Limited Source Justifification-LINCS2.11.20_redacted.pdf

United States Department of Education Office of Finance and Operations

Contracts and Acquisitions Management

LIMITED SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

IDENTIFICATION:

Agency: U. S. Department of Education

Contracting Activity: Contracts and Acquisitions Management

NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION BEING APPROVED:

The Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS) system1 is the main vehicle used by the

Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE), Division of Adult Education and Literacy

(DAEL) to disseminate information and professional development materials intended to improve the quality of instruction for low-skilled adult learners. LINCS2 is recognized as a national resource for national, state, and local community level programs in adult education and literacy. The system consists of several adult education and literacy related websites, databases, an online community forum, and a learning management system.

The LINCS websites were designed to increase access to the highest quality information available for dissemination to adult education teachers, adult education administrators, service providers, adult education students, and the general public. The system provides extensive information and communication services for adult and literacy providers in the United States and in English speaking nations via the Internet.

In June 2016, the Department awarded the Technical Support LINCS Online Portal Contract to

CivicActions, Inc., a small business. This award was made through a competitive process using GSA IT

Schedule 70; and resulted in the following GSA order: ED-EVP-O-16-F-0001.

DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE AGENCY'S

NEEDS:

Project Title: Technical Support LINCS Online Portal

Modification Estimate: XXXXXXXX

Description of supplies or services:

The contractor has provided system lifecycle development and management for the LINCS System for the past three years. The contractor maintains, develops, enhances, and updates the LINCS Online Portal

1 http://lincs.ed.gov/ 2 History of LINCS: http://lincs.ed.gov/about/history-of-LINCS system of websites, web-based tools, databases, database search engines, streaming media, content management and learning management systems.

The Department requires technical expertise to establish and maintain hardware and software to support its web services offered through LINCS with availability 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The system is expected to be efficient and responsive to users’ needs, adaptable to changing requirements, and updated when new upgrades to hardware or software are required. All activities shall be performed in accordance with the legal, regulatory, policy, security and other Department or government regulations.

The contractor supports DAEL’s projects3 and provides technical assistance for web development, system operations, infrastructure, database, and security compliance support.

In meeting the goals and objectives of this contract, the contractor:

• Ensures that the LINCS Online Portal remains fully functional and stable; and that updates to websites and all required system hardware and software upgrades are completed in a timely manner.

• Maintains a high quality of support for the LINCS Online Portal administrators,

• Collaborates with LINCS Partners, DAEL and external partners, course developers, content managers, and users.

• Responds to technical problems, providing user technical assistance, and supporting Department and LINCS partners (contractors and grantees that work on and contribute content to the LINCS system.)

• Installs and maintains all LINCS Online Portal hardware components and ensure that the system meets all relevant and required Federal Government and Department security and accessibility requirements.

The Base Year, Option Years 1, 2, and 3 plans and activities have been moving along as proposed. The contractor continues to use Agile methodology, and plans Sprints to do shorter incremental stages of development and work based on identified priorities. The team successfully transitioned the LINCS system to Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud and upgraded LINCS with a new look for the main

Resource Collection and Community sites. The contractor is close to launching the new look in the

Learning Portal. The contractor is also investigating and enhancing the LINCS system to support the

LINCS partner needs. The contractor has also been working to update the LINCS system backend and code to become more fully compliant to government and industry standards.

THE AUTHORITY AND SUPPORTING RATIONALE:

The authority is 8.405-6 (a) (1) (C): In the interest of economy and efficiency, the additional work is a logical follow-on to the original Federal Supply Schedule order. As noted above, the current contract vehicle was awarded under GSA IT Schedule 70 on a competitive basis. This additional work is a logical follow-on to the original PWS since the purpose is to manage, maintain, develop, and enhance the LINCS system.

OCTAE requires a new website, under the LINCS system for a sub-set of adult educators who work for

State Offices. We envision that this website shall be conceptualized, developed and updated Under Task

4.1: Web Design, Development, Maintenance and Support. OCTAE has heard from states that additional technical assistance is needed in order to support the implementation of WIOA.

3 https://lincs.ed.gov/professional-development/federal-initiatives

The PWS, under Task 4.1: Web Design, Development, Maintenance and Support states:

Website development shall include website maintenance, enhancement and updates. The contractor shall propose processes for web design, development, and enhancements; and present briefing to the

Department for review and approval, along with timelines (for larger projects, if necessary). The contractor shall use best practices for optimizing user experience, user centered design and encourage feedback at all stages of product development and enhancement.

