36C24218D0140-001.pdf

VHAPM Part 808.405-6 Limiting Sources Attachment 2: Request for Limited Sources Justification Format >SAT

VHAPM Part 808.405-6 Limiting Sources Original Date: 08/30/2017 Revision 01 Eff Date: 04/23/2018

LIMITED SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

ORDER >SAT

FAR PART 8.405-6

Acquisition Plan Action ID: 36C242-18-AP-1628

(1) Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office (NCO) 2

James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center 130 W Kingsbridge Road Bronx, NY 10468.

The following are the associated funded transactions: 561-18-4-553-0025 | 630-18-4-3835- 0068 | 632-18-4-893-0234 | 620-18-4-240-0013 | 526-18-4-929-0240

(2) Description of Action: This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Multiple- Award Schedule Program (41 U.S.C. 251 and 40 U.S.C. 501). This Limited Sources Justification Request is for the approval to procure services through a sole source, firm fixed price, interim FSS order awarded to the incumbent, Carlos Lopez and Associates. The action will be awarded as a follow on order to existing order number VA243-12-F-2469. NCO 2 intends to award a follow on sole-source action to continue critical case management services for the more than nine hundred (900) Veterans and their families currently receiving case management services from the incumbent. The current contract will expire on June 30, 2018. The new vehicle will cover a six month period to include a base period of three months, from July 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 with one three month option period October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018.

Name of Proposed Contractor: Carlos L. Lopez and Associates

Street Address: 880 Main Street

City, State, Zip: Lincoln, ME 04457

Phone: (207)318-8778

(3) Description of Supplies or Services:

Through the HUD-VASH program, VA seeks to expedite the placement and housing stability of over 900 homeless Veterans and their families. Through HUD-VASH case management, Veterans and their families are placed in affordable, permanent housing in the downstate

VHAPM Part 808.405-6 Limiting Sources Original Date: 08/30/2017

New York and New Jersey area, and they are supported in maintaining housing thereafter through ongoing case management services. The HUD-VASH program assists Veterans in finding acceptable community based housing in a timely manner that meets HUD’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher criteria. Housing inspections are conducted by the local Public Housing Authority or its agent. Case management services must be provided at a level of intensity that is commensurate with individual Veteran need and treatment goals.

The goals of the contracted services are to:

a. Leverage existing community based resources on behalf of homeless Veterans that VA may not have as a health care agency to meet individualized needs. Examples of specialized community based resources may include: specialized employment and vocational services, legal assistance, access to housing under other auspices, child care, transportation, and peer support programs.

b. Improve access to immediate housing and community-based supports that promote community tenure.

The contracted services will meet the needs of homeless Veterans in the HUD-VASH program by providing work product in four core areas:

a. Case management: including engagement in the community of high needs homeless

Veterans who may be reluctant to accept services, conducting biopsychosocial assessments, developing individualized service plans, and providing supportive and psychotherapeutic interventions to Veterans in the community with a priority focus on obtaining and maintaining housing;

b. Housing placement: including assisting Veterans in identifying and securing permanent housing that enables each Veteran to achieve stability, independence, and community tenure;

c. Staffing: including direct service, supervisory, administrative, housing placement and peer support staff to ensure smooth delivery of services to Veterans;

d. Records and reports: including timely documentation of direct services to Veterans in VA medical and administrative records in keeping with local and national program requirements.

Due to the volume of Veterans and their families already receiving HUD-VASH case management through contracted case management at the VA Hudson Valley, New Jersey, and New York Harbor Healthcare Systems as well as the James J. Peters and Northport VA Medical Centers, this contract is needed to ensure continuity of care for a range of medical, mental health, and other serious psychosocial issues to those highly vulnerable Veterans and their families in the community.

(4) Identify the authority and supporting rationale (see 8.405-6(a) (1) (i) (A), (B), and (C) or 8.405-6(b)), and if applicable, a demonstration of the proposed contractor’s unique

VHAPM Part 808.405-6 Limiting Sources Original Date: 08/30/2017 qualifications to provide the required supply or service.

An urgent and compelling need exists, and following the ordering procedures would result in unacceptable delays.

Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized;

It is vital to the veterans to ensure the continuation of critical services supported by the HUD-VASH program while Solicitation #VA242-17-R-0271 is being evaluated. There can be no disruption in clinical case management services for these Veterans without greatly increasing the risk of relapse in medical, mental health, and substance abuse issues, as well as the increasing the risk of returning to homelessness. The contract Performance Work Statement compels the vendor to submit to established VA processes for vetting staff that will provide direct clinical care to Veterans and have access to VA medical records systems. These vetting processes can take weeks to months depending upon the background of individual staff selected to work on the contract. The vendor must have all vetting completed before work on the contract commences, therefore it would place an undue and costly burden on the Government to bring in a new vendor with non-vetted staff on an interim basis.

The required services are presently being provided by Carlos L. Lopez and Associates under FSS Contract GS-02F-0075W Task Order VA243-12-F-2469 expiring on June 30, 2018. The competitive solicitation for the long term effort was released on May 23, 2017.

