GSA_Limited_Source_PMO.doc

JUSTIFICATION FOR LIMITED SOURCE ACQUISITION

1. Identification of the Agency and the Contracting Activity

The RTP Procurement Operations Division, Office of Acquisition Management, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is requesting the approval of a limited source justification for the Program Management Office responsibilities for task order GS-35F-4550G/EP-G11D-00156.

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

The ITS-EPA II BPA’s were competed via GSA Schedule 70 to support EPA’s IT infrastructure requirements. Seven vendors were selected and awarded BPA’s which allows each to compete for task orders to support EPA’s IT requirements.

Program Management (PMO) task orders were established for each of the seven ITS-EPA II vendors. These task orders allowed vendors to combine all program management costs associated with their ITS-EPA II task orders into one consolidated task order (the PMO). Personnel from RTPPOD, the NCC and OEI have determined that program management costs would be more appropriately charged to the task order for which those costs were incurred. This incorporation of program management activites at the task order level eliminates the need for the PMO task orders. As a result, costs will be appropriately allocated back to each task order resulting in better vendor accountability and anticipated government savings.

The Government anticipates overall net cost savings as the PMO task orders are eliminated and management costs are incorporated into each individual task order. The estimated value of this ceiling price increase to the OAQPS IT Support TO EP-G11D-00156 is $174,721.07 to cover the current period and three remaining option periods.

3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs:

Currently the program management related activities are combined into one task order for each ITS-EPA BPA II holder as described above. These management activities are required for successful task order completion and oversight. The government will be able to better identify and ensure that vendor costs are appropriate by requiring the vendors to account for program management costs back to the task orders which those costs were incurred.

4. Identification of the authority and supporting rationale.

In accordance with FAR 8.405-6(a)(C); it is the Government's position that this requirement can only be satisfied if the new work is treated as a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order. The vendor’s BPA was competitively issued following Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures.

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

By definition all schedule 70 GSA Prices are considered fair and reasonable. Vendors will be required to submit their labor rates at or below the rates approved within their Schedule 70 GSA catalog. The Government anticipates discounts above and beyond those GSA fair and reasonable prices for this requirement.

6. A description of the market research conducted among schedule holders and the results.

Market Research was conducted for the entire ITS-EPA II effort at the BPA level for each vendor.

7. Any other facts supporting the justification.

None

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

For this effort to appropriately account for program management costs, only the vendor performing the task order can perform the program management responsibilities for each task order. Therefore, this is not applicable as no action would remove or overcome any barriers.

9. 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.

The Contracting Officer certifies that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief as noted by my signature below.

10. 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.

The Project Officer certifies that this justification is complete and accurate by signature below.

Project Officer Certification

___//signed//_____________________________________

__6/20/2013______

Pam Gillikin

Date

OEI, OTOP

Contracting Officer Certification

___//signed//_____________________________________

Laconda Cannady

Contracting Officer RTP Procurement Operations Division

Approved:

___//signed//_____________________________________

Joel P. Smith

Team Leader

RTP Procurement Operations Division