ID02120052-23_PCR_21_LSJ_final_8.24.2015.pdf

Limited Source Justification

I. Agency and Contracting

Activity Requesting Activity

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Contracting Activity

General Services Administration Assisted Acquisition Services Division 26 Federal Plaza, Room 20-100 New York City, NY 10278

II. Description of Action

This contract action is for a sole source award of a modification to International Business Machines (IBM), 6300 Diagonal Highway, Boulder, CO 80301 for the Veterans Health Training Material Changes

Description of Supplies/Services

The requesting activity has an awarded requirement for the design, development, testing, training, deployment, hosting, help desk support, and also operations and maintenance (O&M) services for an enterprise Human Resources Information System (HRIS) that will replace the legacy 50+ year old Personnel Accounting and Integrated Data (PAID) which is nearing its end of life. The new system, being provided by IBM, will provide VA Human Resource (HR) Specialists with personnel action processing capabilities, and both HR Specialists and all VA employees with benefits administration and compensation management capabilities. This enterprise system will serve the entire VA and over 300,000 personnel.

These services are essential to provide critical core functionality required by HR Specialists to appoint, separate, or make other personnel changes. HR averages over one million transactions per year due to the size of the VA workforce. The new system provides the automated capability to initiate and process a personnel action. It uses automated workflows to initiate, review, and approve requests for personnel actions, route personnel actions through its approval sequence and provide appropriate notifications. As well, VA employees will use the system to review their own personal compensation information.

The current action, per Project Change Request 021 (PCR 021) addresses the requested VA changes to the training materials adding frequently asked questions compiled from the IBM Help Desk and adding supervisor into the process for final sign off. This will provide for operational improvements and reduce the number of future help desk tickets submitted by users.

The total estimated value of this requirement is $56,462.25. The price for these services is a firm fixed price. The period of performance will be date of award through December 31, 2015 and be added to CLIN 1001AB. The requirement will be funded with FY15 annual appropriation.

Authority Cited

FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B) only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the services are unique to the source (IBM).

IV. Reason for Authority Cited

The current contractor, IBM is the developer of the proprietary HRIS SSC solution VA is currently utilizing.

This action provide for improved overall business processing of personnel actions. Outlined below are the relevant factors relating to this effort:

a. The VA requirement is within scope as it provides for changes to materials that will contribute to the overall improvement of business process transactions through incorporation of best practices into training materials.

b. The current Contractor, IBM is the developer of the “proprietary” HRIS SSC solution VA is currently utilizing. IBM solely owns and license’s the PeopleSoft based developed solution and is hosting the solution at its facilities.

c. Purchasing the services through multiple contracts or other means would significantly increase the program risk and cause potential mission failure for program solutions. Such an approach would present a very high risk of configuration control issues across the multiple contracts.

d. VA currently does not have the programmatic skills or subject matter expertise in the area of product application development.

This acquisition is being conducted under the authority of the Multiple Award Schedule Program. This justification is prepared in compliance with 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(A), which authorizes the limiting of sources when “only one source is capable of proving the service.”

Based on the requesting activity’s needs, the intent of this procurement is to minimize cost and transition risk to meet critical mission requirements. IBM has all the necessary labor skill categories to meet the requirements.

VI. Efforts to Obtain Competition

Market research was conducted, details of which are included in the market research section of this document.

VII. Actions to Increase Competition

No actions were taken as this is a one-time upgrade with follow on operations and maintenance that must be performed by the developer of the system.

VIII. Market Research

In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 10.002 (Market Research – Procedures), the Government’s technical representatives conducted market research in June 2015. Market research consisted of a review of the GSA Connections II contract and the Veterans Technology Services Government-wide Acquisition Contract (VETS GWAC), and also VA’s Twenty-One total Technology (T4) program to identify potential sources that could fulfill VA’s requirements for HRIS SSC. The Government determined that there are no other qualified sources to perform this work nor at this level of security. IBM is the developer of the HRIS SSC solution and its documentation using the Oracle PeopleSoft HR product, as well, the solution is proprietary. Attempting to replace this vendor, its hosted locations, or its trained and productive personnel already in place will create an undue and unnecessary disruption to productivity and present inherent delays.

VIII. Interested Sources

(See paragraph VI, Efforts to Obtain Competition).

IX. Technical Certification I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

8/12/2015

Mark Ricciardi Date PM, OIT, PD, Department of Veterans Affairs

X. Requirements Certification I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

8/12/2015

Mark Ricciardi Date PM, OIT, PD, Department of Veterans Affairs

XI. Contracting Officer’s Certification

I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief, that the order represents the best value to the government and the anticipated cost to the government will be fair and reasonable. The price for the associated services is computed using the established T&M rates set forth in the VA HR LOB task order, reflecting a 25% discount. Based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve a sole-source task order award to IBM, for changes to training materials as described herein pursuant to FAR 8.405- 6(a)(1)(i)(B) for services.

Charles Ade Date Contracting Officer