47QMCB21D0002 USFK Bridge LSJ.pdf

United States Forces Korea (USFK) Limited Sources Justification 1

Limited Sources Justification

FAR 6.302-2

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity.

This requirement is an assisted acquisition for the General Services Administration (GSA) to procure Travel Management Company (TMC) services in support of the Department of Defense (DoD) Defense Travel Management Office.

Contracting Activity: GSA

Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) Travel Acquisition Support Branch (QMACB) 1800 F Street, NW, 3rd Floor, Hub 3400 Washington, D.C. 20405

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

The purpose of this limited sources justification is to support the award of a sole source bridge task order to US Airline Alliance, LTD for continued support in providing official TMC travel services for United States Forces Korea (USFK), DoD Korea locations. The Department of Human Health Services (HHS) Program Support Center originally awarded contract HHSP233201800065B on September 30, 2018 to US Airline Alliance, LTD for a five-year period of performance to provide all personnel, equipment, material, supervision and other items or services necessary to perform the management and operation of Contracted TMCs for USFK.

However, on June 14, 2019, HHS/PSC officially notified the DTMO by memorandum and email that would be terminating its assisted acquisition program for non-HHS agencies. As a result, effective October 31, 2019, HHS PSC executed its termination of contract HHSP233201800065B. The General Services Administration (GSA) executed a bridge contract that continued services to USFK from November 1, 2020 to April 30, 2020 (base period). GSA extended services further from May 1, 2020 to October 31, 2020 under the authority of FAR 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services.

The current limited sole source contracting action is pursuing a waiver from placing an order on a competitive basis pursuant to FAR 6.302-2 for the aforementioned requirement based on the application of FAR 6.302, which states an unusual and compelling urgency exists and following the procedures would result in unacceptable delays. There is no alternative source that can meet the need for immediate uninterrupted travel services and mission readiness.

The requirement exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold and the estimated value is $452,807.95. The period of performance for this sole source bridge effort will be from October 31, 2020 through January 15, 2021. The purpose of maintaining continuity and providing official travel management services for United States Forces Korea while a transition occurs between the incumbent contractor and the successor contractor.

United States Forces Korea (USFK) Limited Sources Justification 2

3. A complete description of the supplies and/or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including an estimated value).

The required travel management company (TMC) services are highly specialized and require familiarity with specific travel regulations and laws, including the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR), the Defense Travel Regulation (DTR), and local Business Rules developed by each site, as well as interfacing with DoD’s travel management system for end-to-end travel. From the start of contract implementation, the TMC must have detailed knowledge of travel regulations and business rules to ensure traveler reservations are accurate, timely, and IAW with policies and regulations. As a result, this requirement does not lend itself to allow time for a new contractor to get acclimated and to perform the required implementation. The implementation period for a new contractor is 60 days for CONUS and 90 days for OCONUS locations, and the current contract expiration date of October 31, 2020, does not allow sufficient time for the required implementation period to occur.

In addition, DoD travelers often use centrally billed accounts (CBA) to pay for travel. The Contractor provides assistance in reconciling these accounts monthly. The procedures for reconciling vary by service and also require intricate knowledge of the procedures in place by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). This is unique requirement to DoD that is not part of the travel requirements for the rest of the Federal Government. DoD travelers are mandated to use the Defense Travel System (DTS) to book all TDY travel, which also requires familiarity by the Contractor. Further, the Contractor must be prepared to ramp up and support DoD’s requirements immediately upon Government notification to support surge requirements. Surge support is somewhat specific to DoD and responds to contingencies including, but not limited to, national emergencies, accident investigations, aircraft recovery teams, evacuations, rescue operations, civil disturbances, disasters, military peacetime and wartime contingency operations, exercises, personal emergencies, holiday travel and mass casualties (human remains). The incumbent contractor has provided satisfactory support in this area with immediate response and the ability to continue consistent services to all activities under the contract. This further validates that they have the resources needed to maintain continuity of services to both the event at hand and normal day-to-day-operations at all sites on contract.

At this time, it is imperative that these TMC services be continued with the incumbent contractor.

Awarding to any source other than the incumbent contractor will: 1) significantly impact the continued provision of highly specialized services required to support DoD missions, and 2) potentially result in unacceptable delays and risk in fulfilling and meeting the agency’s travel requirements. Furthermore, significant negative impact to critical agency operations are a concern, should continuity of services be impacted by awarding to other than the incumbent. To ensure that TMC services for United States Forces Korea locations are uninterrupted, TMC services must be procured with the incumbent contractor until such time as a future full and open competition can be completed for these services. The incumbent has successfully provided these services to date and is the only vendor that can meet the requirement without potential serious disruption to DoD travel needs.

United States Forces Korea (USFK) Limited Sources Justification 3

4. The authority and supporting rationale (see FAR 6.302-2) and, if applicable, a demonstration of the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications to provide the required supply or service.

• FAR 6.302-2 – An unusual and compelling urgency that the Government would be seriously injured unless the agency is permitted to limit the number of sources from which it solicits bids or proposals, full and open competition need not be provided for.

