AFVEC_J A_redacted.pdf

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL (J&A)

FOR

OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

I. CONTRACTING ACTIVITY

Contracting Agency: 338 SCONS/PKD 2021 First Street West JBSA Randolph, TX 78150

Requiring Activity: SAF/AQH-ATO 555 East Street West JBSA Randolph, TX 78150

Purchase Request: F3PT1G6021AW01

II. NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION BEING PROCESSED

The Air Force uses the Air Force Virtual Education Center (AFVEC), which resides on the Air Force Portal, to manage their tuition assistance program. Air Force A-1 (AF/A-1) has a Federal Systems Integration and Management Center (FEDSIM) contract with BAM Technologies for the operations and maintenance of the AFVEC; however, due to an oversight, support for the Civilian Acquisition Workforce was not included in the contract. AF/A-1 has been working diligently to include these services in the follow-on FEDSIM contract (which was due to be released in January 2016); however, the contract action has been delayed and is now scheduled for release in July 2016. At this time, the AFVEC is without helpdesk support and unable to provide their customers with the required support. This sole-source, firm-fixed price contract with BAM Technologies would serve as a 6-month bridge, filling the gap between the subsequent contract and the follow-on AF/A-1 FEDSIM contract, assuring support services are available for acquisition coded civilians in need of tuition assistance.

III. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES/SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE

AGENCY’S NEEDS

The Contractor will provide AFAEMS/AFVEC/AI Portal support for the Air Force Civilian Acquisition Workforce employees and students as follows: helpdesk support to include identifying, escalating, resolving, and tracking problems; adding, changing, or deleting user accounts, maintaining passwords and access rights, creating, allocating, monitoring, and restoring data files and space; formatting and updating content information screens and tabs;

maintaining software licenses, system file directories, and system documentation and accreditations; acts as the intermediary between the end-user for troubleshooting, maintaining, and managing the uploaded content and upgraded strategies; as well as provide system administration, training for IT, technical support, security, administrative control, and application services for all operational systems.

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IV. STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN

COMPETITION

10 USC 2304(c), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

V. DEMONSTRATION THAT THE CONTRACTOR’S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS

OR NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION REQUIRES THE USE OF THE AUTHORITY

CITED ABOVE (APPLICABILITY OF AUTHORITY)

BAM Technologies intellectually developed the software known as the AFVEC Suite and the software has been deployed Air Force wide for the management of tuition assistance. The AFVEC Suite is exclusive software and due to its proprietary nature, as the author, BAM Technologies is the only company with the access and ability to write and/or change system code if and when necessary, troubleshoot the software, and maintain system directories and documentation. To date, BAM Technologies has not sold or made available to other companies, the data rights for the source codes used in the AFVEC Suite software. It is critical for the mission of AFVEC that BAM Technologies continue to support their existing software. While there may be other companies capable of creating/providing a comparable software, the cost of purchasing and integrating the software coupled with the additional man-hours lost in training personnel on the usage of the new software does not serve the Government’s best interest. The cost of purchasing new software and personnel to operate the software would undoubtedly outweigh the benefit to the Government in doing so, and most likely result in an unrecoverable amount of down time for the AFVEC – ultimately and unfortunately – negatively affecting both their mission and quality of service to their customers.

The period of performance for this contract will be approximately six months, at which time as identified in Section II, the services are to be included in the AF/A-1 FEDSIM contract with BAM Technologies.

VI. DESCRIPTION OF EFFORTS MADE TO ENSURE THAT OFFERS ARE

SOLICITED FROM AS MANY POTENTIAL SOURCES AS DEEMED PRACTICABLE

On 25 Jan 16, the AF posted this requirement on the Government Point of Entry (Federal Business Opportunities website at www.fbo.gov), under “AFICA AFAEMS/AFVEC/A1 Portal Help Desk Support” indicating the Government’s intention to award a FFP contract on a sole source basis to the previous service provider. The Government required all interested persons to identify to the Contracting Officer their intent and capabilities to satisfy the Government’s requirement within three (3) calendar days from the posted publication date. No affirmative responses were received; however, the Contracting Officer will consider any responses received prior to awarding a sole source contract.

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode10/usc_sec_10_00002304----000-.html

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VII. DETERMINATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THE

ANTICIPATED COST TO THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE FAIR AND REASONABLE

Pricing will be determined fair and reasonable by using historical pricing for past services, and by comparing proposed pricing to both current GSA pricing, as well as pricing for similar commercial services.

VIII. DESCRIPTION OF THE MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED AND THE

RESULTS, OR A STATEMENT OF THE REASONS MARKET RESEARCH WAS NOT

CONDUCTED

As described in section VI above, market research, in accordance with FAR Part 10, was conducted by posting the Government’s intent to issue a sole source award to www.fbo.gov, advising industry of the pending action and soliciting inquiries from interested parties. No affirmative responses were received; however, the Contracting Officer will consider any responses received prior to awarding a sole source contract. Additional market research included review of several GSA schedules to determine if other schedule holders were able to fulfill this requirement as authorized resellers. To date, BAM Technologies has not made AFVEC suite software available to any resellers.

IX. ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND

OPEN COMPETITION

AF/A-1 is the portfolio manager of the AFVEC Suite. Currently there is a FEDSIM contract with BAM Technologies which provides military tuition assistance services. Upon the expiration of that contract, AF/A-1 will be responsible for working with the FEDSIM contracting office on a follow-on contract that will include both the military and civilian acquisition workload. At which time, AF/A-1 will ensure that all competition requirements are met during the re-compete.

X. LIST OF SOURCES, IF ANY, THAT EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THE

ACQUISITION

To date, the Government has not received affirmative feedback from industry in response to the published notice of intent for this short term contract. See section VI above.

XI. A STATEMENT OF THE ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO

REMOVE OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS TO COMPETITION BEFORE MAKING

SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITIONS FOR THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED

As the Air Force uses the AFVEC Suite to manage tuition assistance Air Force wide, the AF/A-1 portfolio manager will continue to monitor and evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of the AFVEC Suite, and research other technologies in the marketplace as new approaches are developed. This bridge contract is a temporary solution that will allow continued performance of critical/mission essential services. Additionally, the bridge contract will allow for sufficient contractor transition once the long-term follow-on acquisition is awarded.

http://www.fbo.gov/

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XII. CONTRACTING OFFICER’S CERTIFICATION

The contracting officer’s signature on the Coordination and Approval Document evidences that he/she has determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of his/her knowledge and belief.

XIII. TECHNICAL/REQUIREMENTS PERSONNEL’S CERTIFICATION

As evidenced by their signatures on the Coordination and Approval Document, the technical and/or requirements personnel have certified that any supporting data contained herein, which is their responsibility, is both accurate and complete.