JA Metrics - 36C10X25N0275 - Final (PAAC).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 FOR AN EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY

(1) Identification of the agency and the contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a "Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity."

Contracting Activity:

Strategic Acquisition Center—Frederick (SAC-F) Office of Procurement, Acquisition and Logistics U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Contracting Officer: Chris Binkley (christopher.binkley@va.gov)

Requiring Activity: Pain Management Opioid Safety and Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), Specialty Care program office 11 SPEC

This document is a Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity prepared in accordance with FAR 16.507-6(b)(3).

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

This justification provides approval to negotiate a non-competitive modification with Metrics, LLC under Task Order (TO) VA119A-17-D-0148 36C10X25N0275. The proposed modification to the TO will add services to include two (2) additional senior programmers, one (1) senior information management specialist, and one (1) senior statistician who will enhance our current capabilities in web-based database and dashboard development. This modification is designed to meet the congressionally mandated approach to pain management (the newly introduced bipartisan NOPAIN for Veterans Act) which amends Section 8125 of title 38.

The current TO (inclusive of a base year and two (2) option periods) was awarded to Metrics, LLC, on 30 September 2025 with an ultimate completion date of 29 September 2028. Metrics, LLC is currently performing project work supporting Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) Pain Management, Opioid Safety, and Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). The purpose of this modification is to provide support for the utilization of Electronic Health Record (EHR). Automated dashboards, patient panel tools, and workflow visualizations shall facilitate the capture and reporting of Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) where possible and Pain Management Team metrics, contributing to Centers of Excellence performance analytics and EHR-driven data automation. Integration shall also include data exchange alignment with Oracle Health interfaces to enable bi-directional EHR connectivity, ensuring that Pain Management and PRO metrics populate directly within clinical care dashboards as directed by PMOP COR and PMOP analytics environments.

mailto:christopher.binkley@va.gov

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

The TO primarily focuses IT-related tasks such as project management, application development, web-based databases, dashboards, and SharePoint/website development, with labor categories including Health IT Advanced Technology Program Manager, Data Analyst, Senior Programmer, and Junior Information Management Specialist. The original task order required development and implementation of PMOP automation, analytics, dashboards, and operational workflow tools supporting national program operations. During deployment into operational environments, the Government identified that these tools must interface with VA clinical reporting data to function operationally rather than as standalone analytical products.

As a result of this modification, the contractor will integrate with the VA’s EHR systems; Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes (ePRO) tools; and the full suite of newly released applications and software. All EHR automation applications shall be developed with compatibility to EHR (Oracle Health/Cerner) data exchange standards and VA enterprise integration protocols as directed by PMOP COR.

Automated dashboards, patient panel tools, and workflow visualizations shall facilitate the capture and reporting of PROs where possible and Pain Management Team metrics, contributing to Centers of Excellence performance analytics and EHR-driven data automation. Integration shall also include data exchange alignment with Oracle Health interfaces to enable bi-directional EHR connectivity, ensuring that Pain Management and PRO metrics populate directly within clinical care dashboards as directed by PMOP COR and PMOP analytics environments. The Contractor shall ensure that outputs from automated applications and dashboards are suitable for publication or dissemination across VHA knowledge-sharing channels, including PMOP newsletters, SharePoint resource libraries, or VA research repositories as directed by PMOP COR. Documentation shall include publication-ready or dissemination-ready visuals and descriptions that support transparency and dissemination of innovative automation practices as directed by PMOP COR.

The estimated dollar value of this modification for the remaining Base Period is $723,041.28. The estimated value of the changes for Option Year 1 is $741,124.80.

The estimated value of the changes for Option Year 2 is $759,638.88. The total estimated value of changes including the base period and all options is $2,223,804.96. The total Task Order Value, inclusive of increases under this proposed modification, is $4,970,686.32.

(4) Identification of the exception to fair opportunity (FAR 16.507-6(b)(3)) and the supporting rationale, including a demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the exception cited.

The statutory authority permitting an exception to fair opportunity is Section 41 U.S.C. 4106(c) as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart FAR 16.507-6(b)(3), entitled “The order must be issued on a sole-source basis in the interest of economy and efficiency because it is a logical follow-on to an order already issued under the contract, provided that all awardees were given a fair opportunity to be considered for the original order”.

