HS0021-15-P-0008_Sole_Source_J A_Redacted.pdf

Sole Source Justification

I. Description of Requirement and Reason for Justification

The Defense Security Service (DSS) Center for Development of Security Excellence (CDSE) has a requirement to obtain college credit recommendations for courses it has developed as part of its security education curriculum. The services required by CDSE can be provided only by the American Council on Education (ACE).

This sole source justification is required by FAR 13.106 (b) (1).

II. Estimated Cost

The services to be provided by ACE are estimated to cost $

III. Justification

A. Background: The DSS CDSE provides security education and training to the Department of Defense and other U.S. Government personnel, employees of U.S. Government contractors, and when sponsored by authorized DoD Components, employees of foreign governments. The CDSE offers Security Professional Education Development (SP D) Certification for security professionals; professional leadership courses for senior leaders in the Department of Defense (DoD) security community; a variety of newly developed instructor-led security courses and eLearning courses; a virtual training environment;

career development consultation and job aids and resources.

As part of CDSE’s continuing effort to increase the professionalization of the security community, it is essential that individuals who successfully complete certain courses also have the benefit of receiving credit recommendations that may be accepted as college credit equivalents at certain colleges and universities.

B. Market Research: The Education Group within the Center for Development of Security Excellence (CDSE) a division of the Defense Security Service (DSS) conducted a study of organizations approved to grant college credit recommendations for vocational training, certificates, lower division baccalaureate/associate degrees, upper division baccalaureate degrees, and graduate degrees.

The results of this research validated the selection of the American Council on Education (ACE) College Credit Recommendation Service (CREDIT) as the only organization providing college credit recommendations for types of training and degree programs required by DSS.

The one organization identified other than ACE is the National College Credit Recommendation Service (National CCRS) housed within the University of the State of New York and the New York State Education Department in Albany, New York.

However, National CCRS does not offer a vocational credit recommendation, which represents many of our training division courses (those that are closely aligned with job performance requirements).

In addition, unlike ACE, the current National CCRS list of organizations did not include those that provide security training and education offerings similar to CDSE. It is critical that any organization we select to provide college credit recommendations have experience in reviewing course content used in the defense security industry.

IV. Certification

The foregoing facts are complete and accurate.

Chief, Education Division

V. Approval:

Approved:

Paul Brinckhaus Contracting Officer