ID07180001-JOTFOC_Flight_Training_Services_Redacted.pdf

Limited Source Justification

Task Order: ID07180001

Limited Source Justification (LSJ)

In Accordance With FAR 8.405-6

1) Identification of the Agency, Contracting Activity, and Document being approved:

Procurement Office: General Services Administration, Federal Acquisition Services, Assisted

Acquisition Services (AAS)

Agency: 120th Multi-Functional Training Brigade (MFTB) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) / Foreign

Military Training (FMT)

GSA Schedule Contract Number: Consolidated Contract 00-00F-0037P 00CORP, primarily SINS 874-

4/874-04RC and 874-501/874-505

Task Number: ID07180001

Contractor Name: Strategic Studies & Simulation, Inc., (S3)

Estimated Contract Value: $2,550,330

Description of Requirement: Flight Services Bridge Task Order

This is an urgent and compelling requirement to provide contract coverage for 1 month base period, with four 1-month option(s) (maximum 5 months), for Flight Training Services (Training Support Services -

TSS) located at Fort Hood, Texas, to the 120 th MFTB client and its FMS Client.

2) Description of action being approved:

FAR 8.405-6 Limited sources justification and approval.

Orders placed under Federal Supply Schedules are exempt from the requirements in Part 6.

However, an ordering activity must justify its action when restricting consideration in accordance with paragraphs (a) or (b) of FAR 8.405-6:

FAR 8.405-6(a)(1): Circumstances justifying limiting the source:

___X__(1) An urgent and compelling need exists, and following the ordering procedures would result in unacceptable delays; FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(A).

_____ (2) Only one source is capable of responding due to the unique or specialized nature of the work; FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B).

______ (3) The new work is a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order provided that the original order was placed in accordance with the applicable Federal Supply

Schedule ordering procedures. The original order must not have been previously issued under sole source or limited source procedures; FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(C).

3) Description of Supplies or Services Required:

The 120th Infantry Brigade is responsible for supporting First United States Army’s Foreign Military

Sales (FMS) clients on Fort Hood, TX. The FMS support mission encompasses all aspects of aviation flight training and infantry tactics training. The FMS mission is to support deploying aviation and infantry units from The Netherlands by providing training capabilities for manned platforms; aviation and infantry maneuver and gunnery training using advanced tactics, techniques and procedures. The performance of Flight Services is critical for supporting the Aviation Flight training and Infantry

Tactics training conducted on Fort Hood, TX.

This requirement is for an award of a sole source 1 month base period, with four 1-month option(s) bridge task order, to a prior incumbent contractor, Strategic Studies & Simulation, Inc., (S3), while a pending http://acquisition.gov/far/current/html/FARTOCP06.html#wp280339 post-award protest is resolved on the currently awarded task order ID07170017 which was awarded on

9/29/17 and scheduled to start on 10/1/17.

4) Identification of Authority and Supporting Rationale: This acquisition is conducted under the authority of FAR 8.405-6, titled “Limited Sources,” specifically FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(A) Urgent and

Compelling Need, for orders placed against the Multiple Award Schedule Program.

5) Demonstration that the Acquisition Requires the Use of the Authority Cited:

The 120th Multi-Functional Training Brigade (MFTB), a Forces Command (FORSCOM) unit, has a

Foreign Military Sales (FMS) aviation/infantry training and training support mission. The 120th MFTB is designated as the Host Unit to enable the training of the 302d Squadron, equipped with the AH-64D

(Apache) the CH-47F (Chinook) helicopters and rotational Infantry units from the 11th Air Maneuver

Brigade Royal Netherlands Army (RNLA) to include all aspects of aviation and infantry training. The FMS mission supports deployed RNLAF aviation and infantry units by providing training capabilities for manned platforms; aviation and infantry maneuver and gunnery training using advanced tactics, techniques and procedures.

Continuous flight training is essential to the 120 th Training Support Services (TSS) currently being provided at Fort Hood, Texas. It is imperative that GSA award a sole-source bridge task order to the prior incumbent S3 to continue these services. 120th Infantry Brigade requires Flight Services support immediately to meet critical mission requirements. Failure to provide these items immediately will jeopardize successful mission accomplishment of the 120th IN Brigade and its FMS client. The

Government has already cancelled one flight training class due to the lack of Flight Services support.

Further delay in Flight Services will result in the cancelation of an additional flight training class, currently scheduled to begin February 2018. These cancelations and disruptions severely impact the training and readiness level of the 11th Air Mobile Brigade, Royal Netherlands Army (RNLA) and the Defense

Helicopter Command (DHC), Royal Netherlands Airforce (RNALF). Cancelations or delays in Flight

Training undermines The Netherlands Ministry of Defense’s (NLMoD) current training program to achieve full Combat Readiness by 2019 and provide flight support for the European Battle Group (EUBG) and NATO Response Forces (NRF). The inability to train and certify Infantry units will severely disrupt the RNLA’s ability to deploy trained and certified units to support the United Nations Multidimensional

Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSMA) in Mali and its NATO commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as on going missions in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary.

Additionally, suspension of flight training services anticipated under the protested Task ID07170017 impacts performance of two other task orders currently ongoing: ASET IV task order (ID07170028) and

(k)(4), (d)(5), (k)(1), (k)(2)

TESS task order (ID07170024), since neither task order is able to fully perform their task order services without Flight Training being conducted.

