JOFOC_EP09H001832_Updated_03_18_15.doc

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460

OFFICE OF

ADMINISTRATION

AND RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT

LIMITED SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

1. Identification of the Agency and the Contracting Activity.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Headquarters Procurement Operations Division, Administrative Contract Service Center.

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

The action being approved is the award of a bridge contract for the GSA task order EP09H001832 with one (1) six month Base Period and six (6) one-month option periods. This bridge contract will serve as an interim contract, providing reasonable time for EPA to solicit and award a consolidated contract on a competitive basis.

The consolidated contract will combine and integrate the requirements of this GSA task order EP09H001832, as well as eight other task orders. Combining the requirements of these task orders into a consolidated contract will result in internal efficiency, operational effectiveness and a reduction of costs. A bridge contract is necessary to allow additional time to properly align the period of performance and the start dates of the various task orders that will be consolidated.

3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs:

EPA’s employees, vendors and grantees occupy over 5 million square feet in 150 facilities nationwide. This includes leased space as well as EPA owned facilities. Regardless of the real estate arrangement, EPA’s Security Management Division (SMD) is charged with the protection of the employees in the spaces they occupy. A 5-year GSA task order EP09H001832 was awarded on August 24, 2009 to Booz, Allen and Hamilton, Inc. (BAH), to assist SMD in providing physical security support services that are necessary to carry out this function. This GSA task order has played a key role in helping SMD achieve this function. In support of this task order, BAH assists SMD with conducting physical security vulnerability assessments, making recommendations to mitigate the identified vulnerabilities, reviewing architectural designs and plans for new construction and renovations, as well developing and reviewing security clauses in lease agreements.

Many times, security vulnerabilities and their costly mitigations are avoidable, if they can be addressed in the design phase or prior to lease award. BAH provides crucial security support by assisting SMD with evaluating architectural designs, drawings, plans and specifications related to the construction of EPA spaces and making recommendations to EPA. In support of the task order, BAH has developed specialized skills to review GSA’s Program of Requirements and to suggest edits or changes to EPA that help the space meet the EPA requirements, as well as the Interagency Security Committee (ISC) standards.

SMD requires uninterrupted contract support for the tasks under this contract. The services provided under the terms of this contract play a critical role in the safety and protection of EPA employees, facilities and agency critical assets. The contractor assists SMD in the design of engineering reviews of agency construction and consolidation projects. A break in service of this contract would result in design and construction projects moving forward without consideration for the safety and security of agency personnel.

Also, in support of this task order, the contractor assists EPA with performing federally mandated security assessments of facilities occupied and owned by EPA. The contractor assists EPA in mitigating security vulnerabilities, which helps ensure that agency employees are not put at risk.

On August 24, 2009, the 5-year GSA task order was awarded to BAH in the total amount of $7,277,583.31. The total estimated value of this interim bridge contract is $1,353,084.73 if all of the option periods are exercised. The period of performance is for one 6-month Base Period (March 20, 2015 – September 19, 2015) estimated at $676,542.37 and six one-month Option Periods (from September 20, 2015 – March 19, 2016) estimated at $112,757.06 per month.

4. Identification of the justification rationale.

The authority for this procurement is FAR 8.4 and the Multiple Award Schedule program and subsequently 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(C) “In the interest of economy and efficiency, the new work is a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order”. The rationale that supports this authority is set forth below:

This is an interim task order for professional services supporting FMSD to allow for the continuity of services while a long-term task order is placed for these services, estimated to be awarded in Spring 2016. Due to the nature of the competition and evaluation for the new consolidated contract, it has been determined that an additional interim performance period is required until the consolidated contract is in place. The new contract will be a consolidation of this task order and eight other task orders from different offices and divisions within EPA. This requires complex joint meetings and intricate partnership between all the offices and divisions involved, not to mention, senior management’s approval for each decision made. As previously mentioned, additional time through an interim bridge contract is absolutely necessary to properly align the periods of performance and the start dates of the various task orders that will be consolidated.

Because the tasks under the current task order have begun and are in-progress, the bridge contract is a natural outgrowth of these existing tasks. In providing the support, BAH has developed the specialized knowledge required to assist EPA in implementing the security standards and practices across EPA as outline above in Section 3. Such support includes but not limited to physical security vulnerability assessments, reviews of architectural designs associated with mitigation efforts, supporting SMD’s Director in EPA’s Physical Security and Security Guard Force Programs. Therefore, BAH’s continued involvement is necessary and is a natural follow on to the work that has already been performed. While other contractors could in the long-term develop that specialized knowledge, in the short-term, it is not feasible for the planned and on-going projects.

5. Determination that the order represents the best value to the Government.

This interim bridge contract cannot be competed or awarded to another contractor at this time because many of the security assessments under this task order are currently in-progress and replacing the vendor mid-stream would result in a duplication of effort and an unacceptable lapse in service, as referenced above in Section 3. Furthermore, BAH will not burden SMD with start-up costs that another vendor would encounter, nor would BAH incur the initial learning curve that would be detrimental to SMD’s current and time sensitive need.

GSA has already determined the prices to be fair and reasonable. Furthermore, the Contracting Officer will request discounts from BAH’s current GSA schedule prices. Lastly, the undersigned Contracting Officer has determined that the overall price of this acquisition was the best value for the government at the time of award.

6. Description of the market research conducted.

No new market research was conducted for this bridge contract. However, thorough market research was conducted prior to the release of the solicitation for this task order. Since the market research was last conducted, the nature of the services and the marketplace have not changed significantly, therefore the original market research is applicable to this interim effort. In addition, the Government will once again conduct a thorough review of the vendor’s GSA schedule and its price list for pricing of all proposed labor categories, and the number of hours per labor category.

Lastly, thorough market search will be conducted prior to the release of the solicitation for the consolidated contract in order to refine our requirements in a way that will promote robust competition.

7. Other facts supporting the justification.

N/A

8. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to the restricted consideration before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services is made.

EPA plans to award a consolidated contract before this interim bridge contract expires in 2016.

Several offices and divisions are currently actively pursuing this high visibility initiative and are collaborating to award a strategic sourcing contract in a timely manner.

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 limited sources) and which form a basis for the justification have been certified as complete and accurate by the technical or requirements personnel.

“signed by” Peter K. Stinger__________ 28 Jan 15_______________ Project Officer

Date

10. Contracting officer certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the contracting officer’s knowledge and belief.

“signed by” _Benita Jackson__________ 3 Feb 2015_____________ Contracting Officer

11. ACSC Service Center Manager certifies that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the SCM’s knowledge and belief.

“signed by” Mi Suk Cox______________ 2/4/2015_______________ Service Center Manager

12. Competition advocate certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the competition advocate’s knowledge and belief.

“signed by” Susan Moroni __________ 3/18/15 ________ Competition Advocate

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