A01-JA-(COVID-19) Installation of SCIF_Redacted.pdf

Control Number:

For Official Use Only (See FAR 2.101 and 3.104-4)

(March 2019)

JUSTIFICATION REVIEW DOCUMENT

FAR 6.302-2 OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

URGENT AND COMPELLING FOR COVID-19

Program/Equipment: SCIF Renovation and Installation

Authority: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(2) as implemented by FAR Part 6.302-2 -- Unusual and Compelling Urgency.

Amount: $58,677.60

Prepared by:

Typed Name:

Title: Contracting Officer’s Representative Date:

E-mail: j

Signature:

Contracting Officer:

WRAIR SCIF Renovation and Installation

For Official Use Only (See FAR 2.101 and 3.104-4)

(March 2020)

Justification and Approval FAR 6.302-2 Other than Full and Open Competition

Urgent and Compelling for COVID-19

1. Contracting Activity: United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity

(USAMRAA)

2. Description of Action: This requirement is for a new, Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract to renovate an existing office room for a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) to store, share, and communicate sensitive and classified information associated with the COVID-19 response. Requirement uses FY20 Base Operations and Maintenance (O&M) funds.

3. Description of Supplies/Services: This requirement delivers demolition, renovation, and installation services from a qualified vendor to construct a SCIF from an existing, unsecured space operated and maintained by the WRAIR command. The total estimated cost of this effort is $58,677.60.

Period of Performance: Project completion no later than four (4) months following date of award which is estimated by 15 May 2020.

4. Authority Cited: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(2), as implemented by FAR 6.302-2, Unusual and compelling urgency.

5. Reason for Authority Cited:

41 U.S.C. 1903 Special Emergency Procurement authority is authorized because the President of the United States made an emergency determination under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121- 5207 (the "Stafford Act") in response to the COVID-19 pandemic on 13 March 2020.

The creation of a SCIF, to

, is directed by the Department of Army (DA) General Officer Intelligence (G2), as critical to the US government's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and therefore must be executed immediately. G2 directed WRAIR to initiate and proceed with SCIF renovation during communications and correspondence, based on the WRAIR Command’s limited capacity to share sensitive and classified information associated with COVID-19 research, investigation, and response.

Palmer’s Contracting Group (PCG) has the skills and ability for SCIF renovation based upon very recent SCIF work at the Pentagon. SCIF renovation and construction is

For Official Use Only (See FAR 2.101 and 3.104-4) governed by a multitude of Department of Defense (DOD) and Intelligence Community standards and requires a contractor with specific skills. PCG has extensive experience in SCIF design and construction throughout the National Capital Region (NCR) for DoD, Service Component, and Intelligence Community (IC) partners.

SCIFs renovation / construction has unusually strict specifications regulated by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), National Counterintelligence Security Center (NCSC). While many existing contracts and Federal Supply Schedules offer construction services, only firms with experience renovating / constructing SCIF’s to the DNI standards should be considered. .

This requirement will facilitate research personnel’s ability to store, share, and communicate sensitive and classified information with critical partners for COVID-19 response, as well as more effectively respond to any future infectious disease epidemics or pandemics. Research personnel currently use SCIF resources operated by partner organizations, and do not have control over the storage of, or access to information and communication sharing assets.

WRAIR’s has a public responsibility to comply with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance to prevent further spread of COVID-19. They are also required to comply with Department of Defense guidance to implement plans to ensure compliance with directed force health protection measures throughout the area of operations in order to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 within U.S. personnel (service members, civilians, contractors, and dependents) or confine it to as small a population as possible. In order to comply and put protective measures in place, WRAIR has an urgent need for demolition, renovation, and construction services to convert an existing area into a SCIF.

Every day that passes confirmed COVID-19 cases spike and the death toll increases. It is imperative that these services are obtained as quickly as possible to protect public health. The U.S. Government cannot apply standard procurement times to an acquisition of this urgent nature. Even the short time-lines of 30-60 days to award, could result in hundreds of thousands more being infected and thousands more dying.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Not applicable

7. Actions to Increase Competition: Not applicable. This requirement is for a brief, limited duration construction contract.

8. Market Research:

Market research was conducted from 04 May 2020 through 07 May 2020 by the requiring activity and contracting team. Market research was minimal due to the urgent nature of this emergency procurement and the lack of requirements package and historical data for this requirement.

For Official Use Only (See FAR 2.101 and 3.104-4)

In December of 2019 an outbreak of COVID-19 was reported in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The World Health Organization (WHO) states COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. They also state in humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections, ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases, such as COVID-19. The WHO states:

“Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness.

People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.”

The WHO declared the global COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on 11 March 2020, stating it is a “public health crisis”. The following is information from the WHO website.

The WHO is recommending all countries activate and scale up their emergency response mechanisms utilizing a four-pronged approach. First, prepare and be ready. In other words, prepare your people and your health facilities. Second, detect, prevent, and treat. Utilize surveillance to find, isolate, test and treat every case in order to break the chain of transmission. Third, reduce and suppress. Reduce transmission by finding and isolating as many cases as possible and quarantining their closes contacts. Protect health facilities, old age homes, and other vital areas. They recommend testing all suspected cases. Fourth, innovate and improve. Find new ways to prevent infection, save lives, and minimize impact. Utilize personal protective equipment. Utilize the WHO training programs, technical guidance, studies, protocols, and preparedness and response plans.

On January 31, 2020, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency (PHE) for the United States to aid the nation’s health care community in responding to COVID-19. On 13 March 2020, the President of the United States of America declared COVID-19 an emergency IAW 42 U.S.C. 5122 (the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act) which allows for Special Emergency Procurement Authority IAW 41 U.S.C.1903. On 18 March 2020, the President invoked his authority IAW the Defense Production Act. The Act allows the President, where necessary to promote the national defense, may require acceptance and performance of contracts orders by any person he finds to be capable of performing them.

The contractor identified by DA G2 to perform this work has experience constructing SCIFs, which has unusually strict specifications regulated by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), National Counterintelligence Security Center (NCSC).

While many existing contracts and Federal Supply Schedules offer construction services, only firms with experience following and constructing to the DNI standards should be considered. Contracting Officers assume significant risk by competing the requirement and awarding to a vendor without this experience.

For Official Use Only (See FAR 2.101 and 3.104-4)

The following websites were queried and none of them could provide the required services within the required timeframe. These services must be delivered on immediately; otherwise researchers will continue to be limited in their capacity to share important, sensitive or classified information.

GSA Advantage

9. Interested Sources: Interest is limited as many Offerors cannot provide the required service within the required timeframes to meet the needs of the Government in order to protect public health.

Services:

No other vendors within the area were called to see if they could provide the required services in the amount and time necessary as this is an extremely urgent need directed by the Pentagon. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and employees being unable to come to work, there is a shortage in these services within the area. These services are required urgently to construct a SCIF to obtain SIPRNet and JWICS access.

10. Other Facts: None.

For Official Use Only (See FAR 2.101 and 3.104-4)

11. Technical Certification:

I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in the justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signature:

Typed Name:

Title:

12. Requirements Certification:

I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in the justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

For Official Use Only (See FAR 2.101 and 3.104-4)

13. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination:

I hereby determine that the anticipated cost to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable.

The vendor who provided the quote included itemized labor hours and material costs, which represented fair and reasonable costs for the type of work described in this document.

14. Contracting Officer Certification:

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