Redacted_J&A.pdf

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL (J&A)

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

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1. Identification of Agency and Contracting Activity:

Agency:

General Services Administration (GSA) Assisted Acquisition Services (AAS) Region 9, Contracting Division (CD) Acting in support of: Defense Human Resources Activity, Office of People Analytics (OPA)

Contracting Activity:

GSA AAS Region 9, CD, Contracting Office (9QZAA) 50 United Nations Plaza, Second Floor, Suite 2430 San Francisco, CA 94102

2. Nature and/or Description of Action Being Approved:

This Justification and Approval (J&A) for other than full and open competition is made for the solicitation and award of a firm-fixed-price Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to support OPA’s Manpower Personnel and Training Analysis (MPTA) requirements. The contract will have an ordering period of up to six months and a contract maximum value of , based on the value of projected task order requirements needed before the end of August 2018. The six month ordering period will include a four-month base period and two one-month option periods.

Services were most recently provided under task orders issued against firm-fixed-price IDIQ Contract no.

GS09T12BHD0012, awarded to Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO) with an effective date of 20 July 2012 and a period of performance from 20 July 2012 to 19 July 2017. An extension of services in accordance with the terms of the original award of the contract and FAR Clause 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services extended the ordering period from 20 July 2017 to 19 January 2018, to allow additional time to issue orders and compete a follow-on contract to prevent a lapse of mission critical services.

The Office of People Analytics is currently working with GSA Region 9 AAS to procure a competitive, long-term follow-on acquisition. This effort has been delayed by various factors, including changes to the procurement scope and the re-development of the solicitation documents, with the ultimate aim of enhancing participation/competition from the marketplace. Award of the long-term follow-on is expected to be no earlier than 20 August 2018. GSA experienced unexpected delays in the pre-solicitation phase while processing and reviewing the contract type determination and the written determination required in FAR 16.504(c)(1)(ii)(D)(1) for a single award IDIQ contract that exceeds $112 million.

This proposed sole-source IDIQ contract will allow for issuance of task orders that will fulfill limited, mission-critical aspects of the OPA’s MPTA requirements until award of the competitive follow-on contract. After award of the competitive follow-on contract, placement of orders on this proposed sole-source contract will discontinue.

Continued support must be procured as a sole-source contract to meet mission requirements while allowing adequate time to award the competitive follow-on acquisition. It was determined that there was not sufficient time to solicit, negotiate, and award the competitive contract and allow a new contractor to

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

properly phase-in from the pre-existing contract. Working together with OPA MPTA, GSA contracting personnel have identified five task orders, vital to OPA’s mission, to be issued prior to the August 2018 expected award of the long term competitive acquisition. Tentative milestones for the competitive follow-on acquisition that justify the need for this interim sole-source contract are as follows:

Issue RFP: May 1, 2018 RFP response: June 15, 2018 Technical Evaluation: June 21, 2018 - July 10, 2018 Award: August 20, 2018

3. A Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet Agency’s Needs (Including Estimated

Value):

Defense Human Resources Activity (DHRA) / Office of People Analytics (OPA) is part of a Department of Defense (DoD) Field Activity which supports major programs and initiatives within the DoD. Through analysis, OPA is prepared to inform on questions pertaining to recruiting, hiring and retention, succession planning, training, and increased talent-based assignment matching throughout the Department. OPA is currently organized around four related functions: (1) Recruitment – performed by the Joint Advertising Market Research & Studies (JAMRS) program, (2) Personnel Security – performed by the Personnel & Security Research Center (PERSEREC), (3) Retention and Readiness – investigated by the Research, Surveys, & Statistics Center (RSSC), and (4) Testing and Assessment – performed by the Defense Personnel Assessment Center (DPAC).

This contract will provide primary support for the Defense Personnel Assessment Center (DPAC). OPA is charged with research and development, in support of two Department of Defense (DoD) testing programs, and for the development and fielding of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test. The two DoD programs are the Enlisted Testing Program (ETP) and the Career Exploration Program (CEP).

The ASVAB is administered in two modes. In the ETP, an adaptive version called the Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) version of the ASVAB (CAT-ASVAB) is used in most all locations, while the Paper-and-Pencil ASVAB (P&P-ASVAB) is utilized in a small number of locations. In the CEP, the primary mode of administration is currently P&P-ASVAB with CAT-ASVAB being administered in a small number of high schools. Scientific, technical, analytic, and IT support services are required that lead to the development and execution of studies and applications supporting the ETP and Career Exploration Program (CEP), new DoD personnel programs, and studies of force readiness and personnel policies to support the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Readiness and Director of Accession Policy.

