Justification and Approval CASE NBM 2024_Signed Final_12 20 2023.pdf

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (GSA)

OFFICE OF CUSTOMER AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL (J&A)

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

TITLE: FAS CASE, National Business Meeting 2024

EVENT DATES: 02/26/2024 – 03/01/2024

I. IDENTIFICATION OF AGENCY AND CONTRACTING ACTIVITY

Agency: General Services Administration

Office of Customer and Stakeholder Engagement 1800 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20405

Contracting Activity: General Services Administration

Internal Acquisition Division 1800 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20405

II. NATURE AND DESCRIPTION OF ACTION BEING APPROVED

In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subparts 6.302 and GSA Acquisition Manual (GSAM) 506.3 for justifying other than full and open competition; GSA intends to award a contract to: Sheraton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Resort.

III. DESCRIPTION OF REQUIRED SERVICES

The purpose of this in-person all CASE employee conference settings and division breakout sessions is to provide an opportunity to align the entire organization on strategic goals, conduct training, foster collaboration and facilitate networking within and among the entire CASE organization and each division of CASE. This investment in our CASE Organization directly aligns with the FAS Strategy and FAS leadership areas of focus by investing in our people, ultimately driving a cohesive and high-performing workforce.

DocuSign Envelope ID: F3461426-8254-4A60-A708-B8C091332B2C

The vendor must be able to provide 250 sleeping rooms for the below nights at or below the Federal Per Diem Rates.

● Monday, February 26, 2024

● Tuesday, February 27, 2024

● Wednesday, February 28, 2024

● Thursday, February 29, 2024

The vendor must be able to provide the following conference space and breakout rooms:

● A General Session room on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 that can accommodate approximately 250 people for our Engagement Session starting at 9:00 a.m. ET.

● The same General Session room on Thursday, February 29, 2024 and we anticipate concluding the session at 5:00 p.m. ET, on Thursday.

● Five (5) breakout rooms on Wednesday, February 28, 2024. The rooms will need to accommodate the following number of people: 50, 32, 12, 112 & 30

The vendor must be able to provide the following audio-visual requirements:

● Tuesday, February 27, 2024: 2 projectors, 2 big screens, 1 wired microphone, 2 wireless microphones, and speakers to accommodate 250 attendees.

● Wednesday, February 28, 2024: 5 projectors, 5 projection screens, 1 wired microphone, 2 wireless microphones for larger breakout rooms, i.e. group of 112 people and group of 50 people.

● Thursday, February 29, 2024: 2 projectors, 2 big screens, 1 wired microphone, 2 wireless microphones, and speakers to accommodate 250 attendees.

IV. IDENTIFICATION OF STATUTORY AUTHORITY

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 41 U.S.C. 253(c) (1), Only One Source will Satisfy the Agency Requirements.

6.302 - 1 -- when only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. (a) Authority. (1) Citations: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) or 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1).

(2) When the supplies or services required by the agency are available from only one responsible source, or, for DoD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, from only one or a limited number of responsible sources, and no other type of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, full and open competition need not be provided for. (i) Supplies or services may be considered to be available from only one source if the source has submitted an unsolicited research proposal that: (A) Demonstrates a unique and innovative concept (see definition at 2.101), or, demonstrates a unique capability of the source to provide the particular research services proposed; (B) Offers a concept or services not otherwise available to the Government; and (C) Does not resemble the substance of a pending competitive acquisition. (See 10 U.S.C.

2304(d)(1)(A) and 41 U.S.C. 253(d)(1)(A).)

V. DEMONSTRATION THAT THE ACQUISITION REQUIRES USE OF THE

AUTHORITY CITED

The Sheraton Lake Buena Vista Resort is the only vendor in the Orlando, FL, area that can provide the required meeting space, lodging within Government per diem rates, and audio visual services for approximately 250 attendees of the CASE National Business Meeting the week of February 26, 2024.

