JA - Extension of EVSS redacted.pdf

Control Number VA-20-00074395

JUSTIFICATION

FOR AN EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Office of Procurement, Acquisition, and Logistics Technology Acquisition Center (TAC) 23 Christopher Way Eatontown, NJ 07724

2. Description of Action: The proposed action is for a modification to Firm-Fixed- Price (FFP) Task Order (TO) VA11817F10250007 issued under Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology Next Generation (T4NG) Contract Number VA118- 16-D-1025 for Vets.gov – Enterprise Veterans Self Service (EVSS) Technical Sustainment Support with Insignia Technology Services, LLC (Insignia) 610 Thimble Shoals Blvd, Bldg. 6, Newport News, Virginia, 23606. The purpose of this modification is to extend the period of performance of Option Period Two for one month and incorporate a 1-month option period to continue sustainment support for the EVSS application frontend and backend services.

3. Description of Supplies or Services: The services acquired under this TO are for providing sustainment support for the EVSS application frontend and backend services, existing EVSS platform, and integration services. Specifically, sustainment services to ensure that the production system continues to be operational for all users as well as project management and project management support, operations and maintenance, software application and systems monitoring/sustainment services, configuration management, infrastructure and platform services, backlog software defect evaluation and repair for Severity 1 & 2 defects, emergent production defect repair, coding, testing and release support, compliance to VA Section 508 Maintenance and Updates, system security maintenance and updates, defect repair validation, technical documentation and help desk support. EVSS application suite includes the EVSS Portal Platform, the eBenefits Portal, Stakeholder Enterprise Portal (SEP) and Veterans Online Application II Direct Connect (VDC). The Office of Information and Technology (OI&T), Enterprise Program Management Office (EPMO) requires the current services provided under TO VA11817F10250007 to continue without interruption in order to prevent any negative impact to the system that supports more than 2,000 Veterans and service members who register and apply for VA benefits. The period of performance for this proposed action shall be August 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020. In addition, VA requires a 1-month option period for continued EVSS sustainment support services, if exercised. The overall period of performance shall be extended from 36 months to 38 months (ultimately 40 months if existing optional task for 60 days of transition support is exercised). The total estimated value of the proposed action is $911,520.84, inclusive of the option period.

4. Statutory Authority: The statutory authority permitting an exception to fair opportunity is Section 41 U.S.C 4106(c)(2) as implemented by the Federal

Vets.gov – Enterprise Veterans Self Service Technical Sustainment Support Control Number VA-20-00074395

Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B), entitled “Only one awardee is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services ordered are unique or highly specialized.”

5. Rationale Supporting Use of Authority Cited Above: The proposed source for this action is Insignia, 610 Thimble Shoals Blvd, Bldg. 6, Newport News, Virginia, 23606.

Insignia was awarded the original TO on July 28, 2017 on a competitive basis under Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set aside procedures.

Insignia is providing and meeting the EVSS sustainment support requirements under the current TO. There were delays in soliciting the follow-on TO due to the EVSS platform and the public-facing products that it supports being moved to the Digital Experience Product Office (DEPO) product line. In addition, EVSS is being migrated from Vets.gov to the VA.gov platform. As a result, the Government needed to revise the sustainment support requirements in the acquisition requirements package.

Specifically, within the Performance Work Statement modifications were made to follow the practices described in the “Digital Services Playbook”, operating with a user-centered Agile delivery process – learning from research and prototypes, using that knowledge to iteratively design and build digital applications and features for Veterans, and iteratively launching those applications and features daily in order to iteratively maintain EVSS and support the migration of features to other platforms such as VA.gov. The acquisition requirements package was finalized and the solicitation was issued on June 26, 2020. This modification is required to ensure there is no break in services between the end of the current TO, July 31, 2020, and the award of a new TO forecasted for mid-August 2020. This action will provide continuity of operations during the remainder of the acquisition process and ample time to transition all processes, materials, and data from the incumbent to the new award recipient. Once a follow-on TO is awarded, there is also a need for 60 days of overlap to support a seamless transition of the services to a new vendor, which is contained in the current TO, as an optional task for 60 days of transition support.

Without this extension all the on-line eBenefit Forms will not be supported for users or transition to VA.gov. Backend services that connect to VA.gov front end will not be maintained or transitioned, and the current EVSS platform will not be available to support Veterans and their families. In addition, the following key services will be degraded or eliminated: disability compensation, GI Bill status, dependent applications, pension benefits, intent to file for current military, original claims for first time applicants, VA Letters, special adapted housing grant, ordering prosthetics, vocational rehab and employment and many more features not yet transitioned to VA.gov. Existing backend services (APIs) that are called by VA.gov features will not be transitioned or maintained which will put most VA.gov features at risk. The EVSS platform will not be maintained and portals to other systems like the Loan Guarantee Program (LGY), VA / DoD Identity Repository (VADIR), and Veteran Identity Eligibility Reporting System (VIERS) will be at risk. Approximately 2000 Help desk tickets per month will go unanswered.

