JA_Vetting Acquisition and Assistance Specialist.pdf

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR EXPEDITED PROCEDURES PACKAGE

TO: Julie Lamadrid, Contracting Officer

CC: Deborah Broderick, Agency Competition Advocate

FROM: Francis Hall, Deputy/Office Director OAA

DATE: June 29, 2022

SUBJECT: Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition under the Expedited Procedures

Package (EPP) for Afghanistan.

1. This document sets forth the facts and rationale justifying the use of other than full and open competition.

Approval is requested for the justification for use of other than full and open competition pursuant to the authorities under the Expedited Acquisition and Assistance Procedures (EPP) for Afghanistan, approved on December 9, 2021. Your approval of this J&A constitutes the justification for other than full and open competition as required by Tab 1 (D&F for the Authorization of Less than Full and Open Competitive

Procedures in the Modification or Award of Contracts) of the EPP.

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that you approve this justification for use of other than full and open competition pursuant to the Action Memorandum EPP for Afghanistan, approved on December 9, 2021. Your approval of this J&A constitutes the justification for other than full and open competition as required by

Tab 1 (D&F for the Authorization of Less than Full and Open Competitive Procedures in the

Modification or Award of Contracts) of the EPP.

2. The nature and/or description of the action being approved:

This is a request to approve limited competition for the award of a Personal Services Contract for one year, with the option to extend for two years1, to Mr. XXXX XXXXX for an estimated value of

$131,408.00. Under this action Mr. XXXXX will provide personal services to USAID/Afghanistan as a

Vetting /A&A Specialist. This is a remote work position to be carried out from the continental United

States (CONUS).

3. Description of the supplies or services required, including an estimated value:

For PSCs being hired with a U.S. duty station, all funding must be provided in FYs 2022 and FY 2023, including funding for option years, unless authority is identified for funding after those FYs. Under FAA 636(a)(3), PSCs are hired to perform services abroad. FY 2022 CR Section 2401 provides an exception for PSCs but only if they are funded in FY 2022 and FY 2023. Consult with OFM and RLO on the availability of authority for funding these

PSCs in FYs 2024 and beyond.

Mr. XXXXX will serve as the Vetting Acquisition and Assistance Specialist in USAID/Afghanistan’s

Office of Acquisition and Assistance (OAA). He will provide support to Acquisition & Assistance (A&A)

Specialists as the team manages the A&A process for Mission and Embassy offices. He will assume primary responsibility for small purchase procurements of simple to medium complexity such as a variety of “commercial off the shelf” (COTS) services and supplies, both locally and globally, will prepare procurement-related memos and letters and will disseminate documents, maintain procurement files, and serve as the operational expert on contract close-outs, audits and vetting.

In addition to his A&A duties he will serve as Senior Vetting Assistant in the Kabul Vetting Support Unit

(KVSU). He will be responsible for assisting with all aspects of vetting request management. He will verify vetting results with USAID’s security analysts at the Threat Screening Center in Washington to determine final vetting status and, following a final determination, will report findings and ensure that vetting updates are recorded in USAID’s electronic Partner Vetting System. He will generate reports for

Mission Management and the Mission’s Vetting Official to analyze different aspects of awardee data, vetting results, award details and other statistical information. As required, he will prepare reports analyzing problems and will provide recommendations for corrective actions for the KVSU. He will prepare background documents and briefs on the vetting process for USAID officials. He will participate and assist in addressing audit calls. He will also be responsible for ensuring that Contracting Officers are properly notified upon receipt of vetting results.

For this award the anticipated TEC amount is $131,408.00 for the one-year base period. The Statement of

Duties for this position outlining the required services are included in this package as an attachment.

4. Statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition:

AIDAR 706.302-70(b)(3) and 40 U.S.C. §113; see Action Memorandum titled “Expedited Acquisition and Assistance Procedures for Afghanistan” approved December 9, 2021.

