HHS Template_ JEFO FAR 16.505 Redacted.pdf

This is a Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity, a federal contracting document submitted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Center for Information Technology (CIT), for fiscal year 2026. The document justifies awarding a sole-source modification to an existing task order (HHSN316201200018W_75N97A26F10001) rather than conducting a competitive procurement.

The modification provides Strategic Information Technology Communications and Change Management Services Support to the Office of IT Services Management (OITSM) and Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). The work includes administrative and strategic IT management communications, Modernization Strategy and Execution Support (MSES), and Digital Experience Optimization (DXO) support. Services encompass development of a 90-day action plan, informational interviews with service area managers, action plan execution, progress reporting to CIT and NIH leadership, and organizational insights to improve service effectiveness and digital capability adoption. The modification is issued on a Time & Materials pricing basis under a Labor Hour contract structure. The primary justification for sole-source award to Deloitte is based on FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B)—that only one contractor is capable of providing the required services at the requisite quality level due to the unique and highly specialized nature of the work. Deloitte's five-year incumbent position, deep understanding of NIH's consolidated CIT and OCIO environments, existing security clearances, and specialized knowledge of organizational workflows make transition to another vendor prohibitively costly and operationally risky. The Contracting Officer conducted price analysis using historical pricing comparisons, independent government estimates, and consistency checks against similar federal contracts (NITAAC SP3, GSA MAS) to determine the proposed price is fair and reasonable. The document includes required certifications and approvals from the Contracting Officer, Program Manager, OPDIV Competition Advocate, and HHS Senior Procurement Executive.