EICS Justification and Approval_Redacted.pdf

This is a Justification and Approval (J&A) document for an Exception to Fair Opportunity under FAR Subpart 16.5 for a bridge contract to Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) for Evaluation and Improvement Capability Support (EICS) services. The bridge contract will provide continued services while the government awaits award of the Total Health Analytics Nodal Operations Support (THANOS) III Contract, with a total estimated value of $1,836,828 including an 8-month base period from 11/20/2024 to 7/19/2025 and four 4-month option periods.

The services involve providing data and information for leadership decision-making regarding healthcare treatment effectiveness within the Department of Defense, establishing standardized evaluation methods, and supporting program evaluation and improvement training. The requirement is being awarded as a sole-source bridge contract because the current task order expires on November 19, 2024, making it impractical to find a new contractor without service interruption given the short timeline. Market research conducted from October 1-11, 2024 confirmed that although some businesses could perform the work, the compressed timeline made a competitive award unfeasible. The Defense Health Agency's Analytics and Evaluation Division is the requiring activity, with the Professional Services Contracting Division handling the procurement.