Limiting_Competition-MDCTI-REDACTED.pdf

Control No:

Version – 1.1 February 2018

Limiting Competition elow the Simplified Acquisition Threshold

1. Contracting Activity:

2. Description of Action:

Nature: New Requirement Follow-on Requirement

Contract Vehicle: Purchase Order Number _______________________________ Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) Number _______________ Order/BPA# _______ against FSS Contract #_____ _________ Order #___________ against Multiple Award IDIQ Contract Name or #______________

Order #_______ against a single award IDC Contract

Modification # _______ to existing PO/TO/DO/Call Order

Pricing/Contract Type: Fixed Price Time & Materials/Labor Hours Cost Reimbursable Hybrid

Funds: Operations & Maintenance, Army (OMA) Other Funds: ________

FY: ________

Name of Proposed Contractor(s) and Address:

3. Description of Services or Supplies:

MICC Fort Leavenworth, 535 Kearny Ave., Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027

MDCTI

TBD

California Academic Press LLC DBA Insight Assessment 703 Pier Ave STE B # 802 Hermosa Beach, CA 90254-3943

The Military & Defense Critical Thinking Inventory (MDCTI) satisfies the CG CACs intent to develop leader “Cognitive Skills” by addressing Critical Thinking. It provides an objective/graded assessment of cognitive abilities and a self-report of mental qualities. Students can use this information to become better thinkers and learn where additional skill development is needed. Cognitive abilities addressed include Communicative Confidence, Confidence, Expression, Teamwork, Directness, Intellectual Integrity, Mental Focus, Mental Rigor, Foresight, and Cognitive Maturity. Reasoning skills addressed include an Overall Thinking Score, Reasoning, Analysis, Inference, Evaluation, Induction, and Deduction. This test is the militarized version of a quality critical thinking skills and dispositions test developed an American Psychological Association working group on critical thinking.

Time to take is approximately 90 minutes. This assessment has previously been used at CGSOC.

Control

Period of Performance: ___________ to ___________ or (insert completion date)

4. Authority: Select the appropriate authority below:

FAR 13.106-1(b)(1): For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), only one source reasonably available, urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand name, or industrial mobilization.

Or

FAR 8.405-6(a) (1) (i) (B) and 8.405-6(b)(1)Brand Name FAR 8.405-6(a) (1) (i) (A) Urgency FAR 8.405-6(a) (1) (i) (B) Only One Source is Capable FAR 8.405-6(a) (1) (i) (C) Logical Follow-on

Or

FAR 16.505(b) (2) (i) (B) Only One Awardee is Capable FAR 16.505(a) (4) Brand Name FAR 16.505(b) (2) (i) (A) Urgency FAR 16.505(b) (2) (i) (C) Logical Follow-on FAR 16.505(b) (2) (i) (D) Minimum Guarantee

5. Reasons for Authority Cited:

6. Publicizing Contract Actions: For FAR Part 13 actions, the public display and synopsis requirements of FAR 5.101 and FAR 5.203 do not apply due to the $ threshold, apply and will be followed, or do not apply due to an exception at

5.202 ______________________.

This is a sole source procurement because the MDCTI assessment satisfies the CG CACs intent to develop leader “Cognitive Skills” by addressing Critical Thinking. This assessment also meets the following selection criteria used during vendor research efforts: administered through web-based means, provides immediate feedback to students through the use of reports, is capable of providing electronic data and reports for follow-on analyses and integration into Army databases, and requires a minimal amount of time to administer thereby minimizing the time impacts on students. It provides automated scoring which will significantly reduce administrative and scoring efforts. The MDCTI assessment was identified by the scientific team at CAPL as the best critical thinking skills assessment available to sufficiently evaluate student ability and satisfy the CG CAC intent.

19 June 2020

Control No:

Requirement to post justification in accordance with FAR 8.405-6(b)(3), FAR 13.105(c), or FAR 16.505(a)(4)(iii)(A)

Action is a brand name restriction, under $25K, no posting required Action is a brand name restriction, over $25K. It will be redacted and posted with the solicitation.

Action is a brand name restriction over $25K but will not be posted due to exception:

FAR 6.305(f) FAR 8.405-6(b) (3) (iii) (A) FAR 8.405-6(b) (3) (iii) (B) FAR 8.405-6(b) (3) (iii) (C) FAR 16.505(a) (4) (iii(C)

7. Market Research:

8. Other Facts:

9. Technical/Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Printed Name:

Date:

Title:

Signature:

10. Contracting Officer Certification/Approval:

I hereby determine that the anticipated cost or price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable based upon

The MDCTI assessment was identified following a web search and upon further inquiry was determined by the scientific team at CAPL to be the tool that best addressed the selection criteria identified in Question 5 above for cognitive skills, specifically critical thinking. The fact that it is completely web-based and is immediately scored will significantly reduce the administrative burdens associated with scoring and providing feedback for each assessment to approximately 1,300 students for the remainder of FY20. Nine commercial assessments were reviewed in an attempt to address the key leadership skill areas requested by the CG CAC (leadership, cognitive, communication, mental toughness/interpersonal skills), only this assessment was identified as sufficiently meeting the Army project requirements and addressing cognitive skills (i.e., critical thinking).

the above.

Control

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief, and that completing this purchase as a sole source is in the best interest of the Government. Additionally, I approve this justification to limit competition subject to the availability of funds and provided that the services or supplies herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

Printed Name:

Date:

Title:

Signature:

Robert M. Parvin 05/01/2020 Contracting Officer