In order to continue its mission of providing evidence based solutions for human capital management and leverage new technological breakthroughs, OPA requires contracted assistance with research studies and technical support of its primary mission in the following areas:

· Development of the ASVAB, in both its modes of administration;

· Development of the CEP;

· Development and computer delivery of language aptitude and language proficiency tests and psychometric technical support for test development;

· Research and development of ETP and CEP Improvements;

· Development and maintenance of software and systems for Computer-based Testing (CBT) selection and classification instruments, to include Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) systems;

· Evaluation of armed forces readiness and representation of today’s youth in the armed forces;

· Development and evaluation of recruiting-related initiatives related to selection and classification of military applicants.

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The contract will have an ordering period of up to six months and a contract maximum value of , based on the value of projected task order requirements needed before the end of August

2018.

4. Identification of the Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition:

This sole-source contract will be awarded pursuant to the authority of 10 United States Code (U.S.C.)

2304(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

Pursuant to FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii), for DoD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, services may be deemed to be available only from the original source in the case of follow-on contracts for the continued provision of highly specialized services when it is likely that award to any other source would result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency requirements. (See 10 U.S.C. 2304(d)(1)(B))

5. Demonstration that the Proposed Contractor’s Unique Qualifications or the Nature of the Acquisition Requires Use of the Authority Cited:

Pursuant to FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii)(B), the services described above are available only from the incumbent contractor. Award to any other source would result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency’s requirements, particularly with respect to DPAC’s immediate need for iterative, highly-individualized scientific, technical, analytic, and IT support services required to administer and execute the ASVAB.

These services are available only from the original source that has the experience, technical and operational knowledge and resources immediately available to allow for continuation of highly specialized technical support services. Performance by other contractor would occasion unacceptable and costly delays in the mere preparation to deliver the ASVAB. Still more delays, incident to compromised performance, would be inevitable based on the iterative processes inherent in the development and execution of the ASVAB.

The anticipated sole-source contract will allow for issuance of task orders that include work necessary to provide language and military accession test delivery and sustainment. Task orders will include tasks in three integrally related areas: technical support for test delivery, psychometric support, and career exploration program support. Test delivery support includes software development and IT infrastructure development that ensures the reliability and availability of computer administered aptitude test.

Psychometric support includes test item and form development, and research and analysis of test compromise. Career exploration support includes combines test results with job interest and placement decisions.

HumRRO staff is qualified to immediately provide the required services of OPA as they are well versed in all of the task areas and have specialized knowledge and expertise on the discrete nuances of current existing testing efforts, as they have extensive prior experience as the incumbent providing support and services on the prior five year contract effort.

This specialized experience is necessary to immediately and efficiently perform new efforts that continue and expand upon prior work efforts. Using any other source without an adequate transition period would cause an unacceptable delay in service which would significantly degrade the reliability and availability of military aptitude tests and, in turn, the readiness of the All-Volunteer Force. Without the work conducted under the proposed contract, the delivery and sustainment of ASVAB military applicant testing could not be conducted. This test battery ensures that military applicants have sufficient cognitive ability for military training and job success. To fulfill its mission, OPA must constantly research cognitive measurements, analyze test results, detect test compromise, and deliver testing developments that respond to the needs of its various DoD customers. HumRRO’s institutional knowledge on these various testing developments and systems is necessary to continue adequate testing and extract value from the results. Any delay in these services would curtail the ability to properly assess the aptitude of military candidates and ensure readiness of military forces. Without the work conducted under the proposed sole-source contract, ASVAB test delivery would continue to be suspended and the cognitive ability requirements for applicants could not be enforced, significantly impacting force readiness. Furthermore, proficiency testing required to insure sufficient skills of Military and Intelligence Community (IC) linguists and Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) students could not be conducted. The sustainment of these foreign language proficiency requirements for both graduating DLIFLC students and DoD/IC linguists is vital to National Security.

Moreover, planned task orders include essential ASVAB and language test delivery support. The execution of these limited task orders through this sole-source contract ensures that testing developments continue and that adequate coverage is in place to provide a transition and to prevent disruption and degradation of performance, should a new contractor be awarded the follow-on contract.

Services on the planned task orders will prepare the future awardee to successfully perform and significantly reduce degradation of services during the necessary ramp-up period.

Due to their extensive knowledge and prior experience working on MPTA OPA’s requirements, it is in the Government’s best interest to continue services from the incumbent. Accordingly, HumRRO is the only source capable of providing these services without unacceptable delays in satisfying OPA’s requirements.

6. Description of Efforts Made to Ensure that Offers are Solicited From as Many Potential

Sources as Practicable, Including Whether a Notice Was Publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2:

As required by FAR Part 5.201, on 28 February 2018, the Contracting Officer published a synopsis on FedBizOpps stating the Government’s intent to solicit, negotiate, and award a sole-source acquisition.

