Brand Name Justification- HireVue (Redacted).pdf

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

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I. Contracting Activity.

SMC/AC PKE

Operational Contracting Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA 90731 DoDAAC: FA2816

II. Nature and/or description of the action being processed.

Space and Systems Command (SSC) has a brand name requirement to procure a one time purchase of HireVue Video Interview/assessment and CodeVue cyber evaluation Licenses. Included in these licenses are the training, support and implementation package as well as the Job Search Assistant function. This procurement will be a new sole source contract to North South Consulting Group LLC, a service disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) and women owned small business.

The period of performance (PoP) will be for 1 basic year (12 months) and 1 option year (12 months). This capability is being explored as a prototype tool because of the stand-up of SSC. The total estimated value for this acquisition is

III. Description of supplies/services required to meet agency needs.

This acquisition is supported through a Brand Name Justification. The use of a brand name in the acquisition is essential to the Government's requirements, thereby precluding consideration of another capability. The HireVue platform includes structured interviews based on competencies, knowledge, skills and abilities. Unlike similar commercial products, HireVue provides asynchronous geographically distributed interview capability that is stored within an Amazon Web Services Gov Cloud FedRAMP L4 environment that supports the proper alignment of personnel to corps and delta allocations.

In addition to the HireVue Video Interview/assessment and CodeVue cyber evaluation Licenses, SSC is looking for the following capabilities as part of the licensed package:

- Assessments:

- Support and Implementation for Licenses

- HireVue Job Search Assistant

- Builder for Structured Interviews (Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

IV. Statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

The authority for applying the Simplified Procedures for Commercial Items of FAR 13.5 is 41 U.S.C. 1901 and is implemented by for restricting competition on this procurement via FAR 13.106-1(b)(2).

V. Demonstration that the contractor's unique qualifications or nature of the acquisition requires the use of the authority cited above (applicability of authority).

SSC's network equipment and systems are approved by the Department of Defense Information Network (DoDIN) Approved Products Listing (APL) and the Air Force Cyber Security Directorate. In order to access a web based platform from the SMC network it must go through the Cyberspace Infrastructure Planning System approval process. One of the key approval components is that the platform must be conducted in a FedRAMP environment or federal agency cloud deployments. While there are other video interview services on the market, only HireVue has met the FedRAMP security requirements and tailored approach to structured interviews focused on competencies, knowledge, skills and ability needed to meet all of SSC's needs. HireVue

April 2021 of 5April 2021 of 5 executes on a FedRAMP L4 environment and allows for execution at geographically separated units, API configuration that allows USSF analytic organizations to pull data without further support from the provider as well as standard Single Sign-On (“SSO”) based on SAML 2.0 standards. As such, none of the similar offerings in the marketplace have all of these unique and essential characteristics required by the Government, and the capabilities are available only from HireVue and its authorized licensee, North South Consulting Group, LLC.

North South Consulting Group, LLC is identified as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Company. In accordance with FAR 6.302-5(b)(6), it is authorized by statute to award sole source to a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business concern under the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003 (15 U.S.C. 657).

VI. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable.

The SSC/TM has conducted an extensive market analysis and participated in numerous demonstrations to determine the best solution that meets the requirements and capabilities needed to successfully execute this prototype interview solution. Though there are other somewhat similar services on the market none of them meet the security requirements and tailored approach to structured interviews focused on competencies, knowledge, skills and ability needed to meet SSC's needs. While only HireVue offers the software that meets the security requirements, our market research identified two companies that have licenses to the HireVue software.

EC America, Inc. can provide HireVue software however it does not provide all the capabilities SSC is requiring, such as the HireVue Job Search Assistant and Builder for Structured Interviews (Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities).

North South Consulting Group LLC (SDVOSB and WOSB) is able to provide all of the SSC required capabilities within a licensed package:

- Video Interviewing and CodeVue:

- Assessments:

- Support and Implementation for Licenses

- HireVue Job Search Assistant

- Builder for Structured Interviews (Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

Furthermore, FAR 19.1406(a) states: "A contracting officer shall consider a contract award to a SDVOSB concern on a sole source basis (see 6.302-5(b)(6)), before considering small business set-asides (see 19.203 and Subpart 19.5) provided none of the exclusions of 19.1404 apply and --

(1) The contracting officer does not have a reasonable expectation that offers would be received from two or more service disabled veteran-owned small business concerns;

(2) The anticipated award price of the contract, including options, will not exceed-- (i) $7 million for a requirement within the NAICS codes for manufacturing; or (ii) $4 million for a requirement within any other NAICS code;

(3) The requirement is not currently being performed by an 8(a) participant under the provisions of Subpart

19.8 or has been accepted as a requirement by SBA under Subpart 19.8;

(4) The service-disabled veteran-owned small business concern has been determined to be a responsible contractor with respect to performance; and

(5) Award can be made at a fair and reasonable price.

Market research did not identify any other SDVOSB companies that are capable of providing this requirement.

North South Consulting Group, LLC was awarded a contract to provide similar services for the Army, and determined responsible and capable based upon review of their previous work experience, financials, and various government sources such as SAM and FAPIIS.

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

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VII. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

The estimated price is and will be determined fair and reasonable based upon review of historic prices previously paid for similar services and comparison to the Independent Government Cost Estimate.

Based upon having met all the criteria required under FAR 19.1406(a), the Government plans to award a sole source contract to North South Consulting Group, LLC.

VIII. Description of the market research conducted and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted.

Multiple vendors with video interview software capability were contacted. However none of the other vendors could provide an all inclusive license package to meet SSC's security requirements.

IX. Any other facts supporting the use of Other Than Full and Open Competition.

N/A

X. List of any sources that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

N/A

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.

N/A

XII. Certification by the Contracting Officer.

As evidenced by my signature above, I have determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

XIII. Certification by the technical/requirements personnel.

As evidenced by my (our) signature(s) above, I (we) certify that any supporting data contained herein, which is my (our) responsibility, is both accurate and complete.