Limited_Sources_Justification_SECO_Final.pdf

CUI//SP-SSEL

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LIMITED SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

(LSJ)

Sole Source Bridge

Urgent and Compelling Need

Solicitation 47QFCA23Q0003

Spouse Education and Career Opportunities

(SECO)

in support of:

The Department of Defense (DoD), Military

Community and Family Policy (MC&FP)

Office

U.S. General Services Administration (GSA)

Federal Acquisition Service

Federal Systems Integration and Management Center (FEDSIM)

1800 F Street, NW (QF0B)

Washington, D.C. 20405

Interagency Agreement Number 47QFCA19S0029

Project ID : 47QFCA23Z0005

Controlled by: GSA FEDSIM contact.fedsim@gsa.gov

DocuSign Envelope ID: 7103BC51-D570-4927-857C-54215DFDDE01

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The General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Systems Integration and Management

Center (FEDSIM) makes this Limited Sources Justification (LSJ) for orders pursuant to Federal

Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.405-6.

i.) Identification of Agency and Contracting Activity:

Agency:

GSA FEDSIM acting in support of The Department of Defense (DoD), Military

Community and Family Policy (MC&FP) Office

Contracting Activity:

GSA FEDSIM Contracting Office (QF0B)

1800 F Street, NW

Washington, D.C. 20405 ii.) Nature and/or Description of Action Being Approved:

In support of MC&FP, FEDSIM has been managing an existing Federal Supply Schedule

(FSS) Task Order for SECO Support Services. FEDSIM has also been conducting an acquisition for the follow-on SECO Support Services FSS Task Order. The original FSS

Task Order (47QFCA19F0047) will expire prior to FEDSIM being able to complete the follow-on contracting action, leaving no time for an adequate transition in and the potential for a lapse in mission critical services. In order to ensure continued service and allow for an effective transition between the Task Orders, a Sole Source Bridge FSS Task Order is required. The current Period of Performance (including the six-month extension using the

FAR 52-217-8 Option to Extend Services clause) end date is December 26, 2022. The Sole

Source Bridge (Limited Sources Competition) FSS Task Order will include a continuation of services provided via Firm Fixed Unit Price (FFUP), Labor hour (LH), Travel, Other

Direct Costs (ODCs), and Order Level Materials (OLM) Contract Line (CLIN) item types.

The scope of the SECO program encompasses development and delivery of resources, business processes, personnel, materials, training, equipment, and technology necessary to provide military spouses with (1) Career coaches for initial intake/needs assessments, planning sessions and follow-up services; (2) Government approved post-secondary sources of education that provide spouses with degrees, licenses and credentials, along with the My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) Scholarship for eligible spouses; (3)

Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) and federal employers who have committed to hire them into job openings posted on the MSEP Career Portal, the USAJobs web portal and promoted at military friendly career and job fairs; and (4) Assisting spouses transitioning in and out of the military.

The estimated value of the Limited Sources acquisition effort is $4.8 million with a maximum Period of Performance of four months (base period plus three one (1) month option periods) from date of award.

iii.) A Complete Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet Agency’s Need

(Including the Estimated Value):

The Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) Task Order requirements include:

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a. Program Management

The contractor will provide program management support under this TO.

This includes the management and oversight of all activities performed by contractor personnel, preparing Monthly Status Reports (MSRs), preparing

SECO Program yearly status reports, conducting technical status meetings, developing a Program Management Plan (PMP), preparing and submitting trip reports, providing quality management, providing transition-in and transition-out support.

b Spouse Career Center operations providing expert information and referral services

The contractor will receive and facilitate calls from military spouses who will access SECO Career Coaches through direct connection from the

Military OneSource program. The Military OneSourceCall Center triage team will identify military spouses seeking assistance with career exploration, education and training, employment assistance, employment, and work-life goals and transfer those calls via live hand-off to SECO

Advisors and Coaches during SECO operating hours. The contractor is expected to transfer calls back to Military OneSourcefor spouses in need of services provided by Military OneSource.

c. Coaching services

The SECO coaching objective is to provide educational, career, and employment coaching on education sources and portable careers and occupations to include education and training requirements; opportunities for online and distance education and training; consumer awareness tools for school selection and financial assistance package decision making; school admission requirements; salary potential and projected geographic growth of career fields and occupations; portability of career choices; state, local, and federal occupational licensing and credentialing requirements and associated costs; and assistance with resume preparation using the MySECO website resume builder and other Government approved tools

d. Tier 1 IT support for MyCAA spouses

For all MyCAA Scholarship Participants who have not already completed an undergraduate degree or worked in the field of their education, Career

Coaches shall provide a career consultation, using technology and direct communication.

e. Platforms to deliver coaching services telephonically and virtually

The SECO Spouse Career Center will be staffed from 7:00 AM until 10:00

PM Eastern Standard Time Monday through Friday and from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on Saturday to include federal holidays and consist of telephonic and virtual delivery of services, web operations and online resources for coaching lifecycle stages. Services supporting SECO’s Spouse Career Center shall include recruiting, hiring, FEDSIM is a Client Support Center housed within GSA, FAS, AAS Page 4

Version 08/25/2022 training and managing a credentialed, professional staff, maximizing the use of military spouses, wounded warriors and veterans.

f. Vetting of employers

The contractor will provide staff that is responsible for vetting and recommendations for approval, enrollment, participation, recognition, support and general communication.

g Administration of the MyCAA Scholarship and MSEP

Career Coaches shall work collaboratively with each Participant as appropriate in development of an individualized recorded assessment-based education, training, employment and career plan that is flexible, and designed to meet the Participant’s work-life goals.

