Data Quality Support JOFOC.pdf

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Data Quality Program and Crash Causal Factors Program Support PR Number: MC-RRA-24-0000005

Solicitation Number: TBD

Upon the approval of the following justification, I, as the Contracting Officer’s Representative, submit this Justification for other than Full & Open Competition (JOFOC) for the proposed contractual action pursuant to the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(2): For purchases exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. The requirements at FAR 13.501(a) apply to sole-source (FAR 6.302-1) including brand-name acquisitions of commercial products and commercial services conducted pursuant to subpart 13.5.

1. Identification of the agency and contracting activity.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Office of Acquisitions Management (OAM), 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washington, DC 20590

2. The nature and/or description of the action being approved, i.e., sole source, limited competition, establishment of a new source, etc.

FMCSA’s Office of Research and Registration’s Office of Crash Data Analysis requires a sole-source firm-fixed price contract with the National Institute for Safer Research, Inc.

(NISR).

This justification is in support of establishing a contract between FMCSA and the National Institute for Safer Research, Inc. (NISR). The FMCSA is seeking an active partner to assist the Data Quality team with providing technical knowledge, analysis and training of State and Federal traffic records systems in helping States provide information that powers the core of the Agency’s safety systems.

The Contractor’s focus shall be on aiding State agencies responsible for providing consistent data about commercial motor vehicle crashes to FMCSA. The Contractor shall provide analysis on data quality issues and recommend improvements related to crash data collection and the response of State agencies to DataQs. The final focus shall be on providing training to State partners on crash and data quality issues.

3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs.

The services required under the contract will include, but are not limited to, NISR working with FMCSA and its contractors to provide expert and independent consultative services, analysis, and training for FMCSA’s Data Quality Program on the subjects of crash data collection and responses to DataQs, and to develop and conduct a training program to help support the Agency’s Crash Causal Factors Program (CCFP). The period of performance shall be effective twelve (12) months from the date of award with four (4) twelve-month option periods. The estimated dollar value for this proposed contract award is $3,280,940.21 for a twelve (12) months base period with four (4) twelve-month option periods. This will allow FMCSA to accomplish its mission to further improve data quality and research needed to save lives from large truck and bus crashes.

4. The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106-1(b)(2).

5. A statement demonstrating the unique qualifications of the proposed contractor or the nature of the action requiring the use of the authority.

Due to the nature of the work to be performed, NISR is the only vendor able to complete the work. NISR is currently under contract to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to conduct’s NHTSA’s annual in-person Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) New Analyst and Coder Training for the States. NISR is the sole vendor to NHTSA who has created and has access to the training methodology and materials that FMCSA seeks to replicate for the Crash Causal Factors Program (CCFP). NISR is uniquely suited towards FMCSA’s need to assess State traffic records systems and to conduct confidential reviews independent of FMCSA’s presence. NISR has built an unmatched level of trust with State organizations to remove institutional barriers and provide better quality data to FMCSA and NHTSA. Lastly, NISR has unique subject matter knowledge of FMCSA data and systems that will enable NISR to deliver complex analyses with minimal direction. The traffic records community is a very niche community with limited potential vendors. NISR is the only vendor capable of performing each of the actions described above.

6. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized.

The CO posted a notice on sam.gov notifying vendors of FMCSAs intent to award a sole source contract with NISR for the required services. There were no vendors that responded to the notice stating that they were interested or that they believed a company other than NISR would be able to complete the work.

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

The CO will ensure that all costs associated with the proposed contract are fair and reasonable. The CO will perform a detailed price analysis of NISR’s proposal to substantiate this determination.

8. A description of the market research conducted and the results.

Market Research was conducted by gathering information from historical data, contracts similar in nature, attending an industry forum to gauge potential vendors, and attending NHTSA’s FARS training. Results yielded that NISR is the only source/entity who has access to NHTSA’s FARS training which is the integral component to the training FMCSA is seeking to conduct and the technical capabilities to complete the Data Quality Program’s requirements as outlined above.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition.

The CCFP is a Congressionally mandated requirement for FMCSA to conduct a detailed crash data collection and analysis effort intended to: identify the key factors that contribute to crashes involving commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), inform countermeasures to prevent these crashes, and to establish a foundation for continued data collection, sharing, and analysis. FMCSA has determined that replicating NHTSA’s training is the best way to move forward in training the CCFP data entry personnel as the systems utilize the same terminology and it is likely that they will utilize both systems. In addition, when the Data Quality Program works with States to improve the processes of how data moves to FMCSA, sometimes it is counterproductive to have FMCSA present at sensitive discussions with the State. State partners are often willing to have those discussions with a contractor present who has a proven track record of understanding the subject matter and someone able to bring multiple State agencies together for a common good.

10. Listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

N/A

11. A statement of any actions the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition, if subsequent acquisitions are anticipated.

NISR is currently the only vendor that has the subject matter expertise needed to fulfill this requirement. Towards the end of the period of performance, the contracting office and program office will work together to complete additional market research to see if any other vendors have gained comparable subject matter expertise while this award is in place.

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