pilot Consulting, has already essentially completed the same type of work for the Choice Act, the precursor to the Mission Act. In addition to the Choice Act, Pilot Consulting has participated in the Joint DoD/VA healthcare assessment, internal vs external care under the original Choice Act and consulted to CARES Commission as SME on VHA services which are ideal for the Mission Act requirement. Of note, the work Pilot Consulting did under the original Choice Act is directly related as the Mission Act builds on previous work on internal vs commercial data analytics.

Pilot Consulting at present has knowledge and understands the task of the Mission Act.

Pilot Consulting can identify and obtain data and information, as their previous work has enabled them to be familiar as to where to obtain the necessary data. This knowledge indicates there will be less of a lead time for Pilot Consulting to begin the analytics work, and greatly increase the odds of successful completion of deliverables by the deadline of December for the initial report. A company without this imperative knowledge, who is unfamiliar with past issues and data, would require significance time to start up and gain an understanding of the environment before delivering a meaningful analysis.

7. Efforts to Obtain Competition:

IAW VAAR § 819.7007 Sole source awards to service-disabled veteran-owned small business concerns (b), “The contracting officer’s determination whether to make a sole source award is a business decision wholly within the discretion of the contracting officer. A determination that only one SDVOSB concern is available to meet the requirement is not required.”

A notice will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2.

8. Actions to Increase Competition:

The Government will conduct market research when future needs arise to ensure if OEI requires additional support in gathering data and creating analysis other vendors would be capable of competing in future actions.

9. Market Research:

Market research was conducted and Pilot Consulting has been determined to be a responsible source with respect to performance. They are registered and certified in VetBiz.gov as a SDVOSB with the NAICS code for this requirement which in accordance with Public Law 109-461 Section 502(c) meets the requirements of this statute to sole source to a SDVOSB. In addition, a review of their Representations and Certifications was conducted in the System for Award Management (SAM) and Pilot Consulting represented that they are a SDVOSB. No award shall be made until the Contracting Officer determines the cost to the Government to be fair and reasonable.

This determination will be based on a comparison of current contract pricing, past proposal submissions (if available), other information made available, and an Independent Government Cost Estimate, etc.

10. Other Facts: N/A In accordance with Public Law 109-461, codified at 38 USC § 8127, in order to increase contracting opportunities for small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans and small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans with service-connected disabilities, contracting officers of the VA are given specific statutory authority to award a contract to a small business concern owned and controlled by veterans using procedures other than competitive procedures (i.e. a “sole source” contract). The contracting officer may do so if:

(1) such concern is determined to be a responsible source with respect to performance of such contract opportunity;

(2) the anticipated award price of the contract (including options) will exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (as defined in section 134 of title 41) but will not exceed $5,000,000; and

(3) in the estimation of the contracting officer, the contract award can be made at a fair and reasonable price that offers best value to the United States.

This procurement meets all of these conditions.

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.

All future requirements will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Toward the expiration of this contract, consideration will be given as to whether the future acquisition should be competitive.

12. Technical and Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signature: _________________________________ Date: __________

Management Analyst

OEI

13. Procuring Contracting Officer Certification: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Contracting Officer Strategic Acquisition Center-Frederick

106060

Date: 2018.09.13 14:53:35 -04'00'

Date: 2018.09.13 15:03:27 -04'00'

Approval

14. Competition Advocate Certification: In my role as procuring activity Advocate for Competition, based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve, as advocate for competition for the procuring activity, the solicitation of the proposed procurements described herein using other than full and open competition, pursuant to the authority of 38 U.S. Code § 8127(c).

Advocate for Competition Strategic Acquisition Center-Frederick Office of Procurement Acquisition and Logistics

1067224 Date: 2018.09.13 15:16:14 -04'00'