On October 27, 2017 the government made an award off of solicitation VA242-17-R-0271 to Patriot First Professional Services. Subsequently afterwards Carlos Lopez and Associates submitted a protest against the award via the Court of Federal Claims. After review of the protestor’s complaints and the administrative record, it was the government’s decision to take corrective action. This included terminating the awarded contract and requesting the offerors submit revised proposals. Also the government modified the evaluation factors and the evaluation methodology to allow all offerors to clearly identify when a prime contractor is offering services and when a subcontractor is offering services. The solicitation was amended to allow all previous offerors to revise their proposal. The revised proposals are currently being evaluated. The award of the interim contract is essential to ensure the critical services continue without interruption while NCO 2 continues the evaluation of the revised proposals.

In the interest of economy and efficiency, the new work is a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order provided that the original order was placed in accordance with the applicable Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures. The original order must not have been previously issued under sole source or limited source procedures.

VHAPM Part 808.405-6 Limiting Sources Original Date: 08/30/2017

Items peculiar to one manufacturer:

A patent, copyright or proprietary data limits competition. The proprietary data is: (If FAR 8.405-6(a) (2) iii before posting. Do not include specific proprietary data. Only mention the type of equipment, procedure, etc. to show that proprietary supplies or services are being procured.)

These are “direct replacements” parts/components for existing equipment.

The material/service must be compatible in all aspects (form, fit and function) with existing systems presently installed/performing. Describe the equipment/function you have now and how the new item/service must coordinate, connect, or interface with the existing system.

(5) Describe why you believe the order represents the best value consistent with FAR

8.404(d) to aid the Contracting Officer in making this best value determination:

Carlos L. Lopez proposed prices were solicited competitively in the long term contract as of

October 27, 2017 and was the lowest price received.

(6) Describe the market research conducted among schedule holders and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted:

Market research was conducted through queries on the General Services Administration

(GSA) eLibrary database, the US Department of Veterans Affairs office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization Vendor Information Pages (VIP) of the VetBiz website, and the Small Business Administration Dynamic Small Business Search.

The results of the GSA eLibary yielded six (6) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) holders under schedule no. 738 Part X under the Special Item Number 595-28 for Social Services. All six contractors are service disabled veteran owned small businesses (SDVOSB). Two of the six contractors are interested parties in the current long-term solicitation. Only one of those SDVOSB can meet this requirement, Carlos Lopez & Associates because of the need to onboard new staff (credentialing, background investigations, training, etc.). An award to any other contractor would require nearly 4-month process to transition from Carlos Lopez & Associates to another contractor.

(7) Any other facts supporting the justification: N/A

VHAPM Part 808.405-6 Limiting Sources Original Date: 08/30/2017

(8) A Statement of the Actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to the restricted consideration before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services or services is made:

This is an interim sole source task order to ensure the continuity of HUD-VASH services for Veterans prior to the award of a new long term contract that is anticipated to be awarded on or about September 30, 2018. The current contract expires on June 30, 2018 and this contract is to allow services to continue from July 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 with one three month option period October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 to prevent an interruption of services.

(9) REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION: I certify that the requirement outlined in this justification is a Bona Fide Need of the Department of Veterans Affairs and that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in the justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that processing of this limited sources justification restricts consideration of Federal Supply Schedule contractors to fewer than the number required by FAR Subpart 8.4.

VHAPM Part 808.405-6 Limiting Sources Original Date: 08/30/2017

(10) APPROVALS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VHAPM Part 806.3 OFOC SOP:

a. CONTRACTING OFFICER’S CERTIFICATION (required): I certify that the foregoing justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

CONTRACTING OFFICER SIGNATURE DATE

Carlos A. Molina Network Contracting Office (NCO) 2

NAME AND TITLE FACILITY

b. One Level Above the Contracting Officer (Required over the SAT but not exceeding $700K): I certify the justification meets requirements for other than full and open competition.

SIGNATURE DATE

Sherin Rabadi Division Chief, NCO 2

HIGHER LEVEL APPROVAL (Required for orders over $700,000):

c. VHA SAO HCA REVIEW AND APPROVAL (over $700,000 to $68 million): I have reviewed the foregoing justification and find it to be complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief and approve for restricting consideration of the Federal Supply Schedule contractors to fewer than the number required by FAR Subpart 8.4.

Joseph P. Maletta Executive Director, SAO East DATE VHA Head of Contracting Activity (HCA)

CARLOS A. MOLINA

135027

Digitally signed by CARLOS A.

MOLINA 135027

Date: 2018.06.20 12:53:51 -04'00'

SHERIN RABADI

174167

Digitally signed by SHERIN

RABADI 174167

Date: 2018.06.20 13:03:21 -04'00'

JOSEPH MALETTA

1347841

Digitally signed by JOSEPH

MALETTA 1347841

Date: 2018.06.20 15:06:31 -04'00'