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

Mr. XXXXX is well known and fully qualified for this position. He brings unique knowledge of the

USAID/Afghanistan vetting portfolio from his support to USAID/Afghanistan starting in 2019. The

Mission’s ability to obtain his services as a PSC is critically important: the absence of a vetting assistant following Embassy Kabul’s evacuation in August 2021 has left the KVSU severely short-handed; as a result, the vetting program is now 8-10 weeks behind in responding to vetting requests from

Implementing Partners. Prior to the evacuation Mr. XXXXX was employed as the senior vetting assistant in the KVSU. He has mastered the Mission’s vetting procedures like no one else and has proved his worth over and over with his ability to expertly handle every duty in the KVSU. His ability to handle high vetting volumes and to work independently are unmatched by other recent vetting assistants. As an example of his unique qualifications, in March 2020 USAID/Afghanistan went to pandemic-related

Authorized Departure status. The KVSU's U.S. citizen Vetting Official departed post to work remotely from the United States; during this same period, Mission FSNs such as Mr. XXXXX were placed on

Administrative Leave and requested—but not required—to work from home in Kabul. Mr. XXXXX immediately went about procuring the necessary equipment and accesses, including remote logins and increased internet capability, to allow him to continue to assist in managing the vetting process. From

March 2020 through August 2021 Mr. XXXXX voluntarily worked a full 40-hour/week schedule as the sole vetting assistant; he did this while teleworking under cramped conditions with limited resources during a deadly pandemic. Without Mr. XXXXX 's efforts, the processing of many vetting requests during this time would have been delayed, which in turn would have had a detrimental impact on USAID-https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c2AHcY4lAHjn_W4zx4ZTsfYkl_TW1zJm/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116368538161744716004&rtpof=true&sd=true funded programs in Afghanistan. Due in large part to Mr. XXXXX 's efforts, critical Mission activities were able to move forward during a time when Afghanistan most urgently required assistance. His expertise and dedication was needed then; as the Mission now attempts to scale up quickly to respond to the immediate needs of the Afghan people--and as the number of vetting requests have returned to pre-evacuation levels--his services are needed again.

6. A description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable.

A solicitation for this acquisition was sent out to 154 former FSNs evacuated from USAID/Afghanistan.

The OAA Office Director also attempted to utilize several other mechanisms for Vetting and A&A

Specialist support to include: Foreign Service Limited opportunities, TDYers, Third Country Nationals, MOUs with other missions, and several Agency Institutional Support Contracts.

7. A determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

The anticipated cost was calculated based on the classification grade and step range, including allowances. It is consistent with USAID’s Position Level and Market Value Determination and therefore is determined to be fair and reasonable. For this award the anticipated TEC amount is $131,408.00 for the one (1) year base period.

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

No formal market research was conducted, and the general costs are deemed fair. The skills available in the US labor market are well known through USAID’s ongoing recruitment and screening processes.

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

The Afghanistan mission has a critical need for vetting support. At the time of solicitation, the mission is currently months behind with vetting requests. This presents a critical point of failure for program implementation.

10. Sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

Written expressions on interest were received from five (5) other sources.

11. The actions the Agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required:

Barriers of competition will be removed in the future once the agency makes a determination of the future of the mission. With the uncertainty of the mission’s location and implementation status, we are unable to conduct a regular recruitment process.

12. Technical or Requirements Personnel Certification:

In accordance with FAR 6.303, I hereby certify that the technical statements included above which form a basis for the justification are complement and accurate in accordance with EPP titled Expedited

Acquisition and Assistance Procedures for Afghanistan approved December 9, 2021 (attached).

Francis Hall 06/29/2022

Office of Acquisition and Assistance Date

13. Resident Legal Office Clearance:

Clear________________________________ 06/30/2022__________________

John Power, Senior Legal Advisor Date

14. Contracting Officer Certification:

In accordance with FAR 6.303, I hereby certify that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Julie Lamadrid, Contracting Officer Date