J_A_FGDC_Program_Management_and_Technical_Support_Redacted_1.pdf

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

Justification for Exception to Fair Opportunity (FAR 16.5)

1. Contracting Agency and Activity.

The Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey, National Acquisition Branch plans to contract by means other than full and open competition. This document sets forth the justification and approval for use of one of the exceptions to full and open competition allowed under the Competition in Contracting Act (CICA) of 1984.

2. Nature of Action Being Approved.

This action is a task order logical follow-on to Ardent Management Consulting, Inc. for Program Management and Technical Support services for the Office of the Federal Geographic Committee Secretariat. The task order will be issued under the Geospatial Shared Services II multiple-award contract 140G0120D0001 and will have a total duration of one-year.

3. Description of Supplies or Services.

The Core Science Systems (CSS) seeks approval of a logical follow-on to Task Order (TO) 140G0122F0119. This requirement serves to support the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Secretariat in providing program technical support, developing and maintaining the FGDC web site, web and Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) applications and associated IT infrastructure.

4. Estimated Dollar Value.

The task order will consist of a three-month base period followed by a nine-month option period. The estimated price for the base period is , and the estimated price for the option is for a total estimated price of .

5. Authority.

Federal Acquisition Regulation 16.505(b)(2)(i)(C) – The order must be issued on a sole-source basis in the interest of economy and efficiency because it is a logical follow-on to an order already issued under the contract, provided that all awardees were given a fair opportunity to be considered for the original order.

6. Rationale

The FGDC serves as the only governmental entity charged with coordinating the Nations geographic information and spatial data infrastructures. As a unique entity the agency requires specialized tools and services to support the coordination and delivery of spatial data, information, and services. Ardent is the current contractor performing the work and has unique cross-agency knowledge, experience, cleared staff, in managing projects, developing applications, systems and providing information delivery resources and tools that support geographic committee management, administration and coordination to keep the services running without delay. These functions are achieved through customization of the Plone Content Management System (CMS) an open-source software solution that facilitates content upload, management, and presentation, which requires significant experience for its configuration and deployment as a unique software product. These resources supported by Ardent are currently being modernized and migrated to a new web presence, integrated with external applications, and Amazon cloud services within the Geospatial Platform––a national and international resource supporting access to spatial data and service.

Failure to proceed in a timely manner would jeopardize continued program management support, operations, and enhancement of the FGDC Secretariat website. If a break in service were to occur, the ability of the FGDC to perform day-to-day functions using the web tools and applications would be adversely affected. This would result in a failure to sustain ongoing integration and development of major NSDI system components and to meet statutory requirements that require the FGDC to provide congress and the public information electronic services. This could compromise the system reliability and integrity of the cross-agency/public services and information delivery support services provided by the FGDC and its partner delivery. Additionally, lack of contractor-provided support would result in a failure to provide timely testing, patches, and security updates that would cause a compromise and shutdown of these critical operational resources.

The introduction of a new vendor during the integration and acceptance phase of the software development life cycle would require significant unacceptable delays for: 1) onboarding of resources; 2) to complete knowledge transfer; 3) coordination with additional vendors who are developing integrated components; 4) conduct of a comprehensive assessment and acceptance of code; 5) implementing any modifications or remediation; 6) finalizing documentation; and 7) completion of security assessment and authorization. Ardent has demonstrated knowledge in managing, coordinating, resourcing, supporting and timely delivery of these services in support of committee management and information delivery.

Fair opportunity was given to the three contract holders: Ardent Management Consulting Inc, image Matters LLC, and Xentity Corp for the initial award. Ardent was the only respondent and was awarded the task order. This task order is a logical follow-on task order.

7. Other Information.

None.

8. The Efforts to Identify Additional Sources Including the Market Research Conducted.

Additional sources were not considered as a result of the fair competition completed in awarding the Geospatial Shared Service II IDIQ contract number 140G0120D0001 and task level competition. The IDIQ is still in place and the logical follow-on will be awarded under 140G0120D0001.

9. Future Plans to Permit Competition.

The Geospatial Shared Service III recompete is currently being developed with anticipated award in FY26. The follow-on requirements to acquire these services will again be competed as a new task order under the GSS III IDIQ.

10. Recommendation and Certification from Program Office

Based on the above, I recommend this acquisition be conducted on the basis of other than full and open competition. I certify that technical data which form a basis for this justification that are the responsibility of technical or requirements personnel are complete and accurate.

Roxanne Lamb, Contracting Officer’s Representative

11. Certifications from the Contracting Officer:

The task order will have firm-fixed-prices for the period of performance which will be calculated based off the fully burdened labor rates from the parent Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) and an anticipated skill mix and level of effort. The IDIQ labor rates were evaluated and determined fair and reasonable at the time of contract award. As such, the basis for fair and reasonable determination primarily lies on an evaluation of the contractor’s proposed skill mix and level of effort which will be evaluated based on a comparison of the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) and the current task order for the same services. If the proposed skill mix and level of effort is not determined to be in line with the scope of work, the contracting office will hold discussion with the contractor to align the proposed effort to the required scope of work.

All of the requirements of the Competition in Contracting Act, (41 U.S.C. 253), as implemented in the Federal and Interior Acquisition Regulations, have been considered in preparing this justification. This justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

13. Approvals

Ty DeHart, Contracting Officer

Robin Doyle, Chief of the Contracting Office

Jennifer Kelley, Bureau Competition Advocate