The incumbent contractor designed and is actively implementing the operational architecture, data models, and workflow configurations supporting PMOP reporting and automation. A new contractor would be required to reconstruct system architecture, workflows, and integration configurations already developed under the task order.

Metrics, LLC has been performing since October 1, 2025, under TO number 36C10X25N0275, which was competitively awarded after all potential awardees were given a fair opportunity to be considered. Metrics, LLC has played a crucial role in supporting the development, implementation, operation, evaluation, enhancement, and optimization of PMOP Veteran Programs and related initiatives. The initial order included tasks such as automation of patient data, budget projections, data management and analytics for pain management services, stakeholder communications, and program improvement. The proposed modification to the TO will expand services to include additional senior programmers, senior information management specialists, and statisticians who will enhance our current capabilities in web-based database and dashboard development. The rationale for this logical follow-on modification includes the following points:

Task Order Timing: The current TO is still within its base period of performance and Metrics, LLC has established critical capabilities and connections that are indispensable to current project phases. Modifying the TO at this juncture ensures stability and continuity in project execution.

Scope: The tasks under the proposed modified TO are a direct expansion of the initial scope, further enhancing and optimizing the automation and data management frameworks already established by Metrics, LLC. Specific examples of how the initial and modified tasks are related include:

• Providing integration tools to allow better interface between related applications, tools, databases, and data sets to support Veterans Health Information System and Technology Architecture (VISTA) and Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS), along with EHR system; and

• Continuing with the development of application, ensuring all are “User-Friendly, with outputs from automated applications and dashboards suitable for publication and dissemination across VHA knowledge-sharing channels.

Economic Efficiency: The modification to the TO leverages the existing investment in Metrics, LLC’s initial order while maintaining flexibility for future competitive processes. Their advanced familiarity with specific project needs will streamline the ongoing tasks, reducing additional onboarding and ramp-up costs that would come with switching vendors’ mid-stream.

Risk Mitigation: Transitioning to a new contractor mid-Task Order would introduce significant risks related to knowledge transfer, potential delays, and disruption in service continuity. Keeping Metrics, LLC in their current role mitigates these risks and sustains project momentum. A new contractor would be required to reconstruct system architecture, workflows, and integration configurations already developed under the task order.

(5) A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

The Contracting Officer will not make an award until determining the cost to the Government for the modification is fair and reasonable. The Contracting Officer will make this determination based on a comparison of current IDIQ contract pricing, an Independent Government Cost Estimate, past proposal submissions (if available), and other available information.

(6) Any other facts supporting the justification.

When soliciting the current task order that expires on 29 September 2028, all awardees were given a fair opportunity to be considered for the original order. The Contracting Officer awarded to Metrics, LLC based on its proposal, which represented best value to the Government. The field of competitors remains unchanged from this original competition, so the Government anticipates similar results if a competitive strategy were to be applied again to this new task order.

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

The current justification for the logical follow-on modification exception is based on the unique confluence of TO timing, existing scope, and the economic efficiency gained by avoiding reconstruction of system architecture as well as procurement of a new TO. Future extensions beyond this follow-on modification will be subject to a separate competitive process, ensuring that the Government is not indefinitely bound to a single vendor. The Government will continue to conduct market research to ascertain if there are changes in the marketplace that would enable future actions to be competed.

(8) The 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.

Signature/Date: _____________________________________________ Chris Binkley Contracting Officer Strategic Acquisition Center

(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 an exception to fair opportunity) 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 and form a basis for this justification, are complete and accurate to the best of knowledge and belief.

Signature/Date: _____________________________________________ Adrian Balaguer Contracting Officer Representative

(10) A written determination by the approving official that one of the circumstances in paragraphs FAR 16.507-6(b) applies to the order.

I hereby determine that FAR 16.507-6(b)(3) applies to the order.

Signature/Date:_____________________________________________

Chris Binkley Contracting Officer Strategic Acquisition Center – Frederick

Approval

In my role as Contracting Activity Competition Advocate, based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve this acquisition on an “other than full and open competition” basis pursuant to the statutory authority cited in paragraph four above, subject to availability of funds, and provided that the property and services herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition. As this action does not exceed $20M, the certification below required by FAR 16.507-6(b)(3) serves as approval.

Signature/Date: _____________________________________________

Efrain J. Fernandez Director of Contracts Procuring Activity Advocate for Competition (SAC-Frederick) Strategic Acquisition Center