The notice included a statement that all interested responsible sources may submit a capability statement which shall be considered by the agency.

Market research was also conducted for the follow-on competitive acquisition by GSA Region 9 and OPA.

Market research team members evaluated the market for educational services, published a sources sought notice, held an industry day, considered all mandatory and recommend sources, and ultimately determined that the follow-on acquisition will be an unrestricted full and open competition. A synopsis and solicitation for the follow-on competitive acquisition will be published on FedBizOpps to maximize distribution to as many sources as practicable.

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

Fair and Reasonable:

Adequate historic price information exits to ensure that the cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. Pricing will be compared to historic price information, the independent Government cost estimate, and various published rate databases for the anticipated labor categories.

8. Description of the Market Research Conducted and the Results or a Statement of the Reason

Market Research was not Conducted:

Market research, in accordance with FAR Part 10, was conducted by posting a notice of the Government’s intent to award this proposed sole-source contract action on FedBizOpps on 28 February 2018. The notice allowed all responsible sources to identify their interest and submit a capability statement. To date, no industry response to the notice of intent to issue a sole-source contract were received.

9. Other Facts Supporting the Use of Other Than Full and Open Competition:

GSA Region 9 issued two previous IDIQ contract procurements for this requirement that covered seven years of performance. Significant industry interest was received during the market research phase in response to both procurements; however, only one proposal was received for each solicitation.

While conducting market research for the competitive follow-on acquisition that is currently being pursued, industry identified availability of historical workload information as an issue inhibiting competition. Research also revealed that task orders under the previous IDIQ contracts contained highly integrated work and cross utilization of personnel.

In order to generate further participation from the marketplace and increase competition for the competitive follow-on acquisition, the Government will provide extensive historical and projected workload information to all potential offerors. This historical and workload information was not available in the first attempt to compete the follow-on acquisition in Spring of 2017, and is still being developed currently. .

10. Listing of the Sources, if any, That Expressed, In Writing, An Interest in the Acquisition:

To date, the Contracting Officer has not received any statements of interest regarding the proposed sole-source effort, with the exception of the incumbent provided, HumRRO.

Industry expressed significant interest in the previous two IDIQ contract acquisitions issued by GSA Region 9. Ten companies responded to an RFI issued in July of 2009 to show interest in GSA’s first contract, a three year IDIQ contract; however, only one proposal was received in response to the RFP.

Eight companies responded to an RFI and attended an industry day in January of 2012; however, only one offer was received in response to the RFP for the resulting five year IDIQ contract covering performance from July 2012 to January 2018.

A Request for Information (RFI) for the competitive follow-on acquisition was issued on FedbizOpps, OASIS Pool II (RFQ1178802), and the CORP Schedule (RFQ1179300), on 17 March 2017. Eight vendors provided capability statements in response to the RFI. In addition, an industry day was held on 5 April 2017 at the Department of Defense (DoD) building in Seaside, California. Fourteen separate companies attended and showed interest in the requirement. The industry day included a review of the current OPA program and answers to RFI questions provided by industry regarding the Draft PWS and potential acquisition as specified in the RFI notice.

11. Statement of the Actions, if Any, the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome Any Barriers to Competition Before Any Subsequent Acquisition for the Supplies or Services Required:

It is anticipated that future acquisition of the same services will allow for full and open competition. The future competition of this requirement will eliminate the need of continued limitation of sources. The sole-source contract proposed herein will allow the Government adequate time to solicit and award on a competitive basis.

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12. Contracting Officer Certification that the Justification is Accurate and Complete to the Best of the Contracting Officer’s Knowledge and Belief:

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief, and determine on the basis of the findings above that an other than full and open competition approach is in accordance with the requirements and is in the best interest of the Government.

KARINA R. LEVITAS Date Contracting Officer Federal Acquisition Service – Region 9 U.S. General Services Administration

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13. PREPARED BY:

MATTHEW SCHUPBACH Date Contract Specialist Federal Acquisition Service – Region 9 U.S. General Services Administration

14. REVIEWED BY:

RENEE M. HICKS Date Branch Chief Contracting Division Federal Acquisition Service – Region 9 U.S. General Services Administration

B.J. ELDIEN Date Director Contracting Division Federal Acquisition Service – Region 9 U.S. General Services Administration

CHARLES MCCARTHY Date Assistant Regional Counsel Office of Regional Counsel

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15. APPROVED BY:

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief, and determine on the basis of the findings above that an other than full and open competition approach is in accordance with the requirements and is in the best interest of the Government.

JACQUELINE G. SULLO Date Acquisition Oversight Executive Competition Advocate Federal Acquisition Service – Region 9