A02.14 SSJ Under the SAT - Risk Communication Practitioner Training - SAM.gov.docx

CUI

SOLE SOURCE MEMORANDUM FOR ACTIONS UNDER THE SAT

IAW FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i)

1. Contracting Activity:

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Humphreys Engineer Center Support Activity (HECSA)

2. Description of Action:

Approval is requested for a new, firm fixed type noncommercial service contract using National Flood Risk Management Program Funding in the amount of $XXX,XXX.XX.

3. Description of Services:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Institute for Water Resources (IWR) is requesting contractor support from the University of Colorado, Boulder (UCB) to align social science research with the practice of managing flood and other related natural hazards risks (e.g., hurricane, tsunami, post-wildfire flooding, etc.). The work will be accomplished by Dr. Lori Peek, PhD, Director of Natural Hazards Center, and her team located at UCB. Dr. Peek is an internationally recognized expert in social vulnerability to disasters.

The activities will support the vision, mission, goals, and principles of the USACE National Flood Risk Management Program (NFRMP), including Silver Jackets. The purpose of this work is to provide in-person training sessions to USACE representatives of the NFRMP as well as other related USACE technical assistance programs, in addition to added training and coaching opportunities and resources. Under a prior interagency agreement, the Natural Hazards Center (NHC) worked with the USACE to develop multiple information products and in-person as well as online trainings that identify best practices for risk communication with socially vulnerable populations. Because this work will build on the strengths of this multi-year academic-federal agency partnership and integrates many of the lessons learned from the teaching and evaluation of the course, this relationship would continue for the entire award period. The goal in the longer-term is to expand access to training information more broadly within USACE, which is responsive to USACE needs and opportunities, in addition to being dependent upon USACE funding and approval.

The required services would encompass a kick-off meeting to discuss and finalize scope details and verify a timeline that is within the agreement period of performance, in-person training session(s) to be facilitated by the NHC, coaching calls, the evaluation and refining of the trainings based upon feedback gathered by the NHC, review of Floodplain Management Services (FPMS) interagency nonstructural proposals, the dissemination of materials to stakeholder audiences, coordination meetings with USACE and NHC, and partner meetings with Silver Jackets participants. The anticipated cost of the work under this contract is $249,960, with a period of performance ending 5 years from date of award.

4. Authority Cited:

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106-1(b)(1), Soliciting from a single source. For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. Contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available.

5. Reason for Authority Cited:

Dr. Peek has written several books and peer-reviewed journal articles on the topic, and she along with Dr. Carson MacPherson-Krutsky, an expert in multi-hazard risk communication and Research Associate at the Natural Hazards Center, have established a strong track record of collaboration with the USACE NFRMP. They and the team at the NHC—including Dr. Mary Painter and Mr. Luther Green—are uniquely equipped to support the tasks described in this SOW. In addition, they have a proven track record of working with the USACE to carry out timely and meaningful projects that have had a measurable impact on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of Corps employees.

Since 1976, the NHC at the University of Colorado Boulder has served as the nation’s NSF-designated information clearinghouse for the societal dimensions of natural hazards and disasters. The NHC’s mission is to advance novel social science research, to facilitate connections between various academic, government, and private sector partners, to translate and share information to move knowledge into action, and to train and mentor a diverse next generation of researchers and practitioners.

USACE’s NFRMP has a mission to increase USACE capabilities to improve decisions affecting the Nation’s flood risk that are made internally and collaboratively with our external partners. NFRMP program goals include enhancing how USACE manages flood risk, strengthening how USACE supports others who are managing flood risk, and promoting linkages between flood risk management and other water resources challenges and opportunities. NHC provides access to relevant expertise not intrinsic to USACE such as expertise in social science, risk communication, and working with socially vulnerable populations. Such initiatives are leveraged to improve the ability of USACE to manage flood risk and support others who manage flood risk.

USACE needs to provide additional training and resources to flood risk management practitioners in the areas of communicating risk to socially vulnerable populations and working with those populations more broadly in order to more effectively support and implement Administration focus areas.

NHC is uniquely situated to provide the research and practical application expertise needed by the NFRMP related to alignment of social science with flood risk and natural hazard risk management. They have access to experts with proven experience in social vulnerability to natural disasters, multi-hazard risk communication, as well as expertise in providing training associated with these topics. Additionally, this work is a logical follow on to work completed under the interagency agreement.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition:

Obtaining competition for this requirement is not practical. The required notices under FAR 5.202 will be published to the Contract Opportunities section of SAM.gov for fifteen (15) days.

7. Actions to Increase Competition:

Research has shown that it is not possible to complete this work otherwise due to the unique qualifications of Dr. Lori Peek and Dr. Carson MacPherson-Krutsky.

8. Market Research:

Internet searches do not yield any private businesses with comparable expertise in this area. NHC has a history of successfully performing this type of work for USACE.

9. Interested Sources:

To date, no other sources have written to express an interest. The notices required by FAR 5.201 shall be published, and any proposals received shall be considered.

10. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination: I hereby determine that the anticipated price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable, based comparison to an Independent Government Cost Estimate. Per FAR 15.403-1(b)(3), certified cost and pricing data is not required.

David A. Kaplan Procuring Contracting Officer Phone: 703-428-8487

12. Contracting Officer Certification: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Procuring Contracting Officer

Approval Based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve award of a firm price noncommercial service contract in the amount of $XXX,XXX.XX on an other than full and open competition basis pursuant to the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i), subject to availability of funds, and provided that the services and property herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

Procuring Contracting Officer

Prepared by:

Bart Dziadosz Contract Specialist

CUI

(Source Selection information - See FAR 2.101 and 3.104-4)