Under the authority for FAR 6.302-2, US Airline Alliance, LTD, the incumbent contractor is able to provide immediate TMC support services; therefore, ensuring uninterrupted travel services to meet the needs of United States Forces Korea requirements. The incumbent has the required skilled staff with detailed knowledge of the customer’s mission, JTR, DTR, and other travel related policies; established Defense Travel System Passenger Name Record (PNR) validation; established centrally billed accounts and reconciliation processes specific to the customer; and customer centric Global Distribution System (GDS) agreements and profiles for United States Forces Korea which can take up from 60-90 days to implement. The established profiles afford the incumbent contractor to support each individual customer’s needs based on travel preferences and contain business rule requirements unique to United States Forces Korea. The incumbent’s unique qualifications and already established business processes, allows for immediate continuity of services and continued mission capability.

Due to the criticality of these services for DoD, it is imperative that these TMC services are continued with the incumbent contractor. Due to the circumstances noted above, it is not feasible to effect a transition of services from the incumbent contractor to the successor contractor prior to the end of the current contract being administered by GSA. Due to the unique DoD requirements and the implementation timelines, award to any other source would result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency’s requirements. A significant negative impact to critical agency operations are a concern should continuity of services be impacted by awarding to other than the incumbent.

To ensure that TMC services for United States Forces Korea locations are uninterrupted, TMC services must be obtained from the incumbent TMC contractor.

US Airline Alliance, LTD., the incumbent contractor, has successfully provided these necessary services to date and is the only vendor that can meet the extension requirement without substantial disruption to DoD travel. GSA conducted a full and open competition and successfully awarded a new five-year task order under GSA’s Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program; however a 90 day transition period is required to successfully phase-in / phase-out services from the incumbent TMC to the successor TMC. During this transition period, the following activities typically take place: request and receive a Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) and Airline Reporting Corporation (ARC) to issue tickets if required, which can take up to eight weeks; hire new personnel; organize and arrange telecommunication connectivity with the installation; request and receive a Pseudo City Code (PCC) if required, which can take up to six weeks to obtain; install a GDS; submit PNR validation number worksheet with the active PCC to the DTMO 30 days prior to the contract start date; and obtain new Centrally Billed Account travel charge cards.

United States Forces Korea (USFK) Limited Sources Justification 4

Therefore, in accordance with FAR 6.302-2, an unusual and compelling urgency exists and the Government would be seriously injured unless the agency is permitted to limit the number of sources from which it would normally solicit bids or proposals using full and open competition procedures.

5. A determination by the ordering activity- Contracting Officer- that the order represents the best value consistent with FAR 6.302-2.

The CO has determined that the expected outcome of this acquisition, in the Government’s estimation, provides the greatest overall benefit in response to the requirement and therefore the best value to the Government consistent with FAR 6.302-2, based on all factors considered within this justification.

6. A description of the market research conducted among schedule holders, and the results of the research, or a statement why market research was not conducted.

US Airline Alliance, LTD. is not the only company capable of providing TMC services under GSA’s MAS, Travel Category, Special Item Number (SIN) 561510 Travel Agent Services.

However, market research confirms that US Airline Alliance is the only source capable of providing continued provision of the entire scope of highly specialized services within the condensed timeframe in order to ensure mission-critical quality levels are achieved. GSA has also conducted a full and open competitive procurement for these services and received feedback from only two MAS vendors, of which one was the incumbent contractor. Based upon the market research results, it is our determination that no other vendor would be able to start-up and perform the services required by the contract start date of October 31, 2020, without grossly impacting and hampering the United States Forces Korea travel services and mission.

This limited sole source bridge contract will provide the Government and incumbent / successor contractors the time needed to phase-in / phase-out transition services without a detrimental loss of TMC services to DoD caused by unacceptable delays and service disruptions.

7. Any other facts supporting the limited source justification.

The cost of losing the incumbent contractor to provide the services at the current time would be detrimental to United States Forces Korea meeting its mission requirements. In addition, this short-term bridge task order will provide the necessary continuity of services until the phase-in/phase-out transition between the incumbent and successor contractor is completed. Moreover, the U.S.- Republic of Korea (ROK) Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) requirement to receive Invited Contractors (IC) designation for non-Korean firms is not feasible to be completed in time to continue services uninterrupted. This is a viable option which will allow DoD to continue its missions while the transition period is underway.

United States Forces Korea (USFK) Limited Sources Justification 5

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 is made.

GSA has awarded a successor contract with a vendor under its Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program, Travel Category, Special Item Number (SIN) 561510 Travel Agent Services using full and open competition. However, a continuity of services is required while the incumbent and successor contractor perform phase-in/phase-out transition services.

9. Certifications and Approvals

Requisitioner: (Contractor Employee or Federal Employee)

I hereby certify and accept the responsibility that any and all supporting data provided above or used to justify the above requested limited source procurement (e.g., verifying the Government’s minimum needs, schedule requirements, and/or other rationale for other than full and open competition) is accurate and complete to the best of my personal knowledge and belief.

10/22/2020 Signature Date

Contracting Officer:

I certify and approve that the information contained in this Limited Source Justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Competition Advocate:

Upon the basis of the following justification, I, hereby approve the use of other than full and open competition of the proposed contractual action pursuant to the authority of 41 U.S.C. 2304).

M.ROBERT.JR.105 1050399202

MANSELL.WILLIAM.ROBERT.JR.

0399202 Date: 2020.10.22 12:58:48 -04'00'