C-1_Justification_for_an_Exception_to_Fair_Opportunity.doc

Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

Division of Contracts Management

Action being approved:

Ongoing Technical Support to the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Description of services required:

The purpose of this modification is additional ongoing technical support to conduct 9 additional bridge searches under the current task order.

The majority of this work under this task order is providing technical support to the USPSTF. In this capacity, Kaiser Foundation Research Institute has assisted the USPSTF with: workgroups, methods, recommendation statements, translation of research, and management of the portfolio of USPSTF topics.

Identification of the exception to fair opportunity:

This modification will be issued directly to Kaiser Foundation Research Institute. It is a logical follow-on to the Task Order 5 already issued under contract HHSA29021200015I.

At the time the task order was awarded, the costs for the option years were negotiated based on the tasks as described in the statement of work, and the estimated amount of effort for each task at the time. It was estimated that 3-4 bridge searches would be conducted per year based on program history. All potential offerors were able to propose and describe the level of effort that they thought was necessary to support the USPSTF each year, and all IDIQ contractors were given a fair opportunity to be considered for the original task order.

The previously negotiated option year included funding for an estimated 3-4 bridge searches under Task 2.3, Updates to Systematic Evidence Reviews. During the upcoming option year, the Government will need additional technical support for 9 more bridge searches beyond the 3-4 that are normally required.

The Contracting Officer determines that the anticipated costs to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

The Contracting Officer certifies that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of the contracting officer’s knowledge and belief.

Erin Mills, Contracting Officer