Justification_Redacted_Redacted.pdf

Justification for other than full and open competition AT 18756: Help Desk Bridge

Source Selection Information -- See FAR 2.101 and 3.104

Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition The procedures in FAR subpart 13.5 were used in accordance the authority of 41 U.S.C. 1903

1. Contracting activity:

This Justification for other than full and open competition supports a procurement action generated by:

U.S. Office of Personnel Management Office of Procurement Operations 600 Arch St.

Room 3400 Philadelphia, PA 19106

Name: Jessica Guadalupe Phone: 215-861-3012 E-mail: Jessica.Guadalupe@opm.gov

2. Action being approved:

The Chief Information Officer/Operations Technology Management/Network Management (NM) supports the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) mission by managing and operating OPM's IT infrastructure and associated services.

The mission of CIO Customer Support is to provide premium information technology support services to all of its employees, contractors, other government associates, and business partners. The customer support organization is adopting customer-centric elements of key federal service delivery, collection, and improvement standards and guidelines as established by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the federal Chief Information Officer (CIO) council, NIST, GSA, and other regulatory agencies. These guidelines consist of principles and practices that fortify customer-centric services that include strengthening communications, increasing information security, improving speed and ease of customer service delivery, and modernizing and provisioning mobile and static capabilities that support customer productivity.

CIO Customer Support incorporates agency and federal guidelines for customer support and service delivery, systems access control, asset management, information security, and associated service monitoring, recording, and measuring while executing work processes and procedures, and while generating work products.

OPM has a continued mission critical need for a contractor to provide an IT Customer Support program that provides agency wide Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3 technical support services, administering Help Desk Operational Support Systems (OSS) and related documentation, managing associated projects, and conducting associated business analytics reporting. OPM requires a consistent, integrated service delivery approach with full application of Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) version 3 mailto:Jessica.Guadalupe@opm.gov

Source Selection Information -- See FAR 2.101 and 3.104 best practices. The offeror shall provide a range of customer support services that effectively adapts to, satisfies, and accomplishes both existing and evolving customer support needs.

This document provides justification for acquiring Help Desk Support Services via a temporary sole source bridge contract to the incumbent provider while OPM concurrently prepares and competes a long-term effort for this large requirement among eligible 8(a) small businesses.

3. Supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs (including the estimated value):

The contractor must provide personnel that demonstrate the experience and capability to meet the requirements of this contract. They must ensure that replacement personnel are equal to or better than the qualifications of the persons being replaced. Personnel that are knowledgeable in, and are at minimum ITIL v.3 certified is essential for successfully fulfilling the required services. ITIL v.3 certification is required for all contractor personnel within 6 months of contract award. The contractor must be experienced in providing Customer Support services and effectively applying ITIL Service Management best practices that realize associated business values and efficiencies for CIO service organizations and the customers that are served.

The contractor shall employ all relative OPM and Federal ITSM policies, directives, and guidance in using OPM computing equipment for processing work and information in the delivery of customer support, program, reporting, and project management services.

The current helpdesk support services contract expires on March 31, 2016 so there is currently no transition period available.

The projected expenditure for the proposed acquisition based upon the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) is approximately $9,100,000.

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

This justification for other than full and open competition is in accordance with FAR 6.302-1 -- Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

OPM relies on help desk services to remain fully functional in the performance of all mission critical tasks. Historically, this requirement was awarded via a sole source contract through the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program to an Alaska Native Corporation (ANC). OPM’s most recent acquisition strategy was to issue a 9 month bridge contract including three, one month option periods to the incumbent 8(a) ANC contractor in accordance with the policies and procedures of FAR Part 19.8.

Concurrently, OPM was going to continue to work on defining and revising its requirements for a competitive 8(a) acquisition for help desk support services based on OPM’s review of historical practices in which it was determined to be in the best interest of the government to eventually compete this requirement among eligible small business 8(a) companies thus keeping the requirement within the 8(a) program while also promoting competition ensuring the government receives the best value.

