Intent to Sole Source Notice - Research Portfolio Review and Analysis.pdf

Intent to Sole Source Notice Department of Homeland Security

a) This is a notice of intent to conduct a procurement on the basis of other than full and open competition, under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.405-6 “Limited Sources.”

This is not a Request for Quotes or Proposals. No contract award will be made on the basis of responses to this notice. The purpose of this notice is to allow interested parties to assert and explain their capability to perform the work described.

b) The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate

(S&T) has contracted with Navigant Consulting, Inc. for approximately three years to conduct analysis and review of S&T’s portfolio of research projects and programs.

Navigant has studied the S&T organization, conducted interviews with the range of stakeholders, and gathered extensive operational data. Navigant has developed evaluation criteria through which to evaluate S&T’s prioritization and resource allocation. Navigant has conducted two (and is conducting a third) annual research portfolio investment reviews, in which it applied the collected data and evaluation criteria to provide a strategic assessment and recommendations to senior leadership. S&T has used the recommendations to better align its technical efforts with the DHS mission and its customers’ needs. The existing Navigant contract is a task order that was competitively issued against General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS).

c) DHS S&T has a tentative requirement to expand the research portfolio analysis and review process to another DHS component as a pilot effort. The intent of the pilot would be to determine if the Navigant process, which has been successful at S&T, can be tailored and applied to another agency’s research and development activities and achieve similarly positive results. The pilot would take place for 12 months. If successful, S&T anticipates transitioning and solidifying the portfolio analysis and review into a fully transferrable, repeatable process that can be performed by a competitively selected contractor(s) throughout DHS and potentially research activities in the wider federal government. Commencing the pilot effort is contingent upon final decision by senior management, the identification of the DHS component, and the availability of funds. This notice is issued to comply with the relevant synopsis requirements of FAR 5.201, in the event that the pilot effort does proceed.

d) The government believes this requirement fits the definition of FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(C) that, “In the interest of economy and efficiency, the new work is a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order...” The government does not believe another contractor in the same field of management consulting services is capable of assuming the portfolio analysis and review pilot effort without substantially duplicating Navigant’s sunk information gathering and methodology development costs, and without creating substantial time delays while familiarizing itself with the environment and obtaining necessary security clearances. The government does not believe it is economically and expediently possible for a new contractor to obtain the capabilities that Navigant has acquired during the course of performance.

Intent to Sole Source Notice Department of Homeland Security

e) No part of this intent to sole source notice concerns the eventual transition effort described in the third sentence of paragraph (c).

f) Interested parties may submit responses to this notice. All responses must demonstrate clear and convincing evidence of capability, addressing the points identified in paragraph

(g) below, that the interested party is capable of assuming the portfolio analysis and review pilot effort without incurring substantial additional costs and time delays.

Responses may be submitted until 5:00 PM Eastern on Thursday, August 30, 2012 to William Mallison, contracting officer, at william.mallison@hq.dhs.gov. No calls, please.

g) Responses indicating the equivalent capability of an interested party must address the following points:

i. The interested party is a professional management consulting organization with demonstrated ability performing the type of work described in paragraph (b) for a research organization or organizations that are comparable in size and mission to the Science and Technology Directorate.

ii. The interested party is capable of performing the data gathering, which is a precondition of putting together the necessary framework; operational plan; and evaluation criteria to conduct the portfolio analysis and review pilot, without unreasonable duplicating Navigant’s sunk costs.

iii. The interested party is capable of familiarizing itself with S&T’s organizational structure; operations; and research portfolio, collecting preliminary data, and obtaining necessary security clearances without creating substantial time delays.

Substantial time delays disrupt the pilot’s anticipated fall 2012 start and completion within 12 months.

mailto:william.mallison@hq.dhs.gov