JOFOC.docx

National Institutes of Health Office of Purchasing and Contracts

Date: 23 December 2025

Subject: JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL (J&A) – JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. AGENCY IDENTIFICATION AND CONTRACTING ACTIVITY:

AGENCY:

Point of Contact: Nathaniel Johnson, Section Chief, Storage & Distribution, MMESD Point of Contact Phone #: 301-451-5880 Point of Contact Email: nathaniel.johnson2@nih.gov

Requiring Activity: National Institutes of Health (NIH), Clinical Center (CC), Materials Management and Environmental Services Department (MMESD) Address: NIH Clinical Center 10 Center Drive Building 10, Room B2N248A Bethesda, MD 20892

CONTRACTING ACTIVITY:

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (CC) Office of Purchasing and Contracts (OPC) Two Democracy Plaza 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 106 Bethesda, Maryland 20892

2. NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF THE ACQUISITION BEING APPROVED:

This is a bridge contract for NIH Laundry Service as the services requested are urgent and immediate to provide continuity of service for patient safety and regulatory compliance. We intend to sole source to this vendor, because they are already performing laundry/cleaning services and would not need any additional lead or setup times. This is a temporary bridge from previous contract until a new contract is awarded.

This action will be awarded as a new sole source contract in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1. The Government intends to make a one-time purchase of services with

Railroad Cleaners 3500 Clayton Road Suite 104 Concord, CA 94519-2460

3. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES AND SERVICES REQUIRED, INCLUDING THE DELIVERY SCHEDULE AND/OR THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE AND DOLLAR VALUE OF THE ACQUISITON:

The MMESD has a requirement to continue laundry services and deliveries to NIH three facilities to ensure patient safety and remain within regulatory compliance. The three locations here on main campus at 9000 Rockville Pike in Bethesda, MD 202892 are the Clinical Center Building10, The Children’s Inn Building 62 and Family Lodge Building 65.

The estimated value of this procurement is $180,000.00 which includes freight charge at no charge. A price analysis was conducted in accordance with FAR 13.106-3 using past contractual pricing and informal vendor estimates. After extensive comparative analyses using the aforementioned methods, the price of $80,000.00 was determined to have been fair and reasonable for the Government.

4. IDENTIFICATION OF STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

|X| FAR 6.302-1 – Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements [41 USC 253(c) (1)]: The supplies or services required by the Agency are available from only on responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

|_| FAR 6.302-1(c) – Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements [41 USC 253(c) (1)]: Brand Name Justification. The use of such descriptions in the acquisition is essential to the Government’s requirement, thereby precluding consideration of a product manufactured by another company.

|_| FAR 6.302-2 – Unusual and compelling Urgency [41 USC 253(c) (2)]: The agency's need for the supplies or services is of such an unusual and compelling urgency that the government would be seriously injured unless the agency is permitted to limit the number of sources from which it solicits bids or proposals. (NOTE: These justifications may be made and approved after contract award when preparation and approval prior to award would unreasonably delay the acquisition. Lack of advanced planning is not justification for the use of this authority.)

|_| FAR 6.302-3 – Industrial Mobilization; engineering, development, or research capability; or expert services [41 USC 253(c) (3)]: It is necessary to award the contract to a particular source or sources in order (i) to maintain a facility, producer, manufacturer, or other supplier available for furnishing supplies or services in case of a national emergency or to achieve industrial mobilization, or (ii) to establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution or a federally funded research and development center or (iii) to acquire the services of an expert neutral person for any current or anticipated litigation or dispute.

|_| FAR 6.302-4 – International agreement [41 USC 253(c) (4)]: Full and open competition need not be provided for when precluded by the terms of an international agreement or a treaty between the United States and a foreign government or international organization, or the written directions of a foreign government reimbursing the agency for the cost of the acquisition of the supplies or services for such government.

|_| FAR 6.302-5 – Authorized or required by statute [41 USC 253(c) (5)]: A statute expressly authorizes or requires that the acquisition be made through another agency or from a specified source, or the agency's need is for a brand-name commercial item for authorized resale.

|_| FAR 6.302-6 – National security [41 USC 253(c) (6)]: The disclosure of the agency's needs would compromise the national security unless the agency is permitted to limit the number of sources from which it solicits bids or proposals.

|_| FAR 6.302-7 – Public Interest [41 USC 253(c) (7)]: The agency head determines that it is not in the public interest to use full and open competition in the particular acquisition concerned.

