JA_DANTES AST_Redacted.pdf

CUI

SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION SEE FAR 2.101 AND 3.104

Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition

DANTES Academic Skills Training, DANTES.FY19-888

Choose the funding level for this J&A Document:

Contracting Activity: Defense Human Resources Activity (DHRA) Acquisition Management Directorate (AMD)

Center/Office/Requirement Title: The Defense Support Service Center (DSSC), Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), Academic Skills Training (AST)

Authority (include full title): 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) Use of Procedures other than Competitive Procedures, FAR 6.103-1 -- Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

Estimated Contract Cost (including options): J&A Type: Class Individual

COORDINATION & APPROVALS:

Controlled by: DHRA AMD CUI Category: SSEL Dissemination Control: FED ONLY POC: Jada Weaver, jada.a.weaver.civ@mail.mil

I. Agency/Contracting Activity.

Agency: DANTES, 130 West Ave, Building 603, Pensacola, FL 32508

Contracting Activity: DHRA, 4800 Mark Center Dr, Alexandria, VA 22350

II. Nature and/or description of the action being processed.

DHRA requires the extension of a firm-fixed price and time and materials contract awarded to . The extension will provide continued academic skills training for a period of up to six months. The modification is being made in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Clause 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services and will include the necessary Contract Line-Item Numbers. The value of the current contract is The six-month extension has an estimated value of which will result in a new estimated contract value of

The current contract, H9821021C0004, ends on 29 June 2026. The follow-on Academic Skills Training requirement was solicited under Request for Proposal H9821026RE002. Evaluations concluded, the awardee was determined, and unsuccessful offerors were provided with a pre-award notification pursuant to Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO), FAR Subpart 15.206-1(b) on 13 May 2026. The pre-award notification provided information and provided an unsuccessful offeror five (5) business days to protest the size standard of the apparent, successful offeror. A protest was received on 18 May 2026. The size standard protest prevented a timely award to be made to prevent a break in service, thus causing the need to use the FAR 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services clause.

Once awarded, there is a one-month transition period.

III. Description of supplies/services required to meet agency needs (including the estimated value).

The Department of War (DoW) sponsors the Academic Skills Program in accordance with DoD Directive (DoDD) 1322.08E, DoD Instruction (DoDI) 1322.26, DoDI 1322.25, and the DoD Voluntary Education (VolEd) Strategic Plan.

DoDD 1322.08E directs the Department to maintain education programs that are voluntary and comparable to civilian opportunities available to citizens outside of the military. Specifically, DoDI 1322.25 para. 2.a.4 requires the Department to maintain an "... academic skills program which allows personnel to upgrade their reading, writing, computation, and communication abilities in support of academic skills and military occupations and careers.

Academic skil

As a College and Career Readiness program, the Academic Skills Training Program supports Service members' improvement in math, English, and science skills for college level course placement, qualification for reclassification or advance training, and military advancement. The DoW requires a means to increase its capacity to deliver academic skills training and provide Services that support the evolving needs of service members, changes in the developmental and postsecondary education landscape, and Defense Human Capital Initiatives.

The DANTES Academic Skills Training Program directly supports DoW Project Patriot Pipeline (P3) initiatives as a means to enhance Defense Industrial Base human capital resources. The AST Program has congressionally mandated funding through 2029 as a result of Public Law 119-21.

DANTES has a continuing need for services and, as such, DHRA AMD intends to extend the academic skill training support under H9821021C0004 for up to six months in accordance with FAR 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services. The

29 June 2026. The current contract provided for a one-year base period, and four, twelve-month option periods. The fourth option period was exercised on 26 June 2025.

FAR 52.217-8 was included in the solicitation and resulting contract award; however, pricing for the extension was not evaluated. The lack of price evaluation for the extension necessitated this Justification and Approval. DHRA AMD anticipates that it will need to exercise some, or all of, the FAR 52.217-8 to fulfill the requirement for continued academic skills training. This action supports follow-on procurement efforts, will enable uninterrupted service during protest, and will afford transition to the follow-on contract.

