A16_JOFOC_DOC-WY_1_14_25_(REDACTED)_1.pdf

United States Department of the Interior

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

https://www.blm.gov

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR ACQUISITIONS UNDER THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES

This document sets forth the justification and approval as required by 13.106-1(b)(1) & (2).

1. Contracting agency and activity.

The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Division of Wild Horses and Burros (WH&B), requests the Headquarters Acquisitions (HQ722) Off-Range WH&B Acquisition team, to contract for off-range corral services on a sole source basis with the Wyoming Department of Corrections.

2. Nature and/or description of action being approved.

To ensure uninterrupted services for contract 140L0122C0001, which expires on January 24, 2025, we propose awarding a bridge contract to Wyoming Department of Corrections (DOC- WY). This contract will cover the period of performance from January 25, 2025, through October 24, 2025, excluding any additional time if Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause 52.217-8 is exercised.

There is no authority to extend the existing Off-Range Corral (ORC) training and adoption services in the original solicitation and award. A separate bridge contract is necessary to implement the required services. Therefore, a justification and approval for this action is required.

This contract serves as a short-term continuation of services, bridging the gap between the current contract, which expires on January 24, 2025, and the new Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts, that the HQ722 office anticipates awarding against RFP 140L0125R0003. The BLM anticipates making multiple awards by the summer of 2025.

3. Description of supplies or services.

The current contract offers off-range corral services for up to 175 wild horses at the contractor’s facility and corrals. With the existing contract set to expire on January 24, 2025, this bridge contract is essential to ensure continued care of these horses until additional corral space becomes available. The additional space is anticipated through contract awards from Request for Proposal (RFP) Number 140L0125R0003, which was issued on December 11, 2024 on the System for Award Management – Contract Opportunities website. Proposals for this solicitation are due January 21, 2025, with the award process likely to begin in summer 2025. The period of performance of this bridge contract is 9 months as the procurement for continued services and awardees Environmental Assessment (EA) is a lengthy process that is required prior to awarding task order to service animals.

4. Estimated dollar value.

8. The efforts to identify additional sources including the market research conducted.

No new market research was conducted for this effort; however, market research from RFP No.

140L0125R0003 was conducted within the last year and recorded in this requirement’s Market Research Report. Conducting new research and findings would not result in a new award due to the lengthy approval process for potential awardees. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) EA process for new contractors can take six to twenty-four months.

9. Future plans to permit competition.

RFP 140L0125R0003 for off range corral services was issued on December 11, 2024. The RFP was issued as a full and open and the BLM anticipates making multiple awards from this RFP.

Awards are expected to begin in the summer of 2025.

Any new large or small business sources for off-range corral services would be eligible to submit proposals in response to the pending RFP. This pending RFP will encourage competition among potential small business vendors to submit their proposals. The bridge contract is specifically intended to extend the current services pending the award of new contracts for off-range corral services.

10. Certification.

The ordering activity Contracting Officer’s certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the Contracting Officer’s knowledge and belief and evidence that the supporting data that form a basis for the justification have been certified as complete and accurate by technical/program personnel.

I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, and which form a basis for this justification, are complete and accurate.

(Signature and Date)_

Contracting Officer’s Representative

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

(Signature and Date)

Contracting Officer