-16108.pdf

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION UNDER SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES IN

ACCORDANCE WITH

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR) 13.106‐1(b)(1)(i)

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Strategic Acquisition Center – Frederick

321 Ballenger Center Dr, Suite 125 Frederick, MD 21701

2. Description of Action: The proposed sole source action is for a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) effort for MAGIC® (Make A Great Impression on the Customer) Customer Relations training with Communico Ltd, 19 Ludlow Road, Suite 102 Westport, CT 06880.o

3. Description of the Supplies or Services: VA requires Customer Relations training and certification to be utilized by the VA Financial Services Center (FSC), Financial Operations Service (FOS), Customer Engagement Division. This training will empower the staff and provide better customer service skills that will efficiently and effectively enhance the communication abilities to the voice of the VA-FSC.

The contractor will train the FSC, FOS staff on the unique methodology of MAGIC® Customer Relations training and develop FSC candidates to become MAGIC® certified that will allow additional FSC staff to be trained as needed by the FSC certified staff.

The methodology will help develop FSC staff with the ability to bring exceptional service to every customer. MAGIC® addresses unique phone and face-to-face contact approaches which improve the skills of the service and sales of the staff, develops and reinforce customer standards, create meaningful and memorable customer experiences and implements a cultural change.

This requirement is for a Period of Performance for no more than six months. The total estimated value of the proposed action is $60,800.00 (No Options).

4. Statutory Authority: FAR Subpart 13.106-1(b) soliciting form a single source.

“(1) For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. (i) Contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g.

urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand name or industrial mobilization).”

5. Rationale Supporting Use of Authority Cited Above: Based on market research, as described in paragraph 8 of this justification, it was determined that limited competition is available for this procurement from Communico Ltd. The MAGIC® Leadership program is a proprietary service and registered trademark of Communico Ltd. See Market Research, Section 8, for summary of results supporting this non-competitive action.

Financial Services Center | Customer Relations Training (MAGIC®)

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Market research was conducted, details of which are in section 8 of this justification. This effort did not yield any additional sources that can meet the Government’s requirements. There is no competition anticipated for this acquisition.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: The Government will continue to conduct market research to ascertain if there are changes in the marketplace that would enable future actions to be competed. FSC will continue to monitor the market for availability of other solutions that are compatible. All future requirements will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine the acquisition strategy.

8. Market Research: The government conducted market research during the period of June-August 2018 via Google, Federal Supply Schedule, Vendor Information Portal, Dynamic Small Business Search, and System for Award Management searches to ascertain if there were any additional sources that could meet the Government’s requirements. Based on the Market Research obtained, including whether another commercially available course can meet the Government’s need, it has been determined that no other source can provide this requirement, nor can another tailored course, due to the specialized service of this requirement.

9. Other Facts: MAGIC® Customer Relations training provides FSC a framework for assessment meaning the training is directly correlated to monitoring and scoring against customer interactions (33 points are scored) which can then drive back targeted training in key areas (they are all connected together). Staff will be trained on the MAGIC® principles, who will then use those principles to assess the staff customer interactions aligned with their training to develop/improve on the skills in those areas. No other training or customer relation programs provides this unique service. This training further embeds the customer service culture within FSC because it enables constant reinforcement. It will be directly tied to an assessment feedback to the training FSC staff receives and then have ongoing reinforcement in areas of weakness. Because of this, MAGIC ® training is the only training that will fulfill the government’s need and no other training or similar training will suffice.

10. 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.

Tabatha Sipho Date: ______________________

Program Manager Signature: ___________________

11. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination: I hereby determine that the anticipated price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable based on market research for price reasonableness among the industry standard. .

Vincent Bender Date: ______________________

21 Nov 2018

28 Nov 2018

Financial Services Center | Customer Relations Training (MAGIC®)

Procuring Contracting Officer Signature: __________________

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

Vincent Bender Date: ______________________

Procuring Contracting Officer Signature: __________________

28 Nov 2018