Justification for sole source Rural Virtual Public Involvement.pdf

Date: October 4, 2022

To:

Angy Liljedahl Contracting Officer

From:

Cole Grisham Contracting Officers Representative

Subject: Justification for other than full and open competition.

(1) Identification of the agency and the contracting activity

Federal Highway Administration Western Federal Lands Highway Division 610 East Fifth Street Vancouver, WA 98661

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

Justification for other than full and open competition under 6.302-3 Industrial mobilization;

engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services for Rural Virtual Public Involvement (VPI) Research Synthesis and Application study.

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

The Western Federal Lands Highway Division (WFLHD) of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is contracting for a research study to identify the barriers and opportunities for virtual public involvement in rural communities. This project is meant to investigate the unique challenges and opportunities for VPI for rural communities, identify existing tools and practices from around the United States to address these issues, and disseminate findings to those engaged in rural public involvement, including public, private, and non-profit groups.

The study is both small and focused, including the following tasks:

1. Project Management

2. Analysis of Barriers and Opportunities for Rural VPI

3. Synthesis of Rural VPI Tools

4. Outreach and Implementation

The estimated value of this procurement is $35,000.

(4) An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

FAR 6.302-3 Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services. Section (a)(2)(ii): “To establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution or a federally funded research and development center”

41 U.S.C.3304(a)(3)(B). “…to establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution or a Federally funded research and development center.”

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

The Oregon Policy Analysis Laboratory (OPAL) at Oregon State University (OSU) conducts applied public policy research in support of rural communities in Oregon and around the United States. OPAL faculty and students use the quantitative and qualitative skills to provide support to clients facing substantive issues in the policy world. OPAL and OSU are uniquely equipped to conduct the research and synthesis required for this project due their focus on rural policy.

Professor Mark Edwards, OPAL Director, is also the lead for OSU’s Rural Policy program and portfolio of research. Mark Edwards holds a Ph.D. in Sociology and has led a number of applied policy studies for rural communities in collaboration with public agencies, other faculty, and Ph.D. and masters students that focus on rural issues. As the Rural Policy program states, the program recognizes that:

…rural communities face an extraordinarily complex set of challenges due to sparse settlements and geographic isolation, exacerbated by globalization and technological change in an interdependent urban-rural system. Addressing these challenges requires both the theoretical insights of multiple disciplines and the practical wisdom that derives from engagement in solving actual problems in rural places. The primary goal of the Rural Policy concentration is to develop a new generation of interdisciplinary researchers that engage rural communities in place-based multi-method research that not only develops our knowledge of rural communities and their environments, but also effects positive change in those communities.

The combination of rural focus and applied research experience makes OPAL’s team uniquely equipped to carry out the proposed research project amongst private and university options.

(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.

A notice will be publicized as required by subpart 5.2

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

Anticipated cost to the Government will be evaluated for fair and reasonable. Contract will be negotiated if applicable until we arrive at fair and reasonable costs.

(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 was not conducted. It was identified by the Government that this project required advanced academic research experience with the social and economic barriers for virtual public involvement as applied to rural areas, therefore requiring a research group uniquely focused on such a body of research.

(9) Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition:

None

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

None

(11) A statement of the 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.

Following completion of this project, any deliverables will be disseminated through publicly available forums as well as posting to the National Transportation Library. These actions should enable other academic institutions and private firms to further develop their own competitive expertise in the applicable research topic, thus enabling greater competition for future related projects.

Submitted by – This justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Cole Grisham Contracting Officers Representative

Contracting Officers Certification - This justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Angy Liljedahl Contracting Officer, WFLHD