The estimated value of this extension is for six months of continued support. This amount represents the academic skills training and pricing outlined in the contract for the current period of performance which is required until the follow-on contract is awarded and is successfully transitioned. The length of extension required depends on protests to the award and their duration. The Small Business Administration reviewed the Small Business Size Standard Protest and determined the awardee is a small business. DHRA AMD is proceeding with award; however, the protest delayed contract award which necessitates a one-month extension to the contract under FAR 52.217-8.

Additional extensions may be required. Fiscal Year 26 Operations and Maintenance (O&M) funds in the amount of are anticipated for the one-month extension.

IV. Statutory authority permitting Other than Full and Open Competition.

10 U.S.C. § 3204(a)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.103-1 Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements permit other than full and open competition for this extension of services.

The current contract, H9821021C0004, was awarded in a competitive environment. The follow-on effort has also been competed and is in the process of being awarded.

V. Demonstration that the contractor's unique qualifications or nature of the acquisition requires the use of the authority cited above (applicability of authority).

Business and other potential protests are addressed and provide the necessary transition support for the follow-on LC has all of the necessary personnel, curriculum, and training resources to fulfill the short-term

Work Statement and can fulfill the services without interruption, and without a transition period. Moreover, in order for other potential sources to fulfill this immediate need through a competitive basis, without interruption, an acquisition lead time of 250+ days, to include one month of transition period, would be required. Accordingly, the most efficacious course of action is to incorporate and utilize FAR 52.217-8. Extension and continued services under FAR 52.217-8 will support resolution of the Small Business Size Standard Protest, award, and transition of the follow-on contract.

VI. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable.

Not applicable, as this is a request for extension of the current contract. DHRA AMD will comply with the procedures at RFO FAR 5.201 and 6.301 for this Justification and Approval.

It is noted that the follow-on contract was solicited under Request for Proposal H9821026RE002 which was issued as a small business set-aside on www.sam.gov. Award will be made once the Small Business Size Standard protest is resolved. The solicitation has received competition.

VII. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

The Contracting Officer will determine a fair and reasonable price for the six-month extension utilizing proposal analysis techniques found at RFO FAR 15.404-1, including comparison with historical prices and/or comparison to the Independent Government Cost Estimate.

VIII. Description of the market research conducted and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted.

Request for Proposal H9821026RE002 was solicited as a small business set-aside and posted to the Government Point of Entry, www.sam.gov. The solicitation was open to all small business firms. Incorporating FAR 52.217-8 will permit extension of the contract, as required, to enable resolution of the Small Business Size Standard Protest, contract award, and transition of the follow-on contract.

and stability for the Government while the follow-are fully trained, courses have already been developed, and the infrastructure to provide ongoing training without interruption. While other firm(s) may be capable of performing the effort, they would require at least a one-month transition period to hire necessary personnel, develop courses, and prepare for course deployment.

IX. Any other facts supporting the use of Other Than Full and Open Competition.

Not applicable.

X. List of sources, if any, that expressed interest in the acquisition.

Not applicable. While thirteen firms expressed interest in Request for Proposal H9821026RE002, only is capable of supporting the current extension in the timeline required.

XI. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required.

The incorporation of FAR 52.217-8 Extension of Services is to extend the current Academic Skills Training contract which ends on 29 June 2026. The extension of services will support award and transition of the follow-on contract.

Actions to increase competition are already underway. The follow-on requirement was solicited as a small business set-aside on www.sam.gov under Request for Proposal H9821026RE002. There was significant competition as thirteen proposals were received in response to the solicitation.

XII. Certification by the Contracting Officer.

As evidenced by my signature above, I have determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

XIII. Certification by the technical/requirements personnel.

As evidenced by our signature(s) above, we certify that any supporting data contained herein, which is our responsibility, is both accurate and complete.