For this modification, under Task 4.1, the contractor shall develop and build the Adult Education and

Family Literacy website within the LINCS system. They will work with Department staff to identify and migrate content needed to support AEFLA grantees. The contractor shall conduct usability tests and user acceptance testing, prior to launch. The contractor shall also assist the department with communications and messaging to the target audience. They shall also train Department staff on how to use the Content

Management system to add, edit, and create content. The contractor shall provide support for this site throughout the duration of the task order. The AEFLA Technical Assistance website on LINCS is expected to launch in May, during the Adult Education State Directors Meeting.

Additional changes were made under Task 3, to ensure that the necessary changes required for adding a new site, updating system documentation, and maintaining security upgrades and patches are supported for the new site.

The current contractor has shown proven results over the past three years. The current contractor has experience in developing, maintaining, and updating the LINCS system. They have successfully received an Authority to Operate for IT systems in 2019. They are vigilant about security updates and patches and have been responsive to OCIO data calls and requests for information. There is a short timeline for the development of this system and OCTAE needs the contractor of AEFLA Technical Assistance site to be ready to start work early 2020; the website should launch in May 2020.

Should OCTAE start a new procurement, the new contractor would need to be cleared for Departmental

Security Clearance, obtain ed.gov email addresses, follow new the OCIO EPRM protocols, develop system documentation, design a site, test the site, conduct a full assessment and obtain an Authority to

Operate for the new system. By building the website within the LINCS system, OCTAE will avoid duplication of web-based systems, as well as the potential risks with setting up new systems. This will potentially save the Department of Education approximately XXXXXXXXXXX

Since CivicActions is the current contractor, they will be able to start discussions with OCTAE as soon as the modification is made. They will be able to focus on creating the site rather than requiring time and resources to. learn how to operate and maintain a website within the Department of Education before even beginning the work. There is insufficient time to procure a new vendor and to allow them time to develop, design and maintain a website by May 2020.

In addition, the Department estimates that the total costs for a new system for this site can be $XXX,XXX for the Base Year and up to $XXX,XXX for optional years. OCIO has been updating processes and procedures for new IT procurements, so this would be an additional requirement for a new contractor;

while the current contractor already has the institutional knowledge to be able to complete the work most efficiently. Should a new procurement be required, this will add additional workload for Department staff as well. There is the risk, with a new vendor, that the technical quality required by the Department would not be met. The current contractor has been in maintaining and supporting the LINCS system for the past three years. OCTAE simply requires an additional website for State Adult Education agencies, this can be developed and designed under the current LINCS Technical IT contract.

OCTAE plans to recompete the LINCS project in FY2021 through a competitive process, which will be a more appropriate opportunity for multiple vendors to compete for a project of significantly larger scope and activities.

A DETERMINATION BY THE ORDERING ACTIVITY CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT

THE ORDER REPRESENTS THE BEST VALUE CONSISTENT WITH 8.404(d):

It is anticipated that this modification will be firm fixed price. Program Office supplied the Contracting

Officer (CO) an Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) to assist in determining whether the price is fair and reasonable. The CO and Contract Specialist will conduct a price analysis of the vendor’s proposal before award to determine whether the price is fair and reasonable and represents best value.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED AMONG SCHEDULE

HOLDERS AND THE RESULTS OR A STATEMENT OF THE REASON MARKET

RESEARCH WAS NOT CONDUCTED:

Offerors were not solicited, since CivicActions was originally awarded this task order through a competitive process. Also, this modification is for work which is a logical follow on to existing work within the PWS. It would be more expensive for a new vendor to complete the work, and it would take longer for a new vendor to be cleared through the Security process before being able to even begin the work.

ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE JUSTIFICATION:

N/A

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 THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES IS MADE:

OCTAE understands the serious nature of modifications and will work to limit their occurrence to the minimum required.

THE ORDERING ACTIVITY CONTRACTING OFFICER (CO) CERTIFICATION THAT THE

JUSTIFICATION IS ACCURATE AND COMPLETE TO THE BEST OF THE CO'S

KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF:

The Contracting Officer (CO) certifies that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the

CO’s knowledge and belief.

Program Office Certification:

This is to certify that the data supporting this justification is the responsibility of the program office personnel, including verifying the Government's minimum needs or schedule requirements or other rationale for limited sources (pursuant to 8.405-6) or for other than full and open competition justification (pursuant to 6.303-2(b)) which form a basis for this justification, and that such data and rationale are accurate and complete.

X Chris Coro

Program Manager

Mary Jo Maralit

Contracting Officer's Representative

Pamela W. Bone

Contracting Officer

Approved:

Christopher Rosier

Contracting Activity Competition Advocate