E53_BSR_LSJ_HR_License_Renewal_Redacted_1.pdf

United States Department of the Interior

INTERIOR BUSINESS CENTER

Washington, DC 20240

LIMITED-SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

AUTHORITY: FAR 8.405-6 and 40 U.S.C 501

SOL # 140D0424Q1000

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program.

1. Identification of the agency and contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a “Limited-Sources Justification.”

The Department of the Interior (DOI), Interior Business Center (IBC), Acquisition Services Directorate (AQD), Division II, Branch II, has a requirement to support the Federal Consulting Group (FCG) and FCG’s client the National Park Service (NPS).

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

This Limited-Sources Justification (LSJ) is for a follow-on requirement to award a firm-fixed-price (FFP) sole source task order (TO) to Gartner, Incorporated (INC) under its General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule 47QTCA18D008L to provide Human Resource (HR) license/software subscription.

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

a. This requirement is for the acquisition of a HR cloud application service through a subscription-based service model with on-demand access to HR research and advisory services. The subscription will have unlimited access to an application that provides HR expertise through timely research, best practices, interactive decision support tools and actionable insights contextualized to a position’s unique circumstances, plus on-demand access to peer-only learning forums and peer networking opportunities. The subscription must provide team-based solutions with the following licensed users:

One (1) Subscription for Chief Human Resources Officers Team – Team Leader One (1) Subscriptions for Chief Human Resources Officers Team – Advisor Team Member One (1) Subscription for Chief Human Resources Officers Team – Reference Team Member

b. The Independent Government Estimate is for a base year and two options years with anticipated award date of 9/30/2024.

SOL # 140D0424Q1000

4. The authority and supporting rationale (see 8.405-6(a)(1)(i) and (b)(1)) and, if applicable, a demonstration of the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications to provide the required supply or service.

a. FAR authority: FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)C – In the interest of economy and efficiency, the new work is determined to be a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order and the original order was placed in accordance with the applicable Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures. The original task order (TO) was not previously issued under sole-source or limited-sources procedures. The previous GSA TO was competed under GSA amongst small and other than small contract holders.

b. TO 140D0423F1315 was awarded against GSA Contract 47QTCA18D008L to Gartner, Incorporated (INC) from 9/30/2023 – 9/29/2024 to provide FCG and it’s client NPS with HR license/software subscription. During the use of the HR subscription, the end user has been heavily utilizing and relying on research, advice, data, and tools to develop their own HR strategies related to employee talent acquisition/recruitment, employee-employer relationships, diversity/equity and inclusion and other HR related topics, programs and functions. Losing access to the HR subscription will negatively impact and disrupt the development and on-going progress of NPS HR strategies thus it will not be efficient to utilize another software solution package at the current moment.

Additionally, the time and effort that it cost NPS to work on improving and modifying their HR strategies for the past year, will not be utilized effectively if NPS is taken away the software tools to achieve their intended purpose and goals.

c. The HR subscription also provides advice, insight, recommendations to NPS HR leaders from a Gartner senior-level, former Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO).

These Gartner’s executive partner(s) meet with NPS HR leaders on a regular basis to discuss its goals to ensure the services continue to algin and support NPS objectives.

As a deliverable, Gartner provided a Value Plan that aligned with NPS mission-critical priorities and key initiatives. Quarterly impact assessments were also provided as a deliverable to NPS to ensure and verify that the Value Plan delivered as expected. Not renewing the software license will disrupt the continuous improvement of the Value Plan that is being achieve through these quarterly assessments. The disruption in software services will minimize the Value Plan’s productivity by not allowing NPS to take advantage of the benefits that have been built into the Value Plan for the past year, and the possibility of having and utilizing a much more optimized Value Plan that can be obtain during the period of performance of the new task order.

d. Since it requires time to modify and improve HR strategies, it is logical and reasonable to renew Gartner’s HR software subscription to allow NPS more time to continue this on-going process. The renewal of the software subscription will minimize cost, maximize productivity, and increase efficiency which are economic benefits and work efficiencies that will not be obtain if procuring another HR software subscription at the current time.

5. A determination by the ordering activity contracting officer that the order represents the best value consistent with FAR 8.404(d).

Price will be evaluated in accordance with FAR 8.404(d). The Contracting Officer will determine price reasonableness based on comparison of the quoted price with prices found reasonable on previous purchases and current GSA price lists to ensure the TO represents the best value.

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.

A search through GSA MAS identified category 54151ECOM (Electronic Commerce and Subscription Services) as the most suitable and in scope schedule to support this requirement. This schedule has 288 contractors (108 other than small businesses and 180 small businesses) that may be able to support this requirement. The anticipated sole source vendor (Gartner) is one of the other than small business under this GSA MAS. In accordance with DOI-AAAP-0145 v03 one of the goals of market research is to identify existing commercial sources in the marketplace. Since GSA MAS 54151ECOM was determined as the most suitable and in scope schedule to support this requirement, a Sources Sought Notice (SSN) was issued through this schedule from 9/1/2023 to 9/5/2023 via GSA eBuy. The SSN received only one response from the anticipated sole source vendor (Gartner). A technical review of this sources sought response was conducted by FCG and was determined to be capable of supporting this requirement.

From 9/12/2023 – 9/14/2023 a Request for Quote (RFQ) was issued for this requirement and only Gartner’s quote was received. Vendors that did not submit a quote stated that they did not sell the products being requested by the RFQ. In accordance with FAR 10.002 (a)(1) the SSN and RFQ information obtain from the previous requirement is considered current (i.e.., within 18 months from today) and accurate and relevant to this requirement.

7. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to the restricted consideration before any subsequent acquisition for supplies and services is made.

FCG and its Client NPS will continue to research other HR software subscription products in an effort to identify other subscriptions that are able to meet the Agency’s specific needs for any subsequent acquisitions.

8. The ordering activity contracting officer’s certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the contracting officer’s knowledge and belief.

I certify this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Contracting Officer

9. Evidence that any supporting data that is the responsibility of technical or requirements personnel (e.g., verifying the Government’s minimum needs or requirements or other rationale for limited sources) and which form a basis for the justification have been certified as complete and accurate by the technical or requirements personnel.

I certify the technical data which forms a basis for this justification is complete and accurate and meet the Government’s minimum needs.

Director, Federal Consulting Group

10. For justifications under 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(C), a written determination by the approving official identifying the circumstance that applies.

In the interest of economy and efficiency, this requirement is a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order that was placed in accordance with the applicable Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures which was not previously issued under sole-source or limited-sources procedures.

11. Reviews and Approvals

Approve

Contracting Officer