6_month_Bridge_JOFOC_Aug_9_2016.pdf

JUSTIFICATION FOR

OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

FRA OMIA 6-MONTH CONTRACT EXTENSION MODIFICATION

1. Contracting Agency: United States Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Office of Acquisition Services, 1200 New Jersey Ave SE., RAD-30, Washington, DC 20590.

2. Action to be Approved: The FRA intends to negotiate a hybrid firm-fixed price FFP/cost plus fixed-fee (CPFF) 6-month contract extension in order to carry out the Operation, Maintenance, Instrumentation and Analysis Support for Railroad Research (OMIA) under circumstances permitting other than full and open competition.

3. Description of the Services: This justification is for the operation, maintenance, instrumentation and analysis support requirements of the Federal Railroad Administration Office of Research and Development research programs. These programs focus on the development, deployment and advancement of railroad safety technology with the goal of improving the safety of an economically viable, efficient, and reliable national railroad system. They may involve studies of existing or improved conventional railroad systems, as well as investigation of more advanced train concepts such as high speed or magnetically levitated (maglev) vehicles. Specific investigations may include measurement and analysis of tracks, guideways, vehicles and associated signaling, communication, and train control systems, as well as related environmental considerations. This goal will be accomplished through better understanding of the operational characteristics of railroad vehicles, the structure over which they operate and vehicle/track interaction, and related communication and control.

The contractor will provide engineering and operations services to design, fabricate, operate, maintain, and analyze the results from specialized instrumentation, including Government furnished equipment which will be become part of the GFE inventory of this program. Ride Quality Measurement System (RQMS), Cross Level Evaluator, and other specialized data collection systems which may be acquired during the course of the contract. The Contractor will also support FRA research programs by providing engineering analysis and technical support to joint efforts conducted by FRA with other organizations, such as the Association of American Railroad at the Transportation Test Center, state organizations, Amtrak or other individual railroad companies, and academic research institutions. The contractor will perform these services as directed in Task Orders periodically issued under this statement of work, which shall be implemented upon award under approved Task Plans of Action.

The Contractor will also be expected to coordinate with the FRA Automated Track Inspection Program (ATIP) to acquire track data for analysis and to deploy and evaluate new track inspection and other railroad safety assessment systems. This will include coordination with and acquisition of data from such FRA owned systems as the Gage Restraint Measurement System (GRMS) Car (T-18), and the High-Speed Research Car (T-16).

The independent government cost estimate for this 6-month extension is $695,000.

4. Authority Cited: The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition of these services is contained in 41 U.S.C. § 253(c)(1) as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302.1, "Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements" [48 C.F.R. 6.302-1 (2015)]. ENSCO, Inc. located at 5400 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22151, is the only qualified, responsible vendor capable of meeting the current OMIA requirement.

5. Reason for Authority Cited: The current ENSCO contract expires on 30 August 2016. The expiration date was established using the “Option to Extend Services” FAR clause included in the contract, which allowed for a one-time 6-month period of performance extension to the contract at the rates in effect at the time of the extension.

It was originally FRA’s plan to have the new OMIA contract begin on 31 August 2016; however, the acquisition planning process has taken longer than originally anticipated due to reassessing the overall ATIP program and OMIA program, in order to increase competition. As a result, the OMIA contract will require a bilateral 6-month period of performance extension using FAR Clause 52.217-8

- Option to Extend Services, contained in the OMIA contract. This will extend the OMIA period of performance to 27 February 2017.

A 6-month contract extension is needed for the OMIA contract as a bridge until FRA can conduct a competitive acquisition for the next OMIA contract.

5. Efforts to Obtain Competition: The current contract was advertised on Federal Business

Opportunities (FBO). The follow-on OMIA requirement will be advertised on FBO as full and open and awarded on an all, some or none basis.

The FRA intends to publish a “Special Notice” on FBO seeking interested vendors. The notice will be published for fifteen days. Based on the responses received from the special notice, the FRA may conduct an Industry Day conference to generate additional interest in the requirement.

6. Cost Fair and Reasonable Determination: The cost of the 6 month extension of services will be determined fair and reasonable by comparison with the costs of the existing contract, task orders and a thorough examination of the proposed costs.

7. Action to Increase Competition: The follow-on OMI&A requirement will not include the operation and maintenance of the Government owned research railcars and hi-rail vehicle. The operation and maintenance of these assets will be moved to the next ATIP contract. The removal of this restrictive requirement should increase the number of companies capable and interested in performing research tasks for FRA.

8. Market Research: The FRA published a “Special Notice” on FBO seeking interested vendors. The notice was published for fifteen days and no vendors responded to the notice.

Additionally, the program office has attempted to identify other qualified vendors by attending conferences, meetings, and speaking with industry experts. The FRA has been unable to identify other qualified, responsible vendors up to this point.

9. Interested Sources: The FRA published a notice of intent on FBO for issuing a 6-month sole source contract extension for the OMIA program. The notice was published for 15 days and no responses were received.

10. Other Factors: None.

11. Technical/Requirements Certification: I certify that the technical requirements and the technical justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Mahmood Fateh Date Contracting Officer’s Representative Office of Railroad Safety Program Management

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Keith Boyea Date Contracting Officer