A02- Fort Stewart ITS Bridge JA_Redacted.pdf

Control Number:

Southeastern Regional Network Enterprise Center Fort Stewart Information Technology Services

CUI//SP-PROCURE

(Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104-4)

October 2024 does not allow sufficient time for a successful evaluation, award, and transition of a new contractor. Attempting to compete the requirements of this proposed modification would introduce unacceptable and catastrophic performance risk resulting in a lapse in service. This is a highly sensitive and critical program operating under very constrained, critical timelines associated with the follow-on re-compete.

Background/Facts Leading to Need for Bridge Services:

On 28 January 2019, task order W91RUS-15-D-0012/W91RUS19F0031 was awarded to as a small business set-aside under the Information Management Communications Services (IMCS) III, Multiple Award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract vehicle. The requirement was competitively awarded as a firm fixed price type task order for Information Technology Services and Support in support of the RNEC, which was scheduled to expire on 31 May 2024.

The competitive re-compete task order was awarded on 08 May 2024, and two protests were filed: one at U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and one at agency level for which corrective action is being taken.

It is anticipated that the competitive follow-on task order will be re-awarded by 17 September 2024, with full performance beginning 01 November 2024.

Acquisition milestones for the bridge action are provided in the table below:

Event Date Solicitation posted 21-Nov-23 Proposals received 09-Jan-24 Award Notification / Debriefing 29-April-24 Begin 30-day Phase-In 01-May-24 Protest filed with GAO 13-May-24 Stop work order Issued W91RUS24F0102 P0001 14-May-24

Current Task Order W91RUS19F0031 expires 31-July-24 GAO decision 13-June-2024 Issue Revised Solicitation 29-July-24 Proposal Evaluations 07-August-24 Award of recompete task order 17-Sep-24

Phase-in is 30 days from re-award 01-Jan-25 Bridge for Task Order W91RUS19F0031 expires 31-Jan-25

Continuing with the incumbent contractor for an additional three-month bridge extension is in the best interest of the Government and provides the most cost-effective use of Government resources. Additional time beyond the three-month period of performance will be required to ensure the Government can quickly respond to any additional delays that are currently unforeseen. For this reason, a three-month option to extend services has been included in this justification. The follow-on competitive task order will begin at the end of the performance period of the bridge extension. This bridge extension shall not exceed six months.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: No efforts were made to solicit other sources due to the issues stated above. Orders placed under FAR 16.5 are exempt from posting under FAR 5.202, FAR 16.505(b)(2) posting justification. All follow-on services will be competed under Fair Opportunity under IMCS IV. The current requirement was competed Fair Opportunity amongst the IMCS III contractors. There are no other options of competitions to maintain the services as currently being received.

Competition would not allow the requirement to be awarded prior to 17 September 2024.

a. Effective competition. Effective competition is not applicable because this is a sole source action, resultant of protests filed.

b. Subcontracting competition. Subcontracting competition is not applicable as the current contractor is a small business and is not required to adhere to the FAR clause 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: The Contracting Office is currently working on the follow-on requirement using fair opportunity procedures described in FAR 16.505. The follow-on requirement was awarded on 08 May 2024. However, the task order was protested on 13 May and 17 May 2024, a stop work order was issued on the follow-on competed task order, pending protest resolution. The Government intends on continuing to compete the overall RNEC IT services requirement to the maximum extent practicable upon the expiration of the follow-on task order in 2029.

Currently competition is not a viable option for the agency’s need for the accelerated and abbreviated time frame. Due to the critical requirements needed for RNEC, a lapse in services must be avoided. The approved justification will be made publicly available in accordance with FAR 6.305(b).

8. Market Research:

No market research was conducted due to the urgency of this requirement. Based on the Task Order Proposal Request, 21 companies responded. The current task order ends on 31 July 2024 and requires a 30-day phase-in period for a transition for the competitive, re-compete task order. The Contracting Officer anticipates the competitive, re-compete task order will be awarded on 17 September 2024. A new contractor’s phase-in could not be successfully completed without experiencing a break in critical services.

9. Interested Sources: To date, no other sources have written to express an interest.

10. Other Facts:

a. Procurement history.

(1) Task order numbers and dates of all awarded task orders for these same requirements.

W91QUZ-07-D-0004-BL02, awarded (08 March 2010). Competitive W91QUZ-07-D-0004-E1F5, awarded (24 August 2016). Competitive W91RUS-15-D-0012-W91RUS19F0031, awarded (28 January 2019).

Competitive

(2) The competitive status of these actions.

W91QUZ-07-D-0004-BL02 was awarded unrestricted on CHESS ITES-2S and received 16 offers. W91QUZ-07-D-0004-E1F5 was awarded unrestricted on CHESS ITES-2S and received 5 offers. W91RUS-15-D-0012- W91RUS19F0031 was awarded as a total small business set aside on IMCS III and received 11 offers.

(3) Authority previously cited if less than full and open competition was used. NA

b. Other facts. NA

Approval

Based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the modification of task order W91RUS19F0031 for RNEC Information Technology Services, in the estimated amount of for an extension of the period of performance for six months. This action is made on other than full and open competition basis pursuant to the authority of 10 United States Code 3206(c)(3) as implemented by FAR Part 16.505(b)(2)(i)(C) – The order must be issued on a sole-source basis in the interest of economy and efficiency because it is a logical follow-on to an order already issued under the contract, provided that all awardees were given a fair opportunity to be considered for the original order.”, subject to availability of funds, and provided that the services and property herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

Command Advocate for Competition