LSJ - BW LRS Federal.pdf

OPOAM 3008.405-6(a)(2) Template - Limited-Sources Justification (LSJ)

For orders or BPAs exceeding the Simplified Acquisition Threshold

Rev. 6.2021 3- 1 - LSJ Template > SAT LSJ No: FY25-00232

LSJ No.: FY25-00232

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Multiple-Award Schedule Program, 41 U.S.C. 152(3), Competitive Procedures, and 40 U.S.C. 501, Services for Executive Agencies.

1. Agency and Contracting Activity. Identification of the agency, contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a “Limited-Sources Justification.”

[The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD), BioWatch Program Office, Office of Procurement Operations (OPO), [Division] propose to award an order pursuant to FAR 8.405-6(a), Limiting Sources.]

2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved. Describe the action being approved, and include the name and address of the proposed contractor(s).

DHS/CWMD/BioWatch Program Office intends to limit the number of sources solicited pursuant to FAR Part 8.405-6(a) for the procurement of services to provide BioWatch Field Operations in the National Capital Region to Proposed Contractor: LRS Federal LLC (LRS), 525 Benfield Rd, Suite 400, Severna Park, MD 21146.

3. Description of Supplies/Services. Describe the supplies or services to be acquired. Provide the estimated total value (including options, if any).

The contractor shall collect samples each day of the year; including holidays, from the fielded BioWatch collectors located at multiple geographically dispersed sites (above ground and below ground) in Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and other DHS identified locations. The contractor shall transport samples to the Laboratory Response Network (LRN) in Washington D.C. and two Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-designated LRN laboratories (analyzing laboratories) in Baltimore and Richmond for analysis by DHS identified times. Due to the serious nature of the information from sample analysis, shall emphasis on sample integrity and Chain of Custody (COC). The contractor shall strictly adhere to specified BioWatch Field Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Sample Tracking Tool (STT) COC chain of custody procedures during all sample collection activities. In addition to sample collection activities, the contractor shall maintain aerosol collectors and associated audit devices by providing the full range of scheduled and unscheduled maintenance services and purchasing replacement units when required. The list of currently DHS approved collectors includes the Portable Sampling Unit (PSU); and the Smart Portable Sampling Unit.

Period Total Base 06 mo. $727,962

4. Authority and supporting rationale.

8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(A) An urgent and compelling need exists, and following the ordering procedures would result in unacceptable delays and unnecessarily keep the American public at risk.

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For orders or BPAs exceeding the Simplified Acquisition Threshold

Rev. 6.2021 3- 2 - LSJ Template > SAT LSJ

DHS/OPO is conducting this acquisition under the authority of the Multiple-Award Schedule Program, 41 U.S.C. 152(3), Competitive Procedures, and 40 U.S.C. 501, Services for Executive Agencies, in accordance with FAR 8.405-6(a)(1, Limiting Sources. An award will be made in the interest of an urgent and compelling need and following the ordering procedures would result in unacceptable delays pursuant to FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(A). DHS requires the use of the Urgent and compelling need authority to replace the loss of the existing Cooperative Agreement recipient managing LRS Federal Field Operations to continue BioWatch Field Operations in the National Capital Region. The President issued an Executive Order requiring the Office of Management and Budget to review and verify what the government is spending and specifically what the expenditure purchases. This affected the DHS Payment Management System, which Cooperative Agreement recipients use to collect re-imbursement to execute BioWatch Field Operations, and six BioWatch Laboratory Operations. The present FY24 Cooperative Agreement holder for the National Capital Region decided NOT to apply for the FY25 Cooperative Agreements. As a result, BioWatch Field Operations ceased in the NCR.

The proposed GSA Task Order to LRS would resume the BioWatch Field Operations mission in the NCR. This mission is critical as it relates to public safety and advances or supports CWMD's statutory mission responsibilities of 6 U.S.C. 591g, 592(a) to plan for, detect, and protect against the importation, possession, storage, transportation, development, or use of unauthorized WMDs and other related CBRN materials, devices, or agents in the United States, and to protect against an attack using such materials, devices, or agents against the people, territory, or interests of the United States. The DHS BioWatch Program provides the only early warning for select Biological Agents in select metropolitan areas, at select special events, and at National Special Security Events. This public safety/national security program also coordinates with state/local stakeholders ensures there is an early warning select Biological Agent detection system and the BioWatch Program assists in a response coordination process for post incident mitigation. Continuation of the BioWatch Operations in the National Capital Region (NCR) remains paramount to maintaining public safety and national security. It remains imperative that the DHS BioWatch program continue in the NCR and that these services be restored with great urgency.

