B06_Sole_Source_Justification_Redacted.pdf

Control No. 2019-WHS-0187

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. IDENTIFICATION OF REQUESTING AGENCY AND CONTRACTING OFFICE:

A. Agency Name: Defense Acquisition University 9820 Belvoir Road Fort Belvoir, Virginia 22060-5565

B. Contracting Activity: Department of Defense Washington Headquarters Services – Acquisition Directorate 1155 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 22301-1155

2. DESCRIPTION OF ACTION BEING APPROVED:

This proposed action is for a firm-fixed-price Purchase Order using FAR Part 12 and 13.5 procedures. FY19 O&M funds will be used.

3. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES:

The mission of the DAU is to provide a global learning environment to develop qualified acquisition, requirements and contingency professionals who deliver and sustain effective and affordable warfighting capabilities. FLD is responsible for the design, development, and integration of learning assets to ensure the competency of the acquisition workforce with minimal redundancies between and within learning assets. FLD manages the functional competencies models and the linkages between the required competencies and the DAU learning assets designed to develop those competencies.

FLD has recently deployed a customized competency and learning asset management system to manage the career field competency models, DAU learning assets, and the linkages between the competencies and learning assets. Referred to as the Competency requirements Management System (CrMS), this database has successfully demonstrated capabilities including but not limited to: bi-directional requirements traces between workforce Competency Models and DAU learning assets; the ability to perform gap analyses; and the ability to search across competencies and learning assets and generate canned reports. Data (competency models and learning assets) from Contracting, Engineering, and Life Cycle Logistics career fields currently comprise the set of competency data.

Bacend architecture and development of the web application using Microsoft ASP.NET webforms as well as MVC, custom roles and permissions, integration with Microsoft Active Directory, custom MVC filtering and handlers Client-side programming using HTML, CSS, javascript, jQuery, jQuery UI, various jQuery plugins, Bootstrap CSS framework, communication and data manipulation with the system using AJAX and REST techniques along with third party libraries including Newtonsoft.Json Integration and custom coding of Telerik controls for spell checking Integration and customization of ELMAH and log4net for error and other types of system logging

Use of Microsoft's Anti-XSS (anti-cross site scripting) library for security and common HTML, javascript and SQL vulnerability protection Microsoft WindowsServer configuration using IIS 10 Relational database, T-SQL programming using Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Rapidly deploy database change scripts using data manipulation language (DML) as well as standard SQL to upgrade both the database schema as well as system data Object-relational mapping expertise using Subsonic 2.1 Reporting using Crystal Reports .NET

FLD seeks to enhance CrMS and provide operations and maintenance support to ensure continuity of daily operations to include software maintenance, database and quality assurance supporting the DAU mission. This effort assists FLD in discharging their responsibilities by providing for configuration management of both the competency models and learning assets; and supporting cross-functional competency and learning asset analysis. Thus ultimately supports the DAU mission of providing training to support competencies.

4. IDENTIFICATION OF STATUTORY AUTHORITY:

This acquisition will be conducted under the authority of 10U.S.C. 2304 (c) (1), only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements

DEMONSTRATION OF CONTRACTOR’S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS:

TRS is the only source that has personnel in place to meet DAU’s highly specialized requirements for continued and uninterrupted support of CrMS. TRS developed CrMS from the ground up and has the personnel in place with extensive knowledge and expertise to provide Defense acquisition and instructional design expertise in the development, management, evaluation of DAU’s learning assets to support the modification of the competency model within CrMS.

Any other source would have to build up the personnel knowledge base to understand the University accreditation requirements and courseware management of DAU learning assets, which will result in delay of support and cause an interruption of services. Additionally, it is not cost efficient for the Government, or in the best interest of potential vendors to compete for a new service contract. It is expected that award to any other contractor would result in ramp up costs of $95,653 which would not be recaptured through competition. These duplicate costs will result from transitioning a new team in while transitioning the older team out over a period of one month. If the follow-on contract is not awarded to the same vendor, TRS to continue performance, it will create a service void when the task order expires on 30 September 2019.

The successor contractor will not be fully capable to provide the specialized support without a proper transitional period. Any interruption to the CrMS support services will compromise the execution of the DAU missions to include deployment of learning assets, thus affecting the overall strategy of system capabilities of capturing and reporting the linkage between learning assets and functional competencies for the Defense Acquisition Workforce in support of USD (A&S) requirements.

5. DETERMINATION OF FAIR AND REASONABLE COSTS:

I hereby determine that the anticipated price for this order will be fair and reasonable. The techniques identified at FAR 15.404-1 will be used to ensure award will be at fair and reasonable prices. Certified Cost and Pricing Data will not be obtained.

6. DESCRIPTION OF THE MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED:

Market research was performed during April 2019. For the market research effort, technical personnel surveyed the GSA’s Acquisition Gateway website and reveal two potential vendors in addition to the current vendor TRS. The vendors had the capability to provide similar services as provided by the incumbent under this task order. However, based on extensive professional and historical knowledge of CrMS design and coding. The Government technical personnel determined that although potential sources could offer comparable or similar services but lack expertise in Defense Acquisition instructional design subject matter expertise to support this contract. The sources would not be able to ramp up in time to meet the Government's requirements. Truly Reliable Services is the only source that can provide continued and uninterrupted support.

7. OTHER SUPPORTING DATA:

The current contract HQ0034-16-P-0187 (with two options years) was awarded on 30 September 2016 as FFP Contract by WHS. Both option years have been executed and last option year expires on 30 September 2019.

8. REFERENCE TO APPROVED ACQUISITION PLAN/STRATEGY:

An Acquisition Plan is not required. This acquisition is below the thresholds prescribed in DFARS 207.103 for a written acquisition plan.

The Acquisition plan covering this requirement is attached.

CERTIFICATION

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

TECHNICAL/REQUIREMENTS COGNIZANCE:

Signature:

Wen Lin Date Dir, Academic Programs Defense Acquisition University

Contracting Officer Date