JA_Titan_v1_HK (002) - SIGNED Redacted.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Office of Procurement, Acquisition and Logistics (OPAL)

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

Frederick, MD 21703

Center Justification and Approval for Other than Full and Open Competition

6.302-5 -- Authorized or required by statute

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), The Center for Care and Payment Innovation (CCPI), which reports through the VHA Office of Health Innovation and Learning (OHIL), located in Office of Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks (DEAN).

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

This activity proposes to negotiate a non-competitive firm fixed price sole source award with Titan Alpha, LLC, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).

The procurement is for programmatic, communications, analytical, and strategic support to support the mandate to execute innovative pilots around care and payment.

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

The contractor shall provide Program Office Support to include program management, workgroup and governance facilitation, communication management and tracking, regulatory support, event planning, and strategic support. Additionally, the contractor shall provide support for Pilot discovery and exploration and lifecycle support to include market research, concept evaluation, proposal development, implementation, and all stages of the lifecycle process. The estimated value of this Firm-Fixed Price contract is $3,652,808.00 and the period of performance would be one year.

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)(5) as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 6.302- 5 entitled, “Authorized or required by statute”. The applicable statute is Public Law 109- 461: “Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006” specifically, the “Veterans First Contracting Program” outlined in 38 USC § 8127(c).

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

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

VAAR 819.7007 states explicitly, “A determination that only one SDVOSB can meet the requirement is not required,” and that using this authority, the following must be verified:

(1) The anticipated award price of the contract (including options) will not exceed $5 million; The estimated value is

(2) $3,652,808.00 and does not exceed $5M.

(3) The justification prepared pursuant to FAR 6.302-5(c)(2)(ii) is posted in accordance with FAR subpart 5.301(d);

This J&A will be posted on Beta.Sam.

(4) The SDVOSB concern has been determined to be a responsible source with respect to performance; and Titan Alpha, LLC is a registered and verified SDVOSB. This vendor is a verified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. It is in the Government’s best interest to award a sole source to Titan Alpha, LLC.

(5) In the estimation of the contracting officer, contract award can be made at a fair and reasonable price that offers best value to the Government.

(6) The contracting officer has determined that the use of this authority is in the best interest of the government based upon the fact that Titan Alpha, LLC is a SDVOSB which has the ability to provide the Department of Veterans Affairs quality products and services at a fair and reasonable price and has the necessary working knowledge of the VA systems, programs and policies to provide the needed deliverables within the stringent timeline required.

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.

IAW VAAR § 819.7007 Sole source awards to SDVOSB concerns (b), “The contracting officer’s determination whether to make a sole source award is a business decision wholly within the discretion of the contracting officer. A determination that only one SDVOSB concern is available to meet the requirement is not required.”

A notice will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2.

https://www.acquisition.gov/content/part-6-competition-requirements#i1119843 https://www.acquisition.gov/content/part-5-publicizing-contract-actions#i1120562

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

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 Titan Alpha, LLC. has been determined to be a responsible source with respect to performance. They are registered and certified in VetBiz.gov as a SDVOSB with the NAICS code for this requirement which in accordance with Public Law 109-461 Section 502(c) meets the requirements of this statute to sole source to a SDVOSB. In addition, their current services meet and exceeds government requirements and government reviewed their VIP verification verifying that they are an SDVOSB.

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

In accordance with Public Law 109-461, codified at 38 USC § 8127, in order to increase contracting opportunities for small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans and small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans with service-connected disabilities, contracting officers of the VA are given specific statutory authority to award a contract to a small business concern owned and controlled by veterans using procedures other than competitive procedures (i.e. a “sole source” contract). The contracting officer may do so in accordance with VAAR 819.7007.

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

Name: Titan Alpha, LLC.

Address: 13846 Rembrandt Way, Chantilly, VA 20151-3255

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, should this concept solution be proven effective, market research will be conducted in order to determine if there are other capable vendors who can provide the

Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Ct, Suite 103 required services and consideration will be given as to whether the future acquisition should be competitive.

12. Certifications / Signatures.

Technical Representative Certification:

I certify that the foregoing justification is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

8/9/2021 Michael Harry Date Acting Director of Strategy and Analytics for CCPI

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.

Digitally signed by David S. Rupert 112363 Date: 2021.08.09 17:58:16 -04'00'

David Rupert Date Contracting Officer Strategic Acquisition Center- Frederick (SAC-F)

Competition Advocate Approval:

Competition Advocate Approval

Upon the basis of the above justification, I hereby approve, as advocate for competition for the procuring activity, the solicitation of the proposed procurement described herein, using other than full and open competition, pursuant to the authority of 38 U.S. Code 8127(c).

Digitally signed by Efrain J Fernandez 103610 Date: 2021.08.10 06:27:41 -04'00'

Efrain Fernandez Date Competition Advocate Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC)

David S. Rupert 112363

Efrain J Fernandez 103610