JA FAR Part 8 VAAA LFO AWFT - SAM Post.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Office of Procurement, Acquisition and Logistics (OPAL)

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

Frederick, MD 21703

LIMITED-SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

(1) Identification of the agency and the contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a "Limited-Sources Justification."

This justification is executed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Strategic Acquisition Center—Frederick (SAC-F), on behalf of the Veterans Affairs Acquisition Academy (VAAA), Frederick, MD.

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

VA awarded a multiple-award Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) in June 2023 for VAAA’s Acquisition Workforce Training (AWT) to three contractors to provide commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) acquisition training courses, to include FAC- Contracting (FAC-C) certification courses, General Services Administration (GSA)-required Level I/Level II Leasing certification courses, and acquisition workforce electives. This acquisition was conducted using unrestricted (full and open) competition under the authority of the GSA Federal Supply Schedule, specifically the Multiple-Award Schedule (MAS) contracts in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.405-3, with awards to the following contractors:

• Business Management Research Associates, Inc. (BMRA) o GS-02F-0185N 36C10X24A0004 o Total Estimated Value: $3,489,199.70

• Management Concepts, Inc. (MC) o 47QREA18D000Y 36C10X23A0011 o Total Estimated Value: $3,602,226.67

• Stafford Consulting Company, Inc. (SCC) o GS-00F-283GA 36C10X23A0012 o Total Estimated Value: $2,610,250.00

The total estimated value was based on estimated annual quantities for training courses as listed in the BPA solicitation.

This action will increase the scope of the BPAs to add FAC-Program and Project Managers (FAC-P/PM) certification courses and electives/continuous learning courses with associated instructor qualifications. By including program management courses, this BPA will offer a full array of COTS training courses to support critical acquisition workforce roles VAAA trains: Contracting and Program Professionals including CORs.

(3) A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value).

The BPA provides COTS acquisition training courses for VAAA located at 7485 New Horizon Way, Frederick, MD 21703. The target audience for the courses provided under this BPA and subsequent orders is the Federal Government’s civilian acquisition workforce, including managerial, non-managerial, and entry-level candidates. Students attending the training will be primarily VA employees but may also be from other Government agencies who have elected to coordinate their training needs with the

VAAA.

The COTS training courses require the contractor to provide all course materials, instructors, and delivery of the training. The COTS courses include FAC-C and Leasing certification courses, electives, and continuous learning courses (CLCs). These courses may be face-to-face or virtual-instructor-led. This action will add FAC-P/PM certification courses and electives/continuous learning courses.

The AWT BPAs were awarded with a five-year ordering period starting June 7, 2023;

three years remain on the ordering period and the last day to place an order is June 6, 2028. Order performance periods are detailed in the individual orders written under the agreements and are typically 12-months in duration. No single order shall exceed 24-months in duration. The estimated added value of the FAC-P/PM courses is $718,058.08.

(4) The authority and supporting rationale (see 8.405-6(a)(1)(i), (b)(1), and (c)) and, if applicable, a demonstration of the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications to provide the required supply or service.

The statutory authority permitting an exception to fair opportunity is 41 U.S.C.

§ 4106(c)(3) as implemented by FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(C). In the interest of economy and efficiency, additional courses are a logical follow-on to the original Federal Supply Schedule BPAs for acquisition workforce training which was placed in accordance with the applicable Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures. In accordance with FAR 8.405-6(c) the original BPAs were solicited and awarded using full and open competition under the authority of the Multiple-Award Schedule Program.

BMRA, MC and SCC were the only competitors that submitted quotes for the AWT BPA. While market research at the time showed several other contractors provide a few acquisition workforce courses, no others identified appeared capable of providing the wide variety of courses VAAA requires to train the VA workforce. All three contractors provide FAC-P/PM certification and elective courses and have demonstrated satisfactory past performance under the BPAs and other training contracts for VA.

It is in the best interest of the Government to add the FAC-P/PM courses as a logical follow-on contract to maintain continuity and quality of this effort. As stated above, there are a limited number of qualified training companies that can provide the full range of training VAAA requires. This action maximizes Government efficiency and effectiveness in contracting through the strategic use of this multiple-award GSA BPA, which utilizes Tier-2 contracts as defined by the Government’s Category Management (CM), Spend under Management (SUM). By incorporating FAC-P/PM courses to the BPA, significant planning and procurement time is eliminated while maintaining use of the Government’s priority for CM/SUM and allowing for fair opportunity amongst the BPA holders for each order. This action will enable VAAA to fulfill its VA acquisition training needs throughout the remaining ordering years.

(5) A determination by the ordering activity contracting officer that the order represents the best value consistent with 8.404(d).

Negotiating with the existing BPA contractors allows for the most efficient use of resources. Consistent with FAR 8.404(d), the Contracting Officer will ensure that proposed prices and rates conform with schedule prices and rates. These BPAs represent the best value and result in the lowest overall cost alternative to meet the Government’s needs.

(6) A description of the market research conducted among schedule holders and the results, or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

The market research for the BPAs indicates the need for a multiple award solution to ensure all courses VAAA offers to its acquisition workforce could be fulfilled throughout the year; market research for the BPA indicates very few vendors were capable of fulling all VAAA’s training needs. All three BPA contractors offer FAC- P/PM certification and elective courses, some of which are priced by course on the contractors’ GSA price schedule (e.g., course numbers FPM 511, 512, 513); the remaining can be fulfilled by the GSA labor categories listed. The BPAs incorporate each awardee’s full GSA price list to allow BPA holders to use any course or labor category on its GSA price list for new order quotes. As such, all added FAC-P/PM courses to be added are available from these three BPA holders.

In accordance with FAR 5.301 and 8.405-6(a)(2), this action will be synopsized at award on the Government Point of Entry (GPE) (SAM.gov) and the justification will be made publicly available.

(7) Any other facts supporting the justification.

None.

(8) A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to the restricted consideration before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services is made.

No barriers to future competition are anticipated. Orders under this BPA are firm-fixed-price and awarded on a competitive basis. Furthermore, future acquisitions will be awarded on a competitive basis.

(9) Evidence that any supporting data that is the responsibility of technical or requirements personnel (e.g., verifying the Government ’s minimum needs or requirements or other rationale for limited sources) and which form a basis for the justification have been certified as complete and accurate by the technical or requirements personnel.

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.

Signature:

Program Manager Veteran Affairs Acquisition Academy

(10) The ordering activity contracting officer’s certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the contracting officer ’s knowledge and belief.

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. As this action does not exceed $750K, the certification below required by FAR 8.405(d)(1) serves as approval.

Signature: ___

Contracting Officer Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick