Information Technology Support Services LSJ_Redacted.pdf

Limited-Sources Justification (LSJ): For Orders or Blanket Purchasing Agreements (BPA) Exceeding the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT)

PCCS-24-60011

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LSJ No.: FY24-069

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Multiple-Award Schedule Program, 41 U.S.C. § 152(3), Competitive Procedures, and 40 U.S.C. § 501, Services for Executive Agencies.

1. Agency and Contracting Activity.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Chief of Contracting Office (COCO) and CISA Cybersecurity Division (CSD) Chief of Staff (COS) propose to award a task order pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.405-6(a), Limiting Sources.

2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

DHS/COCO intends to limit the number of sources solicited, pursuant to FAR 8.405-6(a), for the procurement of mission information technology (IT) support and specialized cybersecurity services to ECS Federal LLC (ECS), 2750 Prosperity Avenue, Suite 600, Fairfax, VA 22031.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

The services required are mission information technology (IT) support and specialized cybersecurity services to defend the nation against rapidly evolving technological and insider threats at a total cost of , described in the table below.

Performance Period Amount Base Period - April 1, 2024 – September 30, 2024 Option - October 1-30, 2024 Option - November 1-30, 2024 Option - December 1-31, 2024 Option - January 1-31, 2025 Option - February 1-28, 2025 Option - March 1-31, 2025 Total

The services focus on three task areas:

Task 1: Program Management - apply business and financial management and technical support to facilitate, plan, organize, and lead staff in the overall management through completion of the order.

1 This requirement will be for 12 months consisting of one 6-month base period and up to six months of optional services that the Government may exercise in increments (one or more months) to facilitate continued services in the event the DTSS award is delayed and for time to resolve any potential protest(s) of the award.

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Task 2: Technical Performance Management - assist with developing, designing, facilitating, and executing Technical Strategic Plan Measures/Milestones, Agency Priority Goals (APG) & Annual Operating Plan Measures/Milestones.

Task 3: Specialized Technical Domain Expertise – providing highly specialized subject matter expertise to support high priority technical initiatives through the development of organizational technical strategy and design to mature federal cyber resiliency.

The Government will add the following bolded language to FAR Clause 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (Mar 2000) to provide the flexibility to exercise the 6 months in increments.

52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (MAR 2000)

(a) The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the Contractor within five days provided that the Government gives the Contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least five days before the contract expires. The preliminary notice does not commit the Government to an extension. Note that there are 6 one-month option periods, and the Government may elect to exercise one or more consecutive option periods at the same time based on availability of funding at the time of option exercise.

(b) If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option clause.

(c) The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed 12 months.

(End of clause)

4. Authority and supporting rationale.

Authority: FAR 8.405-6 (a)(1)(i)(C) In the interest of economy and efficiency, 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 or BPA must not have been previously issued under sole-source or limiting sources procedures.

Rationale: This acquisition is being conducted under the authority of the Multiple-Award Schedule Program, 41 U.S.C. § 152(3), Competitive Procedures, and 40 § U.S.C. 501, Services for Executive Agencies, in accordance with FAR 8.405-6(a), Limiting Sources. An award will be made in the interest of economy and efficiency as a logical follow-on to original Federal Supply Schedule order # 70RCSA20FC0000029 pursuant to FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(C). The original award was competitively solicited and awarded to ECS using DHS Architecture, Development, and Platform Technical Services (ADaPTS) multiple award Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) schedule, using the ordering procedures at FAR 8.405. This task order expires on March 31, 2024 and source selection for CISA Digital Transformation Support Services (CDTSS), a

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- 3 -competitive procurement which includes mission IT support and specialized cybersecurity service requirements, is near completion with an estimated award date in late Q2FY24.

Therefore, it is necessary to limit competition for new work described herein as a logical follow-on because it will prevent disruption of essential services while CISA COCO completes the competitive procurements and awards for CDTSS, an agency-wide, mandated vehicle for all IT related requirements.

Without ongoing support to critical projects, the continuity of support for mission critical initiatives will drastically impact the organization’s ability to move CSD annual operating plan and strategic priorities forward. Examples of these priorities include Q2/Q3 deliverables in response to the Presidential Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence, OMB inquiries into CISA priorities in support of budget formulation drills and tracking, the proposed action is in the interest of economy and efficiency because it will prevent duplication of costs to perform the services including administrative costs to transfer the services to another contractor. To solicit other sources at this time would result in schedule delays, performance disruption, and unnecessary cost inefficiencies to the Government.

For example, the average security entry on duty (EOD) timelines for CISA are between 69 and 120 days for the types of support needed on this contract. If a new vendor wins there could be a disruption of services up to 4 months long while CISA clears the new contractor staff to on-board. This also increases the potential for significant under burn of FY24 dollars that the government would not be able to realign due to the type of funding (one-year) and the timing of the period of performance crossing into the next FY.

5. Determination by the ordering activity contracting officer that the anticipated order represents the best value consistent with FAR 8.404(d).

The Contracting Officer determined the anticipated prices will be fair and reasonable based on prior acquisition history. Furthermore, the Contracting Officer anticipates the prices will be fair and reasonable consistent with the ADaPTS BPA held by ECS that includes fair and reasonable maximum rates.

6. A description of the market research conducted among schedule holders and the results, or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

Market research for the follow-on competitive procurement was conducted in August 2023 and updated in January 2024. Market research revealed that there were companies on the General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), Information Technology (IT) Services, Special Item Number 54151HACS that can support the requirement. However, further action was halted following the announcement that the OCIO CDTSS multiple award vehicle will be available for use and will support all divisions, offices, and subdivisions. CDTSS is being awarded as a women-owned small business multiple award BPA. The anticipated award in Q2 FY24.

Under the current circumstances, a sole source award is currently the only solution that will provide continuous coverage until CDTSS is awarded and a competitive procurement for the instant services is conducted and awarded.

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7. Any other facts supporting the limited-sources justification.

None at this time.

8. A statement of actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to restricted consideration (i.e., limited sources) before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services is made.

A competitive procurement to obtain the instant services has begun, with an anticipated award date in Q1 FY25.

9. DHS intends to post this requirement on System for Award Management (SAM.gov) pursuant to FAR 8.405-6(a)(2)(i).

10. Technical/Requirements Personnel Certification.

Pursuant to FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(x), I certify that this requirement meets the Government’s minimum need and that the supporting data, which form a basis for the Limited-Sources Justification, are accurate and complete.

Technical Representative/COR

11. Contracting Officer Certification.

Pursuant to FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(ix), I certify that the Limited-Sources Justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief:

Contracting Officer

12. Approval.

Procuring Activity Advocate for Competition