CASS Consolidation_Redacted.pdf

DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY

ENTERPRISE MEDICAL SERVICES CONTRACTING DIVISION

4130 STANLEY ROAD, SUITE 208

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, FORT SAM HOUSTON, TEXAS 78234

DETERMINATION AND FINDINGS

Regarding Consolidation of Contract Support Services Requirement and Acquisition Support Services Requirement

Regulation/Authority: This Determination and Findings (D&F) was prepared in accordance with (IAW) the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 7.107-2 and 15 U.S.C. 657q. This D&F supports the determination to consolidate requirements currently performed under two (2) separate GSA task orders as detailed below.

Requirement: The Defense Health Agency Enterprise Medical Services Contracting Division (DHA EMS-CD) intends to consolidate the contract support services (CSS) requirement and acquisition support services (AQSS) requirement into one requirement known as Contract and Acquisition Support Services (CASS). A firm fixed-price Small Business Competitive Award with an estimated value of , for a single award ID/IQ and a five-year ordering period is requested to support the Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity (DHACA), Defense Health Agency. The estimated value of the first task order is . Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Operation and Maintenance (O&M) funds will be allocated and shall be used to fund this requirement. Steps will be taken to include the maximum practicable participation by small business concerns in the acquisition strategy by issuing a solicitation as a Small Business Set Aside.

FINDINGS

Background: The CSS and AQSS requirements are currently performed under GSA Oasis task order numbers HT005019F0001 and HT005019F0002. Small business contractor Amyx, Inc.

(cage code 1QNC9) proposed and was awarded both GSA task orders. The task orders will expire on 14 August 2024. The following table is a summary of the current contracts.

Contract Number Contract Value Contract Vehicle Contract Type Socioeconomical Status HT005019F0001 GSA Task Order FFP Small Business Set Aside- Total HT005019F0002 GSA Task Order FFP Small Business Set Aside- Total

The CSS requirement is for contract and program management support services. Services include acquisition and contract management support and program management support. The CSS contract has the following six labor categories: senior contract analyst, junior contract analyst, program manager, procurement technician, cost/price analyst, and acquisition application manager.

The AQSS requirement is for acquisition support services including program management office, career management, acquisition planning office support, systems engineering, manager’s internal

CASS Consolidation Determination and Findings control program (MICP), acquisition policy, test and evaluation, cost estimating, data analytics and metrics, business process improvement, and business operations division. Support services also include procurement policy, acquisition systems, government purchase card, quality management, and administrative support services.

The AQSS contract has the following thirteen labor categories: senior engineering program manager, senior systems analyst, acquisition consultant/senior management analyst, program analyst, clerical administrative, information analyst, senior acquisition specialist, acquisition specialist, procurement technician, content management/computer analyst, business operations specialist, senior business operations specialist, and senior contract data analyst.

Market Research:

Alternative #1 Consolidation – Single Award ID/IQ

The benefits of this approach include the flexibility to increase or decrease the number of FTEs based on funding and customer need each year. For example, prior to the most recent option period on CSS and AQSS the task orders were descoped by

. A single award ID/IQ would reduce DHA’s administrative burden of descope modifications and provide the contractor more transparent contract terms and conditions. A minimum award amount would be established for the single award ID/IQ therefore, future potential contractors would be in a better position to decide if proposing and potentially receiving the next contract award is a good business decision for their company.

Another benefit of awarding a single award ID/IQ is the flexibility to order a different number of labor categories at each location each time a new task order is awarded.

Consolidation of the GSA task orders to a single award ID/IQ will provide better terms and conditions and eliminate the need for future complex modifications such as changes in staffing location and labor categories.

Benefits that are not quantifiable in dollar amounts are more efficient contract management as well as decrease in contract redundancy and a reduction in acquisition cycle time.

Quality improvements will save time, improve, and enhance performance and efficiency.

Contractors have the expertise available to support DHA without significant delays, lead-time, incurred costs, duplication of efforts, and substantial investments of time and resources by the Government.

The current small business contractor, performing both CSS and AQSS, therefore demonstrating consolidation of the two efforts would be beneficial to the Government in administrative cost savings and would not preclude small businesses from successfully performing the requirement.

An analysis of the modifications on the current contracts revealed the DHA could have reduced contract administration by if the current contracts were consolidated and awarded as one requirement.

It is expected DHA will gain efficiencies if the requirements are consolidated in the post-award phase (administration/contract modifications), but DHA will also gain efficiencies in the pre-award phase by reducing the time it takes to draft one rather than two acquisition plans, solicitations, contract award documents, business clearance documents and contract clearance documents for the follow-on requirements.

Alternative #2 Traditional Approach – Two GSA Oasis Task Orders

The benefit of alternative #2 is no single point of failure if different contractors receive each task order. However, the risk of this approach includes a potential for inconsistencies or errors.

Multiple contractors advising and assisting individual portions of information needed to complete initial and final DHA reports and documents could cause delays, therefore impacting the DHA mission. DHA has not experienced this however, it is a risk if alternative #2 is pursued.

Bundling: In accordance with FAR 2.101, bundling means a subset of consolidation that combines two (2) or more requirements for supplies or services, previously provided or performed under separate smaller contracts, into a solicitation for a single contract, a multiple-award contract, or a task or delivery order that is likely to be unsuitable for award to a small business concern. Based on the market research conducted small businesses can perform the CASS requirement. Currently the two requirements are being performed by the same small business contractor. It is clear that small businesses would be able to perform the CASS requirement.

Use of the recommended approach outlined under alternative #1 does not consolidate requirements into a solicitation that is likely to be unsuitable for award to a small business concern. Therefore, this is not a bundled requirement as defined IAW FAR 2.101.

Summary:

As required by FAR 7.107-2(a):

(1) Market research has been conducted which supports this consolidation;

(2) Any alternative contracting approaches that would involve a lesser degree of consolidation have been identified and assessed;

(3) The determination is being coordinated with the DHA's Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization or the Office of Small Business Programs;

(4) Any negative impact by the acquisition strategy on contracting with small business concerns has been identified; and

(5) Steps are being taken to include small business concerns in the acquisition strategy.

DETERMINATION

Based on the foregoing findings, I determine the consolidation of CSS and AQSS into CASS is necessary and justified. In accordance with 15 U.S.C. 657q, no later than 7 days after I make this determination the Contracting Officer for CASS will post a consolidation notice on Contracting Opportunities located at https://sam.gov/. Based on market research, the consolidation does not have negative impact to small businesses. The benefits of alternative #1 substantially exceed the benefits of alternative #2 approach identified above.

I approve the consolidation of GSA Oasis task order numbers HT005019F0001 and

HT005019F0002.

Senior Procurement Executive Defense Health Agency