VI. DESCRIPTION OF EFFORTS TO SOLICIT AS MANY OFFERS AS

PRACTICABLE

Initially, an online review of hotel properties in the following metropolitan areas were reviewed by a team of employees from the CASE Office of Integrated Marketing: Nashville, Orlando, Tampa, Phoenix, San Jose, San Diego, Scottsdale, Tampa and Austin. The team established criteria based on this research, to include stated meeting space, audiovisual services, sleeping rooms, and proximity to restaurants and an international airport. From this initial effort, twenty three potential venues were considered for the CASE National Business Meeting: The Inn at Opryland (Nashville), Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center (Nashville), JW Marriott Hilton Nashville Downtown (Nashville), Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville Airport (Nashville), Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville Downtown (Nashville), SpringHill Suites by Marriott Downtown Phoenix (Phoenix), Embassy Suites by Hilton Phoenix Downtown (Phoenix), Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando International Drive Convention Center (Orlando), Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando International Drive ICON Park (Orlando), Marriott Orlando Airport Lakeside (Orlando), Sheraton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Resort (Orlando), DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Airport (Orlando), Embassy Suites by Hilton San Diego Bay Downtown (San Diego), Embassy Suites by Hilton San Diego La Jolla (San Diego), Hilton San Diego Mission Valley (San Diego), Hilton San Jose (San Jose), DoubleTree by Hilton San Jose (San Jose), DoubleTree Resort Paradise Valley-Scottsdale (Scottsdale), Embassy Suites by Hilton Scottsdale Resort (Scottsdale), Embassy Suites Tampa Downtown (Tampa), Embassy Suites by Hilton Austin Downtown South Congress (Austin), Embassy Suites by Hilton Austin Central (Austin), Embassy Suites by Hilton Austin Arboretum (Austin).

Each venue was contacted to determine if they could meet the requirements needed for the Business Meeting to accommodate the 250 estimated attendees. The requirements are: sleeping rooms at the FY24 Federal per diem rate; meeting rooms; breakout rooms, audiovisual services. One final criterion was important - the time period of the week of February 26, 2024, or March 4, 2024

Based on the initial research, of these properties, only the Sheraton Lake Buena Vista Resort is able to provide the required meeting space, breakout rooms, per diem lodging rate, and available audio-visual services for approximately 250 attendees of the CASE National Business Meeting.

VII. DEMONSTRATION THAT THE ANTICIPATED COST WILL BE FAIR AND

REASONABLE

Pricing will be determined to be fair and reasonable through a comparison of proposed rates to the FY24 Federal per diem rate for Orlando, FL.

VIII. OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE USE OF OTHER THAT FULL AND OPEN

COMPETITION

Dates throughout the last week of February and first two weeks of March were also considered for the Session but no vendors that could meet all of the requirements had availability for those dates. Additionally, January - March is typically a peak season for hotel occupancy rates, which impacts the availability of potential dates and vendors for the Session. Our meeting falls within the high season for many of our potential meeting cities, and there is already limited hotel / meeting space availability due to spring break, Major League Baseball (MLB) spring training camps and golf tournaments. Furthermore, after reviewing different locations across the United States it was found that travel (flight and drive), per diem hotel rates, and per diem meals for Orlando, Florida area for all CASE employees is the cheapest and ultimately, will save our taxpayer’s money for this event. Therefore, it was determined that the event location would be in the Orlando, Florida area.

IX. LIST OF SOURCES THAT EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN THE ACQUISITION

The Government reached out to multiple hotels within the Orlando area and found that only the Sheraton Lake Buena Vista Resort is able to provide the required meeting space, breakout rooms, per diem lodging rate, and available audio-visual services for approximately 250 attendees of the CASE National Business Meeting for the requested dates.

X. STATEMENT OF ACTIONS TO OVERCOME THE BARRIERS TO

COMPETITION

There are no additional actions which can be taken to overcome the availability of dates and vendors that can meet all the requirements for the CASE National Business Meeting.

XI. CERTIFICATIONS

REQUIRING ACTIVITY CERTIFICATION

I hereby certify that the information contained in this Justification and Approval for Other than Full and Open Competition, for acquiring services for the CASE National Business Meeting are complete to the best of my knowledge and belief and is in the best interest of the Government.

Luis Medina Date Contracting Officer’s Representative GSA, CASE Office of Integrated Marketing

CONTRACTING OFFICER’S CERTIFICATION

I hereby certify that the information contained in this Justification and Approval for Other than Full and Open Competition, for acquiring services for the Session are complete to the best of my knowledge and belief and is in the best interest of the Government.

Bonnie Impastato Date Contracting Officer GSA, Office of Internal Acquisition (OIA)

DocuSign Envelope ID: F3461426-8254-4A60-A708-B8C091332B2C

12/20/2023

12/21/2023