JA FAR 6_Unison VAO AKP and Subscriptions_FINAL_SIGNED.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Office of Procurement, Acquisition and Logistics (OPAL)

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Ct, Suite 103

Frederick, MD 21703

Justification and Approval for Other than Full and Open Competition

6.302-1 Only One Responsible Source

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity.

This Justification and Approval (J&A) for Other Than Full and Open Competition is executed by the Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC), on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Acquisition, Logistics and Construction (OALC) lead by the Principal Executive, OALC and Chief Acquisition Officer (CAO).

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

This activity proposes to negotiate a non-competitive open market contract award (sole source) with Unison Virtual Acquisition Office, LLC, for the procurement of the Virtual Acquisition Office (VAO) subscription, as well as the development and maintenance of innovative Acquisition Knowledge Portal (AKP) tools, systems, and resources. The estimated value of this firm-fixed price contract is $6,000,000.00 and the period of performance would be a base year with one six-month option.

3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs

(including the estimated value).

In 2019, the VA was placed on the General Accountability Office (GAO) High Risk List (HRL) and required to improve its Acquisition Management. Some of the areas GAO sited in its HRL report included outdated acquisition regulations and policies, inadequate acquisition workforce training, and lack of reliable data systems. To address the mentioned areas, innovative acquisition solutions and services are continued to be needed for improvement.

This acquisition is for professional support services to provide the VA acquisition workforce with Virtual Acquisition Office (VAO) subscriptions, as well as the development and maintenance of innovative Acquisition Knowledge Portal (AKP) tools, systems, and resources.

The VAO subscription allows VA’s acquisition workforce access to daily acquisition regulatory and policy updates, targeted training, acquisition tools, and various acquisition webinars for just-in-time training; thus, building on the current methods of both delivering training and meeting the GAO recommendation to improve acquisition workforce training.

Furthermore, the VAO subscription offers real-time information, content, support, and services to improve the VA’s Acquisition Management by using the AKP and other VAO-powered tile services.

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Ct, Suite 103

The development and maintenance of innovative Acquisition Knowledge Portal (AKP) tools, systems, materials, and resources provide the VA acquisition workforce with the latest innovative technology, such as artificial intelligence and robotic process automation (RPA). The goal of these tools is to eliminate repetitive acquisition tasks throughout the acquisition lifecycle; thus, producing more efficient and reliable data systems as well as data for decision making regarding the acquisition process.

The VAO subscription, coupled with the AKP tools, systems, and materials, and resources, fills critical gaps such as a single source for policy, business practices, templates, tools and access to various other VA and federal systems. The subscriptions are needed to support the functionality and capability required to complete various acquisition activities throughout the acquisition lifecycle.

This requirement will have a 12-month base period and one option period of 6 months.

The estimated cost is approximately $6,000,000.00.

4. An identification of the 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) as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 6.302- 1 entitled, “Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements”.

5. A demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited.

Unison Virtual Acquisition Office, LLC (Unison) has developed and designed the AKP on General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) order GS-35F- 131GA 36C10X19F0089 and continues to work extensively with OALC to provide the VA acquisition workforce with the Virtual Acquisition Office (VAO) subscription, with the development and maintenance of innovative Acquisition Knowledge Portal (AKP) tools, systems, and resources. The use of a different vendor would require duplication of effort to establish a new portal including all updates with artificial intelligence, RPA, and VAO subscriptions to meet current and future needs. Unison has developed and created the AKP and has the proprietary data rights for continued service and is able to provide updates without costly and time intensive duplication of efforts.

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Ct, Suite 103

6. A description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies.

A notice will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2.

7. A determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the

Government will be fair and reasonable.

No award shall be made until the Contracting Officer determines the cost to the Government to be fair and reasonable. This determination will be based on a comparison of current contract pricing, past proposal submissions (if available), other information made available, and an Independent Government Cost Estimate.

8. A description of the market research conducted (see Part 10) and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

Market research was conducted, and Unison Virtual Acquisition Office, LLC has been determined to be a responsible source with respect to performance. The NAICS code 519130 - Internet Publishing and Broadcasting and Web Search Portals and Product Service Code (PSC) 7H20, IT and Telecom Platform Products, are most appropriate for this requirement. A search of VIP provided 237 Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) under the NAICS code 519130. Further Market Research was conducted via FSS vendor websites to determine if competition was viable for this action. While other sources had the general capabilities needed to perform the proposed effort, Unison Virtual Acquisition Office, LLC has developed and created the AKP, and has the data rights for continued service.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition.

Previous Market Research stated that:

“The Government will evaluate whether the AKP is providing benefit to the VA for continued service after this contract’s (36C10X21C0010) period of performance. If services are required, a new contract will be required to combine all of the AKP elements from contract GS-35F-131GA 36C10X19F0089 and this contract.”

This new contract combines the efforts of the previous two contracts and allows for continued use of the AKP by Acquisition Professionals.

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Ct, Suite 103

10. A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

Name: Unison Virtual Acquisition Office, LLC Address: 21251 Ridgetop Cir Ste 100

Dulles, VA 20166

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

All future requirements will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Toward the expiration of this contract, consideration will be given as to whether the future acquisition should be competitive.

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Ct, Suite 103

12. Certifications / Signatures.

Contracting Officer Certification:

Pursuant to (FAR 6.303-2(a)(12)), I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Kelly Dempsey Date Contracting Officer Strategic Acquisition Center- Frederick (SAC-F)

In my role as Contracting Activity Competition Advocate, based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the acquisition of Virtual Acquisition Office (VAO) subscriptions as well as the development and maintenance of innovative Acquisition Knowledge Portal (AKP) tools, systems, and resources. This approval is pursuant to the authority cited in paragraph 4 above and provided that the services herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

Efrain J. Fernandez Date Competition Advocate Strategic Acquisition Center- Frederick (SAC-F)