Source Selection Information -- See FAR 2.101 and 3.104

OPM verified that the incumbent contractor was still certified as an 8(a) Small Business by conducting searches on several databases to include both the SBA Dynamic Small Business Search as well as the System for Award Management (SAM). As of March 2016 both of these databases indicated that the incumbent continued to be certified under the 8(a) Program. As a result, OPM prepared an offering letter for the Small Business Administration (SBA) which was subsequently rejected. The SBA indicated that the company voluntarily withdrew itself from the SBA program in December 2015; however, OPM was never made aware of this occurrence, and SBA failed to accurately update its databases. SBA indicated on March 18, 2016 that OPM could either find another participant not owned by the incumbent’s parent organization or issue a bridge contract to the incumbent outside of the 8(a) program as long as it did not exceed one year. OPM did its due diligence and contacted several 8(a) contractors who confirmed that they would not be able to take over a contract of this magnitude and complexity without an adequate transition time. Further discussions with the SBA Alaska District Office on March 22, 2016 confirmed this determination – the SBA Business Opportunity Specialist indicated that while he could provide a list of 8(a) contractors who fall under the applicable NAICS code, there was not enough time to determine their capabilities and there would probably not be enough time for them to take over this large requirement with no transition period.

As a result, the incumbent contractor is currently the only responsible source that will satisfy the agency requirements over the next 9-12 months while OPM works toward competitively awarding a new 8(a) contract for these critical helpdesk support services. Any other company would require an extensive transition period which OPM is not able to provide at this time as a result of a shift in acquisition strategy due to unforeseen circumstances and inaccurate databases.

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

The incumbent has provided the required help desk services for numerous years via a sole source contract through the SBA 8(a) Program. By providing staff on site the incumbent has a fully functional workforce within OPM headquarters with the proper certifications and security clearances necessary to fully provide these services. This workforce is fully trained, dedicated and familiar with all OPM policies and procedures and thus would require no transitional support to continue providing these services. No other 8(a) contractor has the capability to continue to provide OPM with these critical helpdesk services with no transition time.

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.

Not Applicable as this requirement was anticipated to be awarded via the 8(a) Small Business Program utilizing the policies and procedures of FAR 19.8; however, for the reasons described in the previous section this action currently seeks to justify a sole source award. The future competitive procurement for these services will be solicited via FedBizOpps to small business 8(a) companies.

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

Source Selection Information -- See FAR 2.101 and 3.104

The cost of the proposed sole source bridge contract to the incumbent is anticipated to be determined to be fair and reasonable prior to award. The OPM Contract Specialist received confirmation from the incumbent contractor that pricing should remain unchanged for the anticipated sole source bridge contract. The proposed pricing will be compared to the current contract rates which were previously determined to be fair and reasonable. In addition, the proposed prices will also be compared to the Independent Government Cost Estimate as well as prices obtained via market research.

8. A description of the market research conducted and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

As previously indicated, OPM did its due diligence and contacted several 8(a) contractors who confirmed that they would not be able to take over a contract of this magnitude and complexity without an adequate transition time. Further discussions with the SBA Alaska District Office on March 22, 2016 confirmed this determination – the SBA Business Opportunity Specialist indicated that while he could provide a list of 8(a) contractors who fall under the applicable NAICS code, there was not enough time to determine their capabilities and there would probably not be enough time for them to take over this large requirement with no transition period.

Market Research was also conducted for the competitive requirement that is going to be released amongst small business 8(a) companies that provide similar help desk support services. The OPM Contract Specialist identified numerous interested companies that have a high probability of submitting proposals for the future competitive procurement that will be released via the Government-wide point of entry (FBO).

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.

At least two separate inquiries were made regarding the status of OPM’s helpdesk support services contract by small business 8(a) firms interested in this requirement. They will be notified about the anticipated long-term forthcoming competitive procurement which will be made available to them via FedBizOpps.

11. Actions the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required:

This justification currently seeks to provide authority for a sole source bridge contract to the incumbent for OPM helpdesk support services since no other 8(a) small businesses can provide the services with no transition time in order to allow for the synopsis, solicitation, and subsequent award via an 8(a) competitive procurement. This future requirement which will be conducted from 2016- 2017 will be limited to small business 8(a) companies. As a result, the incumbent will be unable to compete in this future competition thus ensuring a new awardee which will remove all previous barriers that prevented competition.

Source Selection Information -- See FAR 2.101 and 3.104

12. Certifications:

I hereby certify that the information provided herein to support this Justification is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signature:

Typed Name: James C. Thieme Contract Officer

Signature:

Typed Name: Dovarius Peoples Associate Chief Information Officer

13. Approval:

Signature:

Typed Name: Kathleen McGettigan Advocate for Competition