JUSTIFICATION.pdf

This is a Justification for Restricted Competition Below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) for a sole source award.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division (EFLHD), located in Ashburn, Virginia, is procuring a cultural resource study valued at $27,085.96 to be completed over a five-month performance period. The study is required to support compliance under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and to complete National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis for the PA ERFO DEWA 2021 1(1) project. The sole source contractor is Richard Grubb and Associates, Inc., located in Cranberry, New Jersey, with the point of contact being Alice Domm at adomm@raincorporated.com or (609) 655-0692.

The rationale for restricting competition to a sole source is based on the project's designation as a high-priority initiative with an extremely aggressive delivery schedule targeting June 2026. Richard Grubb and Associates was recently awarded a prior contract by FHWA-EFLHD for work in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DEWA) and has developed background information and materials from that engagement that can be leveraged to fulfill this contract efficiently at lower cost. The contractor possesses specialized knowledge of DEWA's unique history, cultural resources, and data collection processes, enabling rapid deployment of surveys without additional park approvals. The document asserts that the compressed schedule for competitive solicitation and evaluation would prevent timely project delivery and result in loss of allocated ERFO funding. The authority for this restricted competition award is 41 U.S.C. 1901 under FAR 12.201-1, Simplified Procedures.