JOFOC_Posting_1.pdf

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS

AUTHORITY: FAR 13.501(a), 41 U.S.C. 1901

PR/SOL/CONTRACT # 140A1622P0108

CONTROL # ______________________

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a “Sole Source Justification.”

Contracting Activity: This document is a justification for other than full and open competition for the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services.

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

Requirement: Identify only one of the following.

New Follow-on Requirement Modification to existing order

Pricing: Identify only one of the following.

Firm-Fixed Price Time & Materials Other _____________

List the name of the proposed contractor, or identify the vendor(s) considered if applicable

UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO

2500 Marble Dr NE Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001 Phone: 505-272-9448

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

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Office of Justice Services (OJS) is charged with upholding Tribal sovereignty and providing for the safety of Indian communities by ensuring the protection of life and property, enforcing laws, maintaining justice and order, and by ensuring that sentenced American Indian offenders are confined in safe, secure, and humane environments. Law enforcement and detention/correctional services provided at the local level (along with management oversight) either directly by OJS personnel or by a Tribe through a self-determination contract or compact are central to the execution of this mission.

Project ECHO was originally founded to reduce health disparities and increase access to best-practice health care for rural and underserved populations by leveraging technology to connect local providers serving those populations with specialists at academic and other medical centers for ongoing virtual training and tele-mentoring sessions. In ECHO program sessions, multidisciplinary teams of specialists (at the "hub") use simple videoconferencing technology to regularly connect with community-based healthcare providers (at the "spokes") for mutual learning, sharing of best practices, and collaboration. The learning loop created by the ECHO Model enables providers to implement evidence-based practices and empowers them with the knowledge and confidence to better serve their communities and those most in need.

The estimated value of this acquisition is

4. An Identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

This is an acquisition conducted under the authority of the Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items. The statutory authority permitting sole source acquisition is 41U.S.C 1901 as implemented by FAR 13.501(a)(1)(ii).

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

The ECHO model has been applied to various settings beyond the healthcare sector, among this education, public safety and criminal justice, and climate change. In 2019, Project ECHO launched the First Responder Resiliency (FRR) ECHO Program to train first responders, including law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS providers, and others, on effective ways to manage trauma, stress, burnout, substance abuse, and other issues that often arise in the line of duty, and which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. An evaluation of the FRR ECHO Program found that participants reported: “a significant improvement in confidence related to understanding psychological first aid, practicing selfcare, recognizing and managing emergencies related to a mental illness, and incorporating trauma-informed care into their practice.”

Participants reported feeling less “detached” from their work and more connected with co-workers and peers. Although first responders have continued to face high levels of occupational stress during the pandemic, the FRR ECHO program has demonstrated that participants improved their stress management skills through learning-listening sessions, experienced increased social support, and benefited from engagement in the community of practice that was developed over the course of the program. In early 2022, Project ECHO received funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration to launch a Resilience ECHO tailored to behavioral health providers who have experienced unprecedented demand for their services in the wake of the pandemic and are reporting heightened rates of stress and burnout.

OJS leadership places the support of officer morale, well-being, and resiliency amongst its highest priorities and is particularly motivated to bring proven, practical, and easily accessible resources to the field to further this objective, in addition to strengthening related high-priority efforts to improve recruitment and retention.

Procurement history if none (state none), provide historical data (previous sole source justifications).

There is no procurement history within BIA; however, the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) recently made a sole source award for these services to support teachers and staff under purchase order 140A2322P0578, J&A control number 22- 0182.

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 FAR 13.501(a)(1) (iii), this J&A will be posted to SAM within 14 days of contract award.

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

I hereby determine that the anticipated cost to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable. The contracting officer determines that the anticipated price(s) will be fair and reasonable based on the customer market research, Independent Government Estimate and comparison with prices found reasonable under a similar award for the same service with BIE.

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 previously performed by BIE did not yield any additional sources and was performed less than 60 days ago. In addition, the unique nature of the services being provided by a non-profit educational institute does not allow for market research that is comparable within the ISBEE or IEE community of contractors.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of justification of other than full and open competition, such as:

This effort supports a White House initiative to address mental health issues nationwide. The ECHO Project is being utilized by Federal law enforcement across multiple Departments and Bureaus as part of this initiative.

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

ECHO Institute at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center

11. A statement of any 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.

The BIA will continue to make future efforts through sources sought or other market research means to determine the availability of capable ISBEE and IEE sources.

12. Requirements personnel certification.

I certify that the technical data which forms a basis for this justification is complete and accurate and meets the Government’s minimum needs.

X Program Office/COR

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

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

Contracting Officer

14. Reviews and Approvals

Concur

Supervisory Contracting Officer

Approve

Bureau Competition Advocate