JOFOC - Beta-SAM.pdf

National Transportation Safety Board Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition

NTSB Headquarters On-site Parking Requirement

JOFOC, NTSB HQ On-Site Parking Requirement, Page 1 of 3

1. Program Office/Procurement Request Office of Administration, Administrative Operations and Security Division (AD-10) Purchase Requisition: PUR200125

2. Nature of Action

The purpose of this Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition (JOFOC) is to provide documentation that explains why this specific requirement is to be awarded without competition for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Headquarters On-Site Parking requirement.

3. Description of Requirement

The mission of the NTSB is to investigate transportation accidents in all modes, i.e., aviation, highway, railroad, pipeline, hazardous materials, and marine. This requirement is for on-site parking at NTSB Headquarters with a period of performance of September 1, 2020 through August 31, 2021. The current contract, 9531BM19P0048 was awarded on August 23, 2019 at a total value $316,995.00. The period of performance of the aforementioned contract is through August 31, 2020.

In an effort to mitigate employee related transportation risk due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to ensure that employees needed for accident/incident investigation and support services can safely and expeditiously reach the workplace, it has been determined that the total number of on-site parking spaces at the NTSB Headquarters will be increased for the current year’s requirement. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced operational changes in March 2020 due to the pandemic that are expected to last through March 2021. With these changes, many employees enrolled in the NTSB transit benefits program will now require other means of transportation to effectively continue the NTSB mission without delay of arrival and other pandemic/transportation related challenges. Employees transiting to the NTSB parking program will be removed from the transit benefits program, as they are not permitted to receive transit benefits while also assigned an on-site parking space. Satisfactory vehicle parking availability will be required to ensure employees can support the NTSB mission.

With the challenges of mass transportation, this alternative is the most effective.

4. Authority Cited

FAR 13.106-1(b)(2), Soliciting from a single source for purchases exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. Contracting Officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, and brand-name or industrial mobilization).

5. Unique Qualifications/Circumstances of Requirement.

The NTSB staff must be able to respond to and support a transportation related accident at a moment’s notice. It is necessary, due to the nature of the NTSB’s mission, to have unrestricted parking to access the NTSB Headquarters during both normal and off duty hours to support an accident investigation. NTSB personnel also require access to various modes of transportation in order to respond to various situations. The parking facilities at the NTSB Headquarters site provide NTSB personnel with quick and easy access to the Metro, trains, major highways, and airports.

JOFOC, NTSB HQ On-Site Parking Requirement, Page 2 of 3

For example, personnel are required to launch as part of the Go Team and require unrestricted parking to access various modes of transportation; personnel are required to use the NTSB Laboratory to analyze accident related items after normal duty hours and require unrestricted parking; personnel are required to conduct news conferences related to a major accident after normal duty hours; and staff are required to provide other related support at any time to ensure mission critical tasks are accomplished during an investigation.

The only parking garage co-located with the NTSB Headquarters is owned by the JBG-Smith Companies (JBG), a subsidiary of Potomac Creek Associates, LLC, and operated by ACE Parking Inc.

6. Efforts to Determine Only One Source In February 2020 the NTSB conducted market research regarding viable options for parking and market costs of parking throughout Washington DC. The research confirmed that ACE Parking is the only vendor co-located with the Headquarters building, and no other source could meet its requirement. In addition, the research concluded that the NTSB was paying, on its current contract, one of the least expensive rates throughout the locations surveyed. It is anticipated that the pricing for the new requirement will be comparable to awards for the same services from prior years. Market research indicates that the fiscal year 2020 pricing offered by ACE Parking is lower than that of their advertised pricing for the general public and is reasonable when compared with other parking facilities nearby. Furthermore, no one location surveyed has the expansive number of spaces needed to satisfy this year’s requirement.

7. Contracting Officer’s Determination

I have reviewed the attached JOFOC, and determined that based on the information provided, the anticipated cost of providing parking services to our employees is consistent with costs from previous years, and reasonable when compared to parking costs throughout Washington DC.

The award of a sole source contract to Potomac Creek Associates, LLC, for services provided by ACE Parking is in the best interest of the Government.

8. Market Research

The NTSB has continuously reviewed the market conditions for parking services for NTSB Headquarters, and found that over the past five years the available parking garages in this location have diminished due to commercial and residential construction. In addition, ACE Parking is the only provider of parking co-located with the NTSB Headquarters building. The NTSB will continue to look for viable options for competition in the future.

9. Other Pertinent Information ACE Parking has provided this service to the NTSB since 2011 with good value, when costs are compared to other parking facilities in Washington DC.

10. Interested Sources

No other companies have expressed an interest in this requirement.

11. Efforts to Remove Barriers to Competition

The NTSB has sought competition for this requirement yearly; however, because ACE Parking is the only vendor providing parking services for this building, competition has not been possible.

JOFOC, NTSB HQ On-Site Parking Requirement, Page 3 of 3

In accordance with FAR 5.203, the NTSB will publicize this requirement on the Government Point of Entry (GPE) website, System for Award Management Beta (www.beta.sam.gov), for a period of 15 days. In accordance with FAR 13.501, this justification shall be made publicly available at the GPE website within 14 days after award.

12. Contracting Officers Certification

To the best of my knowledge, the Contracting Officer certifies that the information contained in this document is accurate and complete.