5. DEMONSTRATION THAT THE PROPOSED CONTRACTOR’S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS OR THE NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION REQUIRES USE OF THE AUTHORITY CITED:

The NIH Clinical Center MMESD, Storage & Distribution Section is the sponsoring institution at the National Institutes of Health responsible for providing laundry service in support of patient care for soiled linen pickup and delivery of clean linen.

Railroad Cleaners have over 7 years of laundry service to NIH. They meet all regulatory requirements with The Joint Commission accreditations and NIH Infection Control Guidelines accreditations and meet objectives within the current SOW.

6. A DESCRIPTION OF EFFORTS MADE TO ENSURE THAT OFFERS ARE SOLICITED FROM AS MANY POTENTIAL SOURCES AS PRACTIABLE:

This is a bridge contract under JOFOC (FAR 6.302-2) as the services requested are urgent and immediate to provide continuity of service for patient safety and regulatory compliance. This is a temporary bridge from previous contract until the new contract is awarded.

7. DEMONSTRATION THAT THE ANTICIPATED COST WILL BE FAIR AND REASONABLE:

This is a bridge contract under JOFOC (FAR 6.302-2) as the services requested are urgent and immediate to provide continuity of service for patient safety and regulatory compliance. This is a temporary bridge from previous contract until the new contract is awarded.

8. DESCRIPTION OF MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED AND THE RESULTS OR STATEMENT OF THE REASON MARKET RESEARCH WAS NOT CONDUCTED:

This is a bridge contract under JOFOC (FAR 6.302-2) as the services requested are urgent and immediate to provide continuity of service for patient safety and regulatory compliance. This is a temporary bridge from previous contract until the new contract is awarded.

COMPANY NAME: Railroad Cleaners COMPANY ADDRESS: 3500 Clayton Road Suite 104 Concord, CA 94519-2460

COMPANY PHONE: (925) 392-0430

NAICS:

SOCIO-ECONOMIC CATEGORY: Small Business

9. ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

This is a bridge contract under JOFOC (FAR 6.302-2) as the services requested are urgent and immediate to provide continuity of service for patient safety and regulatory compliance. This is a temporary bridge from previous contract until the new contract is awarded.

10. LISTING OF SOURCES, IF ANY, THAT EXPRESSED, IN WRITING, AN INTEREST IN THE ACQUISITION:

This is a bridge contract under JOFOC (FAR 6.302-2) as the services requested are urgent and immediate to provide continuity of service for patient safety and regulatory compliance. The existing contractor: Railroad Cleaners was included in the acquisition for the bridge contract. This is a temporary bridge from previous contract until the new contract is awarded.

11. STATEMENT OF THE ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS TO COMPETITION BEFORE ANY SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITION FOR THE REQUIRED SUPPLIES OR SERVICES:

This is a bridge contract under JOFOC (FAR 6.302-2) as the services requested are urgent and immediate to provide continuity of service for patient safety and regulatory compliance. This is a temporary bridge from previous contract until the new contract is awarded. The new contract will be an open and full acquisition however due to the short notice

12. ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER/PROGRAM OFFICIAL CERTIFICATION:

Pursuant to FAR 1.707 Signature Authority, this Justification has been thoroughly reviewed and recommends approval. I certify that the above facts and representations under my cognizance that are included in this Justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Nathaniel Johnson______________________________________ Nathaniel Johnson, Section Chief, Storage & Distribution, MMESD

FAC-COR II

13. CONTRACTING OFFICER’S CERTIFICATION

Pursuant to FAR 1.707 Signature Authority, this Justification has been thoroughly reviewed and recommends approval. I certify that the above facts and representations under my cognizance that are included in this Justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Christopher Lauver Section Chief, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Clinical Center (CC), Office of Purchasing and Contracts (OPC) image1.png image2.jpeg