E07 JA 10July2020_Redacted.pdf

LIMITED SOURCE JUSTIFICATION & APPROVAL

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

PROCUREMENT SENSITIVE

SOURCE SELECTION SENSITIVE

A

REFERENCES: In accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.405-6, for acquisitions exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), the contracting agency is required to prepare a sole source justification using the format at FAR 8.405-6(c)(2) as provided below.

DOCUMENTATION:

(1) Identification of the agency and the contracting activity.

Requiring Activity:

Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) Federal Investigative Records Enterprise (FIRE) 27130 Telegraph Road Quantico, VA 22134

Contracting Activity:

DCSA

Acquisition and Contracting (AQ) 27130 Telegraph Road Quantico, VA 22134

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

DCSA at Fort Meade, MD plans to issue a modification to contract number HS0021-19-F-0023, with TALX Corporation (Equifax) to extend the period of performance by adding option period two which will be a three-month option period. The extension is required in order to continue providing employment verification records for subjects of background investigations (BI). Employment verifications are a vital component of the Personnel Vetting mission. The Federal Investigative Standards require coverage of employment activities in each of the investigation Tier levels. The total value of contract number HS0021-19-F-0023 is

This action is expected to raise the contract value by increasing the acquisition value of contract number HS0021-19-F-0023 from Fiscal year 2020 Defense Working Capital Funds (DWCF) will be used to fund option period two. A breakout of the option period can be found in the chart below. The option period will be exercised immediately in concurrence with this action.

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

The requirement is for employment verifications records through TALX’s database called “The Work Number”. The Work Number is a regularly updated database with employment records sourced directly from over 700,000 employers containing over 100M active employment records. The Work Number receives requests and returns results via XML web service or batch processing compatible with DCSA processes and systems. The Work Number also establishes and maintain processes for manual verifications through a user interface. All results are returned to DCSA within one (1) business day of the initial request.

(4) Identification of limited source authority and demonstration of contractor’s unique qualifications.

FAR 8.405-6 (a)(1)(i)(C), in the interest of economy and efficiency, the new work is a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order provided that the original order was placed in accordance with

Option Period CLIN Period of Performance 2 1001 01 August 2020 to 31 October 2020

PROCUREMENT SENSITIVE

SOURCE SELECTION SENSITIVE

A the applicable Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures. The original order or BPA must not have been previously issued under sole-source or limited-sources procedures.

As detailed above in section 3, FIRE has a continuous need to procure employment verification records and information. The employment history verification records are for subjects of BIs. The Federal Investigative Standards require coverage of employment activities in each of the investigation Tier levels; therefore, this information is vital to the Personnel Vetting mission.

Currently, a re-compete effort is underway to replace contract number HS0021-19-F-0023. The re-compete effort is experiencing significant delays due to delays in the NBIS deployment schedule which has reduced the employment verification volumes that were included in the initial re-compete requirements. DCSA is in the process of determining the exact requirements of the re-compete effort and obtaining the required approvals to proceed with the long term re-compete acquisition. Specifically, the Program has prepared a new two-year requirement that excludes any increase in volumes due to NBIS automation. The new two-year requirement is strictly focused on continuity of operations until NBIS is fully functional.

This three-month extension action on contract number HS0021-19-F-0023 which, is supported by this limited source justification, is expected to provide enough time for DCSA to prepare a new two-year requirement and receive necessary internal approval for moving forward with a competitive follow-on procurement. Until this occurs, this extension of contract number HS0021-19-F-0023 is in the interest of economy and efficiency, as the new work is a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order.

Contract number HS0021-19-F-0023 was placed in accordance with applicable Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures. It was not previously issued under sole-source or limited-sources procedures. Failure to extend contract number HS0021-19-F-0023 would result in an unacceptable interruption of critical information necessary for background investigations.

(5) A determination by the ordering activity contracting officer that the order represents the best value.

Contract pricing contained in the original contract was determined to be fair and reasonable at the time of initial contract award. As a result of extending the existing contract, contract pricing on a monthly basis should change very little, if any. The estimated increase in contract price should only come from the extension of the contract. In accordance with FAR 8.404(d), the General Services Administration (GSA) has already determined the prices under schedule contracts to be fair and reasonable. However, in accordance with FAR 8.405-4 the contracting officer will seek a price reduction as the order is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The Contracting Officer will make a fair and reasonable price determination by utilizing one or more of the procedures found in FAR 15.404-1.

(6)A description of the market research conducted among schedule holders and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

Market research was conducted for the competitive follow-on procurement effort for HS0021-19-F-0023.

As part of the market research, the Government reviewed the Human Capital – Background Investigations, SIN 561611 HR Support: Pre Employment Background Investigations GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS). The Government found at least seven vendors listed on the GSA MAS to be potentially capable of fulfilling DCSA’s needs of employment verification records through a database which allows the Government to conduct searches through XML or batch processing. As discussed in section 4 above, once the DCSA acquisition office receives internal approval to move forward with the competitive follow-on procurement to contract number HS0021-19-F-0023; the competitive solicitation will be released.

(7) Any other facts supporting the justification.

Not applicable

PROCUREMENT SENSITIVE

SOURCE SELECTION SENSITIVE

A

(8) 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.

Upon approval the DCSA acquisition office will move forward with a competitive follow-on procurement to contract number HS0021-19-F-0023.

CERTIFICATION

I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance which are included in this justification and which form a basis for this justification are complete and accurate.

Requiring Activity/Program Management Office Printed Name:

Title: Executive Program Manager, Federal Investigative Records Enterprise, Organization Code: DCSA-PV-FIRE

Signature

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION

I hereby determine that the anticipated cost for this contract action will be fair and reasonable. I certify that this J&A is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Printed Name:

Title: Contracting Officer, Branch Chief Vetting Contracts B Organization Code: DCSA AQ

Signature: