JA-2025-05-1260 Redacted 20250902 1149.pdf

JA-2025-05-1260

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN

COMPETITION

41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(7)

Pursuant to the requirements of the Competition in Contracting Act (CICA) as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 6.3 and in accordance with the requirements of FAR 6.303-1, the justification for the use of the statutory authority under FAR Subpart 6.3 is justified by the following facts and rationale required under FAR 6.303-2 as follows:

1. Agency and Contracting Activity.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Office of Contracting and Procurement (CP) proposes to extend a contract on a basis other than full and open competition.

2. Nature and/or Description of the Action being Approved.

The action proposed is to modify Task Order No. 70T05022F5500N002 to exercise an extension in accordance with (IAW) FAR Clause 52.217-8 Option To Extend Services. The contract was awarded to Carahsoft Technology Corp, authorized reseller of Twilio, for a customer engagement subscription that has the ability for customers to contact AskTSA through text messaging on both iOS and Android devices from an authorized reseller.

This six-month extension period would commence on September 1, 2025, and end on February 28, 2026. The proposed contract modification will ensure the continuation of services until the award of the replacement contract. The effort is proposed to be awarded to:

(a) Carahsoft Technology Corp 11493 Sunset Hills Road Suite 100 Reston, VA 20190.

(b) Contract type. This is a Firm-Fixed Price order with a cost-reimbursement no-fee item CLINs for Inbound and Outbound SMS and Carrier Fees.

(c) Estimated total value (including option).

Period Total Base Year 12 mo. $ 84,597.00 Option Year 1 12 mo. $ 84,597.00 Option Year 2 12 mo. $ 84,597.00 Total $253,791.00 Option Period (52.217-8) 6 mo. $ 48,112.60 New Total $301,903.60

Note: The order will be increased in the amount of $48,112.60 from $253,791.00 to $301,903.60.

(d) Type of funding: Operation and Maintenance (O&M)

(e) Year of funding: FY25

(f) Solicitation number. Not Applicable

(g) Background information about the requirement.

The AskTSA program launched on Twitter in September of 2015 and expanded to Facebook by using the Messenger tool in July 2016. The team comprises several TSA employees, each with a diverse background of TSA experience. The team is available to answer questions from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, 7 days a week including holidays. AskTSA has shown a 40 - 44% increase in usership per year since inception and the average response time is two minutes.

Since COVID, there has been over a 100% increase in inquires over previous years.

The service allows the AskTSA team to engage in real-time with the public and be able to answer their questions regarding screening procedures with the goal of improving the

The texting method of communication is one many travelers prefer to use without the requirement to download an additional mobile app or log into their social media account. Currently, about 50% of all AskTSA queries are received via text message.

That represents about 1.5M queries a year. Since going live in 2019, AskTSA has become the premier customer service platform travelers use to get quick answers to common questions about the airport security checkpoint.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

A customer engagement subscription with the ability for customers to contact AskTSA through text messaging on both iOS and Android devices from an authorized reseller. The service allows AskTSA to engage in real-time with the public and be able to answer their questions regarding screening procedures with the goal experience.

The estimated value of this extension is $48,112.60 to be funded with O & M appropriation.

Period Period of Performance

Estimated Value Type of Funding

FAR Part 52.217-8 1 September 2025 28 February 2026

$48,112.60 O&M

New Total Contract Value $301,903.60.

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

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 41 U.S.C.

3304(a)(1) implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 6.302-1

Ag

5. Identification of Exception to the Buy American Statute.

Not Applicable

6.

acquisition requires use of the authority cited.

The Program Office (PMO) developed a performance work statement for the competitive follow-on; however, department-level approval and funding are still pending. The use of other than full and open competition is necessary to prevent a gap in service resulting from this delay. The six-month extension would begin on September 1, 2025, through February 28, 2026, supporting the continuation of services until approval and funding are made available.

If this modification is not approved, AskTSA will lose a valuable tool to communicate with the traveling public which strengthens national security by measurably reducing passengers' unintentional security violations at airport checkpoints and minimizing on-the-spot inquiries to officers, allowing TSA to devote more attention to screening for higher-risk and/or deliberate threats to air travel safety.

Carahsoft Technology Corp, incumbent, is the only contractor capable of fulfilling the requirements without a disruption of service because it takes approximately 60 days to migrate our short code to the new service provider.

7. Description of Efforts Made to Ensure that Offers are Solicited from as Many Potential Sources as is Practicable.

When department-level approval and funding are available, the TSA will compete the follow-on contract among NASA SEWP contract holders or GSA Schedule holders who are FedRAMP compliant. The TSA estimates the solicitation release for the competitive follow-on on or about December 5, 2025, with a target award date of December 31, 2025, to ensure an adequate transition period.

8. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable.

The anticipated pricing from Carahsoft Technology Corp, is based on current contract pricing which has already been determined to be fair and reasonable. Moreover, the contractor provided a significant discount (approximately 50%) on the production support rate for the 6-month extension. The rate is now $377.78 which is a cost saving of approximately $2,234.00 for this option period.