Digital Video and Broadcast Services JnA 01SEP21_redacted.pdf

SBU - CONTRACTING AND ACQUISITIONS

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL (J&A)

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

FAR Part 6.3

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity:

The Office of Acquisition Management is conducting this acquisition of other than full and open competition for Digital Video & Broadcast Production and Postproduction Services on behalf of The Global Public Affairs Office of Video. The total estimated cost is $600,000.00.

2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

The GPA Office of Video requests that Interface Media Group (IMG) be awarded a Time and Materials (T&M) bridge contract for the continuation of services for a period of at least six months under the authority of FAR 6.302-2(b)(2), "a delay in award of a contract would result in serious injury, financial or other, to the Government."

3.

The Interface Media Group contract supplements the Office of Video in-house video production capability with professionally made, visually compelling video products ranging from full-length

- bally across multiple platforms including the internet, mobile devices, broadcast television and conference events. The video content result in specific, measurable outcomes and identify audiences in real time that are interested in and talking about our foreign policy objectives, in essence generating a focus on narratives that relate policy to individuals and how their lives are impacted.

IMG provides the full range of services involved in video pre-production, production and post-production, technology and engagement to achieve a digital first message: agile, strategic, and responsive in the digital diplomacy arena. The Department requires the services of a contractor that is able to provide the full range of services including creative development, hiring camera crews, booking and shooting interviews, obtaining b-roll, acquiring archival footage and images, graphic design, transcription, translation and editing.

Office of Video as they are experienced in video production, capable of delivering state-of-the-art products within established time frames and budgets without a disruption in critical mission support.

Additionally, IMG provides unique customized licensed access to royalty-free media for use by all Department of State embassies, consulates and offices with digital media production needs.

4. An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition. This acquisition is conducted under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 3304, as implemented by FAR 6.3 and substantiated by the following:

FAR 6.302-2 Unusual and compelling urgency.

5.

require use of the authority cited.

Interface Media Group is uniquely qualified to provide these services to the GPA Office of Video based upon the following:

a. Currently, the Office of Video is committed to supporting the Department's Climate Crisis campaign with a series of defined videos requested by the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate and the Bureau of Oceans, Environment, and Science. IMG is currently providing critical services in support of this effort. These videos are central to the campaign's goal of providing a regular drumbeat of messaging on the urgency of addressing the climate crisis in the lead up to COP26, which occurs in early November 2021. The Office does not have the ability to meet this need on its own and must be able to outsource some of the production work in order fulfill the requirement.

Given the campaign is designed to build up to a global high-level summit occurring in early November, the Office cannot experience a lapse or delay in this service. Video production on the scale required by this campaign is a labor-intensive activity. To meet the established deadlines, work needs to begin immediately and continue uninterrupted through the end of the year. If the Office fails to fulfill this requirement, the success of the Climate Crisis strategic messaging campaign supporting COP26 will be at risk.

b. The teleprompter operator IMG provides in the Office of Video, Broadcast Division, is critical to the success of the office mission, and that service cannot be interrupted. The IMG teleprompter operator has direct, day-to-day contact with the Secretary of State and the hard-earned trust of his support staff and speechwriters. The IMG teleprompter operator has faced the repetitive occurrences of short-turn assignments often with late-breaking changes that require script modifications and editing on-the-fly, sometimes in the presence of the Secretary and other high-ranking department officials. And this must happen seamlessly and does because the teleprompter operator has become very familiar with the associated writing and speaking style of all involved.

The ultimate success or failure of the scripted speech delivery process and the performance of the Secretary and other officials to a regional or global audience relies on the collaborative execution from the speechwriting process through the ultimate delivery of remarks. The final performance relies on the use of a teleprompting system. The Broadcast office assumed responsibility for providing teleprompter support last year and was soon overwhelmed due both to the resource and skill requirement to excel in the circumstances of the scripted delivery process, as well as the demanding workflow challenges presented by the pandemic. The IMG contract now fulfills this critical resource.

The Office of Video does not have the ability to meet the three needs described above on its own and must be able to outsource these services in order fulfill the requirement. IMG's existing work in support of GPA's Office of Video and its familiarity with the Office's mission and workflows makes it uniquely positioned to provide this support in a seamless manner. Without the ability to partner with IMG, the Office will fail to deliver critical support to these priority initiatives.

6. A description of efforts to ensure that offers were solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies.

The Office of Video, in collaboration with AQM is working on a re-procurement effort to be competed on GSA schedule in the coming months.

7. A determination by the ordering activity Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government is fair and reasonable.

The Contracting Office determines that the anticipated price(s) will be fair and reasonable based on historical pricing. By signing the justification the Contracting Officer makes a determination that the cost/price to the Government are expected to be fair and reasonable.

8. A description of the market survey conducted (see Part 10) and the results or a statement of the reasons a market survey was not conducted.

Service (MRAS) tool to conduct market research and determine the viability of the market given our requirement.

The Office of Video intends to post a Sources Sought RFI on GSA in order to identify potential sources for this requirement.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of this justification.

The Office of Video, in strategy was to extend the current task order for six (6) months beyond the September 15th, 2021, expiration in accordance with the option to extend services clause against the IMG GSA schedule. However, AQM recently learned that GSA schedule contract lapsed in May 2021 and therefore, the extension could not occur. This has required GPA to seek this short-term needs while a new contract is competed and awarded.

Interface Media will be in the middle of a number of projects when their current contract expires. These projects are deemed high priority and cannot be delayed without inflicting serious harm to the government.

Campaign that is currently underway in the lead up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference

(COP-26).

teleprompter services. Any interruption to this provision will result in deprecation of mission critical services.

10. A listing of any sources that expressed a written interest in the acquisition.

Sources will be identified after RFI posting results.

11. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required.

The Office of Video continuously surveys the market and takes part in industry activities, reviews industry publications and reviews government databases to stay informed or industry trends and

CERTIFICATIONS

TECHNICAL AND REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION (FAR 6.303-2(b)) I certify that this justification is accurate and contains complete data necessary to support the recommendation for other than full and open competition.

SIGNATURE:

09/01/2021 Aurea Iris Torres Jones Date

COR

GPA Office of Video

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION (FAR 6.303-2(a)(12)) I certify that this submission is accurate to the best of my knowledge, and that it contains complete information necessary to enable other officials to make an informed recommendation for approval ord disapproval.

APPROVALS

__________________________ _________________09/02/2021

PROCURING ACTIVITY COMPETITION ADVOCATE - (Ref: FAR 6.501) - Contract Over $700,000 Not Exceeding 15,000,000. THIS AUTHORITY IS NOT DELEGABLE.