There is insufficient time to award a new competitive requirement for flight training services, and the previous GSA task order (ID07120011) has expired and cannot be extended. The current awarded requirement under ID07170017 (which is currently suspended due to protest) took approximately 10 months to solicit and award. The Government would be seriously injured by any continued disruption in service of the TSS Training Services. There is insufficient time to solicit, evaluate, and award competitively to ensure that any other contractor, other than the prior incumbent S3, would be able to provide the support provide skilled, qualified and experienced personnel to adequately provide the flight training services.

This justification is to recommend that GSA award a limited source bridge task order in accordance with8.405-6(a) (1)(i)(A) Urgent and Compelling Need to S3 who has successfully provided flight training services in the past, is familiar with the requirement, and is fully qualified to perform these services.

Failure to award a bridge task order quickly will cause a significant impact to the TSS training operations.

The bridge would cover a 1 month base period of performance beginning from date of award, with four

(4), one 1-month options if needed thereafter. This period of performance should cover the timeframe until the expected GAO decision date which is expected to be in February/March 2018.

6) Description of Efforts to Solicit as Many Offers as Practicable or Exception: This justification is to limit quote to only one vendor, S3, for this five month bridge (one (1) base period with four 1-month options) pending outcome of the GAO protest on the recently competed ID07170017 task. It is the

Government’s intent to only award one month base period and exercise the four 1-month options ONLY as needed, on a month to month basis.

7) Determination by the Contracting Officer that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be

Fair and Reasonable and Represents the Best Value:

Fair and reasonable pricing on this task order will be determined by the Contracting Officer price analysis of the incumbent quote submission. The labor categories and rates will be checked in accordance with the

Consolidated Contract 00-00F-0037P 00CORP, primarily SINS 874-4/874-04RC and 874-501/874-505, the Independent Government Estimate (IGE), and the rates will be compared to other schedule holders offering similar services using the 00CORP (LOGWORLD and MOBIS) schedules, primarily SINS 874-

4/874-04RC and 874-501/874-505.

“In accordance with FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(v), a determination is made by the undersigned contracting officer that this order will represent the best value for the Government consistent with 8.404(d).” In accordance with FAR 8.404(d), “GSA has already determined the prices of supplies and fixed-price services, and rates for services offered at hourly rates, under schedule contracts to be fair and reasonable. Therefore, ordering activities are not required to make a separate determination of fair and reasonable pricing, except for a price evaluation as required by 8.405-2(d).”

8) Description of market research conducted:

An urgent and compelling need for flight services exists for this requirement, and following competitive

Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures would result in unacceptable delays per FAR 8.405-

6(a)(1)(i)(A). It is anticipated that it would take a minimum of 90 days to conduct a competitive acquisition which would further delay flight training services and jeopardize the current scheduled January

2018 training class. The market research conducted has determined that the prior incumbent vendor, S3, meet this urgent and compelling need. As the incumbent, S3 already has a workforce that is trained/cleared/certified to work for the 120th which will minimize the current service disruption and ensure timely restoration of services to the client.

A Scope Review was completed on October 25, 2017, and the Performance Work Statement was found to be within scope of the GSA Schedule Consolidated Contract 00-00F-0037P 00CORP, primarily SINS 874-

4/874-04RC and 874-501/874-505. The Contracting officer reviewed GSA e-library to verify S3 held an active GSA 00CORP schedule. The System Award Management was reviewed, and S3 is active and in good standing.

9) Other facts supporting the justification:

10) List of sources that expressed an interest in the acquisition:

No other sources were solicited

11) Statement of Actions to overcome barriers of competition:

The recently awarded task order ID07170017 that this bridge will support during the protest was competed among an appropriate number of Schedule contract vendors for the applicable SIN/Schedule.

The Government will work to ensure that all other follow-on requirements will be competed whenever possible.

12) Signature of Approval:

In accordance with FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(x), “Technical and requirements personnel are responsible for providing and certifying as accurate and complete necessary data to support their recommendation for other than full and open competition.”

I hereby certify as accurate and complete the data provided to GSA, upon which is based and which supports the recommendation in the attached Limited Sources Justification (LSJ) for this procurement.

Michael St. Peter – Client Representative Date

MFTB- FMS, Ft. Hood Texas

Based on the above information, it is hereby determined by the signatories below that the circumstances identified in this document are accurate and complete to the best of our knowledge and represent the best business decision to meet the Government’s need. Therefore, limiting sources under the prescription of FAR

8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(A) is fully justified. Information regarding this requirement was obtained from Client

Agency, and was solely relied upon in the preparation of this LSJ.

Carol S. England Date

Project Manager

Latasha M. Goines Date

Contracting Officer

Loretta West Date

Section Chief, Assisted Acquisition Services

Legal Counsel Date

Alan Searsy Date

Branch Chief, Assisted Acquisition Services

Jill LaDuca Date

Acquisition Center Director

I, the approving authority, determine that the circumstances identified in this document are accurate;

therefore, limiting sources under FAR 8.405-6(a)(1) and 8.405-6 (a)(1)(i)(B) is justified. The signature below also represents approval of this Limited Sources Justification.

Shaloy Castle-Higgins Date

Competition Advocate

(k)(4), (d)(5), (k)(1), (k)(2)

(k)(4), (d)(5), (k)(1), (k)(2)

(k)(4), (d)(5), (k)(1), (k)(2)

(k)(4), (d)(5), (k)(1), (k)(2)

(k)(4), (d)(5), (k)(1), (k)(2)