Justification for Sole Source 8a DT Application Services over 25M.pdf

SBU - CONTRACTING AND ACQUISITIONS

resources necessary to provide comprehensive and secure solutions through innovative approaches.

Akumen, Inc., a protege of Acuity, Inc., and a current sub-contractor on the expiring KCI-Acuity contract, will provide a full range of services involving cleared, highly skilled, qualified, and experienced business and technical personnel specializing in IT security services in support of government operations. These services, which are critical to operations throughout the department are:

• Application Design and Development

• GOTS/COTS Integration and Maintenance

• Engineering and Integration Services

• Cloud Services and Support

• Strategic Planning and Governance

• Research and Development

• IT Operations & Maintenance Services

2. The statutory provision providing the exception from the requirement to use competitive procedures in entering into the contract.

FAR 6.302-5(b)(4) Authorized or required by statute. Sole source awards under the 8(a) Program

(15 U.S.C. 637).

3. A determination that the use of a sole-source contract is in the best interest of the agency.

It is in the best interest of government to award a sole-source 8(a) short term contract to

Akumen, Inc. based upon the following. DT needs to maintain cleared, hands-on expertise and knowledge of existing, as well as emerging technology since the importance of data security, system reliability, scalability, and information sharing remains a top priority and mission focus within the Department.

The work performed during the short term contract completes and continues activities currently being performed on the expiring KCI-Acuity contract because Akumen, Inc. is the subcontractor on the current contract and a partner of KCI-Acuity. The short term contract is necessary to ensure that the Department maintains continuity in mission critical functions and sustains essential IT services and security. The award will enable the Department to replace the existing task order that will expire August 30, 2024.

AQM intends to non-competitively issue a short term contract action to provide continuity of the services provided under Task Order 19AQMM19F3288 issued under contract number

GS00Q17GWD2293 to Akumen, Inc., a protege of Acuity, Inc. The request is for a one (8)-month base period followed by one six (6)-month option followed by two (3)-month option periods.

Market research is currently being conducted to determine the possibility of competitively competing similar services among 8(a) contractors once these tasks are complete. Currently, we are considering CIO-SP3 as good potential contract vehicle for the longer-term contract.

4. A determination that the anticipated cost of the contract will be fair and reasonable.

The resulting short term contract will be a Labor Hour contract awarded to Akumen, Inc., a protege of Acuity, Inc. The Contracting Officer will make a determination that the cost/price to the Government for the supplies/services covered by this J&A will be fair and reasonable based on historical pricing and estimates obtained to develop the IGCE. Additionally, the contracting officer has access to current pricing for similar services that are sold under GSA Schedule contracts and GWACS, which can be used to compare to proposed prices, in order to establish proce reasonableness

5. Such other matters as the head of the agency concerned shall specify for purposes of this section

DT supports SBA's 8{a) program, which gives opportunities to small disadvantaged business.

Award of this short term contract helps the agency achieve its small business contracting goals.

Akumen, Inc., a protege of Acuity, Inc. is the only viable candidate to continue supporting the critical and integrated services covered by the KCI-Acuity contract under the scope of contract

#19AQMM19F3288. The incumbent sub-contractor continues to perform the work and has the qualified and cleared workforce necessary to continue support services. Acuity and Akumen have current contract employees with elevated privileges to systems along with Secret and Top

Secret clearances with approved SCI access where required.

If the KCI-Acuity task order ends, shortly after August 30, 2024, the impact would cascade across the Department of State negatively impacting critical organizational systems, security and services. The resulting impact in end user experience would be a significant degradation of all currently supported systems, with the potential for complete loss of service, especially in regard to high profile projects such as Microsoft Office 365 {M365), Microsoft Azure Government Cloud

{MAG), SharePoint Online and SharePoint 2016, ServiceNow, the Customer and Executive

Information System {CEIS), Enterprise Application Integration Service {EAIS), Tip of the Day

{TOD), and WebTATEL. KCI Acuity supports the Diplomatic Technology {DT) Bureau, Management {M) bureau and Administration {A) bureau's, all of which would experience an unacceptable risk and impact should the KCI-Acuity contract support cease.

CERTIFICATIONS

TECHNICAL AND REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION - FAR 6.303-2(c)

I certify that any supporting data under my cognizance and which form a basis for this justification are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

SIGNATURE:

Kl MB ERL y D BAL Tl M Q RE Digitally signed by KIMBERLY D BAL Tl MORE Date: 2024.07.24 10:38:03 -04'00'

Kimberly Baltimore

Division Director

DT/BMP/ITA/CM

Date

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION FAR- 6.303-2(b)(12)

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

SIGNATURE:

Jamillah A Timmons Digitally signed by Jamillah A Timmons Date: 2024.08.02 09:51 :23-04'00'

Jamillah Timmons, Contracting Officer

Contracting Officer

A/OPE/ AQM/WW

Date

08/02/2024

08/02/2024

08/05/2024