For 10+ years, LRS Federal provided BioWatch Field Operations to the National Capital Region (NCR)/Baltimore, Washington, Richmond Corridor (BWRC) through agreements with DHS and/or with Prince George’s County, Maryland via the Federal assistance/Cooperative Agreement. This proposal ensures mission continuity and national security to the NCR by providing up to 6 months of 1) Daily Field Operations; and 2) Special Events and National Special Security Events (NSSEs). LRS Federal can assume the mission immediately with no lags or additional training. Additionally, competing this requirement would add significant additional time to the procurement process which would further delay resumption of this critical requirement.

5. Determination by the ordering activity contracting officer that the anticipated order represents the best value consistent with FAR 8.404(d).

The contracting officer determined that issuing the proposed Task Order to LRS, LLC to provide http://uscode.house.gov/

For orders or BPAs exceeding the Simplified Acquisition Threshold

Rev. 6.2021 3- 3 - LSJ Template > SAT LSJ

BioWatch Field Operations represents the best value and will result in the lowest overall cost, considering price and administrative costs to meet the Government’s needs, and more importantly, will provide a more secure public in the District of Columbia region. DHS will place this order in accordance with FAR 8.404, “Use of Federal Supply Schedules.” The General Services Administration (GSA) has already negotiated fair and reasonable pricing rates.

Discounts to these GSA schedule rates will be requested. Additionally, prior to issuance of the task order, the ordering activity will consider the level of effort, and the mix of labor proposed to perform the specific task being ordered to determine that the total price is reasonable. The contractor’s labor mix and level of effort will also be compared to the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE).

6. A description of the market research conducted among schedule holders and the results, or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

As required, CWMD BioWatch conducted market research to ascertain a limited look into the “potential” pool of entities that can execute this very specific operation within a dramatically short 2-3 week turn around. However, the reality of the situation is that there is no non-incumbent contractor regardless of capability or experience that would be able to assume the responsibilities of performing the BioWatch Field Operations requirement in the limited amount of time available and be fully functional and operational by the imminent start date. It is also highly unlikely that any capable non-incumbent contractor would be interested in proposing, developing and marshalling the plans and resources to execute a short 6-month contract bridging operations until LRS assumes the contract with the new cooperative agreement holder for FY25 and beyond as detailed in section 7 of this LSJ. LRS Federal has provided BioWatch Field Operations to the NCR for many years. Continuing to use LRS Federal will ensure the BioWatch Field Operations mission resumes with no lag or additional government time and funding for training.

7. Any other facts supporting the limited-sources justification. State the additional facts in this section. If there are no additional facts, you must state that here.

The BioWatch Program Office is working with another agency to apply for and accept the FY25 Cooperative Agreement. However, the time required after the Notice of Funding Awards will cause a large gap in the execution of this vital national security operations in the National Capital Region.

Therefore, the 6 months period of performance will allow the other agency the time necessary to ensure mission critical success moving forward. In addition, the BioWatch Program Office can continue to coordinate with the New Agency to develop the Cooperative Agreement that DHS will transition back to the fulfillment of these services after the expiration of this task order.

8. A statement of actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to restricted consideration (i.e., limited-sources) before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services is made.

For orders or BPAs exceeding the Simplified Acquisition Threshold

Rev. 6.2021 3- 4 - LSJ Template > SAT LSJ

Restricted competition is unlikely to be needed in the future for this requirement as the urgent nature of this procurement was a result of a unique set of circumstances related to the new executive orders as detailed in section 4. In most cases a jurisdiction would give 6 months to 1 year notice before stepping down, which gives time for the transition and competitionthat would allow for the implementation of a new cooperative agreement or a competitive award under FAR Part 8..

9. DHS intends to post this requirement on System for Award Management (SAM.gov) pursuant to FAR 8.405-6(a)(2)(i).

10. Technical/Requirements Personnel Certification.

Pursuant to FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(x), I certify that this requirement meets the Government’s minimum need and that the supporting data, which form a basis for the Limited-Sources Justification, are accurate and complete.

Technical Representative/COR Date

11. Contracting Officer Certification and/or Approval *

Pursuant to FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(ix), I certify that the Limited-Sources Justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief:

Contracting Officer Date

August 7, 2025