Contractor will collaborate with the Government to continue to update and implement a strategy for recruitment, vetting, on-boarding, education, orientation and training of potential and current MSEP Partners with special emphasis on helping them understand military culture, the value of military spouse employees, and how to recruit, hire, promote and retain them.

h. Event support and program administration and development

The contractor will provide administration and support for approximately thirty meetings annually to be held via conference call, webinar, virtual teleconference, or in person, as directed by the Government. Contractor will coordinate support for these meetings to include agenda preparation, and providing support materials (e.g., briefing slides, issue papers, working documents, etc.).

i. Information and referrals and coaching services to cover the full range of SECO topics and resources in both the military and civilian sectors

j. SECO services provided to Participants located both in the Continental United

States (CONUS) and Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) iv.) The Authority and Supporting Rationale:

The acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Multiple-Award Schedule Program.

Consideration of schedule contractors will be restricted in accordance with:

a. FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(A) – An urgent and compelling need exists, and following the procedures would result in unacceptable delays.

The agency's need for the services is so urgent that providing for full and open competition would result in unacceptable delays leading to serious injury to the Government. Military spouses and their families count on the services provided by the SECO Program to ensure they are fully prepared to meet the qualifications of a new job and best prepare for interviews in order to support their families. Because of the unique demands of deployment and military relocations, military spouses frequently find themselves in the role of single working parents with unique requirements for work-life balance. Despite these unique demands of their military life, military spouses are strong contributing partners in

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Version 08/25/2022 their marriages. 85 percent of military spouses report they want or need to work to help make ends meet, meet work-life goals, and provide their families with a good quality of life. The Defense Department recognizes the strength and contributions of our nearly 1 million military spouses and offers extra support and activities focused on real-world needs of military families. The SECO program is an integral part of the DODs efforts to ensure that service members and their families are as prepared and supported to meet the day-to-day challenges facing military spouses and families. Any lapse in the services provided by the SECO program will negatively impact the DOD positive momentum in its efforts to strengthen its support of the service members.

v.) Determination by the Ordering Activity Contracting Officer that the Order

Represents the Best Value Consistent with FAR 8.404(d):

The ordering activity Contracting Officer is taking appropriate measures to determine the best value for this procurement. The level of effort and mix of skills for the task areas have been accurately projected and are substantiated in the Independent Government Cost

Estimate (IGCE). The Contracting Officer will verify that the offeror’s quote is consistent with the terms and conditions of the underlying GSA Schedule contract, and will compare the detailed backup data provided in the quote with the underlying GSA Federal Supply

Schedule contract and to the Government’s IGCE. Award will not be made until the

Contracting Officer has determined that the prices proposed are fair and reasonable and that the order represents the best value to the Government.

vi.) Description of the Market Research Conducted Among Schedule Holders and the

Results of the Research:

For the reasons stated in this Justification, market research was focused on the contract vehicles available to Zeiders for this Sole Source acquisition. FEDSIM conducted market research to identify applicable GSA contract vehicles the incumbent, Zeiders, holds.

Market research was conducted as part of the pre-award process for the SECO recompete solicitation. That market research has remained consistent throughout the solicitation phase. However, the planned award date for the follow-on SECO Task Order has been considerably delayed and this Urgent need must be met prior to the expiration of the current SECO Task Order PoP end date of December 26, 2022. There is no ability to create a new solicitation effort before the end of the existing PoP.

vii.) Any Other Facts Supporting the Justification:

If there is a break of services to the SECO program beyond December 26, 2022, thousands of military spouses will be unable to receive career opportunity coaching services, continue training they have already begun or receive coaching assistance as the spouses look for employment. Additionally, all Military Spouse Employment Partnership coordination will be stopped which will cause potential resources and job opportunities for military spouses to become unavailable.

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Version 08/25/2022 viii.) Statement of the Actions, if Any, the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome any

Barriers that Led to the Restricted Consideration Before Any Subsequent Acquisition for the Supplies or Services is Made:

A competitive solicitation of the requirements to continue to support the SECO program is underway, and award documents are undergoing quality reviews prior to award.

ix.) Contracting Officer Certification that the Justification is Accurate and Complete to the Best of the Contracting Officer’s Knowledge and Belief:

I hereby certify that this Justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge, and I determine on the basis of the findings above that the limited sources approach is in accordance with the requirements and is in the best interest of the Government.

Joseph M. Flanigan Date

Contracting Officer

FEDSIM Acquisition, DoD Sector x.) Evidence that any Supporting Data that is the Responsibility of Technical or

Requirements Personnel and Which Form a Basis for the Justification Have Been

Certified as Complete and Accurate by the Technical and Requirements Personnel (If

Any):

I hereby certify that the supporting data which forms the basis of the justification is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Nidia Holiday Date

PM/COR

FEDSIM DoD Sector xi.) Written Determination by Approving Official Identifying the Circumstance that

Applies:

I hereby certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge, and I determine on the basis of the findings above that the Urgent and Compelling Need is in accordance with the requirements and is in the best interest of the Government.

Stacey Lowenberg Date

Acquisition Director

FEDSIM Acquisition, DoD Sector

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Version 08/25/2022 xii.) Reviews/Approvals

I have reviewed this justification and I have determined to the best of my knowledge and belief, based on the information contained herein, that it complies with all applicable policies and regulations.

Pete Burr Date

Competition Advocate