47QMCB26Q0036_USFK_Sole_Source_Justification_Redacted_2026-08-27.pdf

FSS Sole Source Justification GSAR 538.7104-3 (GSA Class Deviation RFO-2025-FSS-GSAR 538)

United States Forces Korea (USFK) Travel Management Company (TMC) Services Solicitation 47QMCB26Q0036

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity.

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

Contracting Activity: General Services Administration (GSA)

Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) Travel Acquisition Support Branch (FDBAB) 1800 F Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20405

2. Nature and/or description of the action, including a description of the supplies or services

This action is a sole source bridge task order to Omega World Travel (OWT) for continued support in providing official TMC services for United States Forces Korea (USFK).

The Services & Agencies require TMC services be provided for DoD travelers to conduct official travel. TMC services provide support to DoD travelers by making reservations and issuing tickets for commercial modes of transportation; making reservations for car rental and lodging; and performing related services, such as reporting and maintenance of records. TMC services shall include, but are not limited to, the following services:

TMC Assist Travel Arrangements DoD OBT Travel Arrangements Centrally Billed Account (CBA) Reconciliation Movement of Human Remains Delivery of Reports Providing Global Distribution System (GDS) Terminals / GDS Like Software Solution Maintaining security of personnel Data/Privacy Act Enforcement Leave in Conjunction with Official Travel (LICWO)

GSA Travel Acquisition Support Branch awarded a contract (47QMCB21F0001) on October 15, 2020 and modified on December 21, 2020 for a five-year period of performance to Omega World Travel to provide all personnel, equipment, material, supervision and other items or services necessary to perform the management and operation of the Contracted Commercial Travel Offices (CTOs) for USFK. The Period of Performance was April 5, 2021 to April 4, 2026, with an option for a six-month extension of services through October 4, 2026, which has been exercised.

The competitive re-procurement has been delayed as DTMO and GSA continue to work to finalize the intended task order evaluation and award based on the USFK Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) requirements. With the current contract expiration date of October 4, 2026, and due to the time period required for the evaluation process and award determination and required 90-day implementation period, this has made it necessary to issue a sole source task order for this requirement.

A reduced transition period causes great risk to the government and could potentially result in interrupted travel services even under normal operational conditions.

Because of the current state of military affairs and ongoing operations, this is not a normal or seemingly standard environment.

be significantly and severely impacted by any transition under a new contract award within the next 60 days. A three-month bridge would give the USFK more stability for sustained support of ongoing operations and provide sufficient time to better transition as necessary with less chance of negative mission impact.

The estimated value for this requirement is . The period of performance for this sole source effort will be for a total of three (3) months, from October 5, 2026, to January 4, 2027. The purpose of this task order is to maintain continuity and provide official TMC services for USFK during the increased operational activity and ongoing actions. There is no alternative source that can facilitate the need for immediate uninterrupted travel services and mission readiness.

The required TMC services are highly specialized and require familiarity with specific travel regulations and laws, including the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR), the Defense Transportation Regulations (DTR), and local Business Rules developed by each site, travel management system for end-to-end travel. Therefore, the TMC must have immediate capability to provide the required services as well as detailed knowledge of travel regulations and business rules to ensure traveler reservations are accurate, timely, and IAW with numerous policies and regulations.

This requirement does not lend itself to a quick transition for a new contractor. The transition period, including implementation for a new contractor, is 90 days for OCONUS locations applicable to this requirement. The current task order expires on October 4, 2026. The award decision for the competitive acquisition was delayed, leaving insufficient time for the required implementation period.

Additionally, because of the mission and the ability to support warfighting efforts would be significantly and severely impacted by any transition under a new contract award within the next 60-days.

In addition, DoD travelers often use a centrally billed account (CBA) to pay for travel. The Contractor provides assistance in reconciling these accounts monthly. The procedures for reconciling vary by service and also require knowledge of the procedures in place by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). This is a 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 Temporary Duty (TDY) travel, which also requires familiarity by the Contractor.

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, EXODUS travel, civil disturbances, disasters, military peacetime and wartime contingency operations, exercises, personal emergencies, holiday travel and mass casualties (human remains). The current incumbent contractor, OWT, has provided support in this area with immediate response and the ability to continue consistent services to all activities under the current task order.

3. The authority and supporting rationale (see GSAR 538.7104-3(b)(1)) and, if applicable, a supply or service.

The current sole source contracting action is being conducted in accordance with GSAR 538.7104-3 (b)(1)(i) (GSA Class Deviation RFO-2025-FSS-GSAR 538), as the need is of such unusual urgency that following competitive procedures would result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling that need.

There is no alternative source that can meet the need for immediate uninterrupted travel services and mission readiness.

Due to the circumstances noted above, it is imperative that the TMC services are continued with the incumbent contractor. It is not feasible to complete a transition of services from the incumbent contractor to a successor contractor prior to the expiration of the current task order. The incumbent travel related policies; established DTS 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 CONUS and OCONUS which require 60 days (CONUS) and 90 days (OCONUS) for implementation. The established profiles afford the previously established business processes allow for immediate continuity of services and continued mission capability, and avoids a gap in mission critical services that could impact National Security.

Awarding to any source other than the incumbent contractor will severely jeopardize the continued

-critical services and result in unacceptable delays in has provided the required services to date.

requirements. To ensure that TMC services for the USFK locations are uninterrupted, these services must be obtained from the incumbent contractor until such time as the re-compete utilizing full and open competition is completed. The incumbent contractor is the only vendor that can meet the

The potential loss or disruption of these services and required time for transition to a new contractor can cause significant harm, meet its mission which may directly impact National Security. Therefore, in accordance with GSAR 538.7104-3(b)(1)(i) (GSA Class Deviation RFO-2025-FSS-GSAR 538), an urgent and compelling need exists, and delay may result in unacceptable and sequential delays for DoD travelers.

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

OWT is the only company capable of providing Travel Management Services for USFK immediately following expiration of the existing task order to ensure continuity of services. Market research was not performed because this sole source action is required due to the urgent need to continue performance with the incumbent contractor until a new contractor completes the transition process.

The incumbent (OWT) is the only source capable of providing continued provision of the entire scope of highly specialized services within the condensed time frames to ensure mission-critical quality levels are achieved. No other vendor would be able to start up and perform the services required by the expiration date of the current task order of October 4, 2026, without grossly impacting and hampering USFK travel services.

5. Any other facts supporting the justification.

The cost of losing the incumbent contractor to provide the services at the current time would be detrimental to USFK meeting its mission requirements. In addition, these services are in the process of competitive procurement that has been delayed as DTMO and GSA continue to work to finalize the task order award.

The USFK RFP was issued on July 1, 2026 with proposals due on August 11, 2026. The evaluation board is scheduled to be held prior to August 31, 2026. With the current contract end of October 4, 2026, the time required for the evaluation process, award determination, and required 90-day implementation period, there is insufficient time for a new contractor to provide TMC services without a lapse in services. Additionally, because of the current state of military affairs and ongoing severely impacted by any transition under a new contract award within the next 60 days.

This short-term task order will provide the necessary continuity of services until the award decision on the current full and open re-competition is officially completed. This is a viable option which will allow DoD to continue its mission while the re-procurement is being finalized.

6. 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.

On behalf of DTMO, GSA is currently recompeting the USFK requirement for these highly critical TMC services utilizing full and open competition procedures. However, a sole source bridge action is required to ensure continuity of services while the new competitive task order is awarded and the transition period is completed.