Only Insignia can meet VA’s EVSS requirements without a break in support.

Specifically, Insignia possesses all of the resources (27+) ready with the necessary security clearances to include physical and logical access; has minimal to no learning curve for any new resources required, has knowledge retainment of Contractor staff; and can commence performance immediately upon modification award. Any other source other than Insignia would require a significant ramp-up time of approximately 30-60 days. This estimate is based on the number of resources required to be onboarded to continue the current level of support and on the delays in the onboarding process due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

Specifically, activities that must occur during the ramp-up time include hiring new employees, obtaining National Criminal Fingerprints, Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) issuance and Personal Identity Verification (PIV) which have been negatively affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new Contractor must be prepared to recruit, review resumes, and hire personnel. National Criminal Fingerprints for initial background checks is required for each person. Additionally, any other source other than Insignia would need to overcome a learning curve and work hand in hand with VA and senior Insignia staff to orchestrate a smooth transition which would include understanding the status of each project to include the status, location, and transition of technical services for products that are currently under development. As Insignia has worked closely with the VA EVSS team over the past three years, and has obtained and demonstrated a significant knowledge of VA’s current EVSS environment, integrations, and support services, the loss of Insignia’s support during this period will significantly inhibit the sustainment of EVSS and would cause a break in service which would severely impact VA’s ability to complete its mission.

In order to meet critical operations and deadlines, VA requires the extension on the current TO until August 31, 2020. Additionally, VA is including a 1-month option period, which can be exercised at the Government’s discretion, in order to have a mechanism in place to seamlessly continue support in the event there are delays in award of the follow-on, delays in onboarding due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to ensure a seamless continuation of support during any transition period, if needed, through September 30, 2020. It is imperative that the technical sustainment support for the EVSS platform and applications is continued until the new TO award.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Market research was conducted, details of which are in Section 8 of this justification. This effort did not yield any additional sources that can meet the Government’s requirements. There is no competition anticipated for this acquisition. In accordance with FAR 5.301 and 16.505(b)(2)(ii)(D), the award notice for this action will be synopsized on the Contracting Opportunities website and this justification will be made publicly available within 14 days of award.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: No barriers to future competition are anticipated. A follow-on TO is anticipated to be awarded mid-August 2020 under SDVOSB set aside procedures. Upon award and staffing of the follow-on TO, any unexercised options under this current TO will not be exercised, and all future requirements will go under the new TO.

8. Market Research: The Government technical experts conducted market research in July 2020 by reviewing the T4NG SDVOSB Prime contract holders websites, only the SDVOSB Primes were reviewed as the current TO was awarded as a SDVOSB set aside and the follow-on has been set aside as well for SDVOSBs.

As a result of that market research, it was determined that at least 4 T4NG SDVOSB Prime contract holders are capable of performing the effort; Halfaker & Associates, LLC, GovernmentCIO, LLC, TISTA Science and Technology Corporation, and Insignia; however, only Insignia is capable of providing continued EVSS sustainment support until award of the competitive TO. While there were sources found that can provide project management, operations and maintenance, software application and systems monitoring/sustainment services, configuration management, infrastructure and platform services, and help desk support services to EPMO, no sources were found to be able to provide the required services in the timeframe required as outlined in Section 5 of the Justification.

9. Other Facts: N/A

10. Technical and Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Mary O’Toole Date: ________________________________

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COR Signature: ____________________________

11. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination: I hereby determine that the anticipated price to the Government for this TO action will be fair and reasonable based upon the Independent Government Cost Estimate and price analysis.

Summer N. Spalliero Date: ________________________________

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Procuring Contracting Officer Signature: ____________________________

12. Procuring Contracting Officer Certification: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Summer N. Spalliero Date: ________________________________ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Procuring Contracting Officer Signature: ____________________________

Approval

In my role as procuring activity Advocate for Competition, based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the acquisition of a FFP modification to be issued under T4NG Contract VA118-16-D-1025 TO VA11817F10250007 for Vets.gov – EVSS Technical Sustainment Support, on an other than fair opportunity basis pursuant to the authority cited in Section 4 above, subject to availability of funds, and provided that the services herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

Date: Signature: ______________________ Philip Weckesser Advocate for Competition Technology Acquisition Center Office of Procurement, Acquisition, and Logistics