LSJ Eng B. 302 COVID 19 redacted.pdf

DATE: 3/24/2020

SUBJECT: LIMITED SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

1) AGENCY/CONTRACTING ACTIVITY:

This limited source justification is executed by the Office of Acquisition and Agreements Management (OAAM), Acquisition Management Division (AMD) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), under the Department of Commerce, on behalf of the Office of Property and Facilities Management (OFPM) of NIST.

2) NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF ACTION BEING APPROVED:

This Limited Sources Justification and Approval will authorize and approve the issuance of a sole source labor hour task order for stationary engineers to support the operation of the Central Utility Plant (CUP) for NIST in Gaithersburg MD. This is a new requirement in response to the National COVID-19 Pandemic outbreak. The intent is to procure the services under GSA Schedule 03FAC contract .

3) DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE AGENCY’S

NEEDS:

The Steam and Chilled Water Generation Plant is an essential mission critical service to the NIST Gaithersburg Campus serving 42 laboratory and office buildings. The utilities it produces creates the temperature and humidity-controlled spaces to preserve and protect NIST measurement standards as well as specialized research environments. In addition to the research impacts the site chilled water system supports the Central Computing Facility to ensure email services and research reference servers used by academia can continue to serve the research community and academia. Failure to continue delivery of these services would result in research being stopped, potential equipment damage and standards being lost or damaged. In order for NIST’s Research Mission to be unimpacted during this pandemic it is necessary to ensure proper coverage of qualified operators are on staff to run the plant during this critical time. Additional support staff is needed to fill in vacancies and provide additional coverage in the event of several of the NIST operators becoming victims of the virus. This contract will provide operational redundancy and coverage for vacant positions to ensure continuous operation.

The contractor shall provide all the necessary skilled labor and supervisory direction necessary to supply NIST with stationary engineers. Each stationary engineer may be required to work up to 16 hours per day if mission needs dictate (this should be a rare and limited occurrence) during the COVID-19 National emergency Pandemic. The objective of this task order is to obtain a contractor who can provide between 3 to 10 qualified 1st Class Stationary Engineers to operate industrial boilers, chillers and Combined Heat and Power (CHP)turbine generators. The minimum experience to meet the qualifications are two (2) years of independent operation as a 1st Class Stationary Engineer and Universal CFC License as demonstrated in their resume and reference checks. NIST requires 1-6 operators within two weeks of award and with the potential total of 10 operators thru out the life of the task order. Period of performance (POP) is a three (3) month base period with two (2) three (3) month options. Estimated value of this requirement is .

THE AUTHORITY AND SUPPORTING RATIONALE

FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(A) NIST has an urgent and compelling need for additional stationary engineers to support the operations on the CUP. This need is in response to the COVID-19 National Emergency. NIST has several employees that are in the high-risk category for infection from this very dangerous virus. Due to these facts and circumstances NIST must prepare for emergency operations during this crisis. The CUP is critical to NIST mission and must remain operational during this state of emergency. Failure to maintain the CUP could result in the loss of millions of dollars and years of research at NIST if this award is delayed.

4) DETERMINATION BY THE ORDERING ACTIVITY CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT

THE ORDER REPRESENTS THE BEST VALUE CONSISTENT WITH 8.404(d) Comparison of proposed pricing with the government’s IGCE and contracts that provide the same or similar services.

5) DESCRIPTION OF MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED AMONG SCHEDULE

HOLDERS AND THE RESULTS OR STATEMENT OF THE REASON MARKET

RESEARCH WAS NOT CONDUCTED

No Sources sought was posted to GSA ebuy due to the urgency of the requirement. Market research was conducted by contacting 03FAC contracting officer to determine if the services were on the GSA schedule and to provide a list of contractors capable of providing the services. The COR and CUP personnel reviewed the list provided by GSA and EMCORE was selected for this emergency requirement.

6) ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE JUSTIFICATION:

None

7) STATEMENT OF 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:

NIST will compete any future requirements for these services.

8) CONTRACTING OFFICER’S CERTIFICATION:

By signature on this limited source justification, the Contracting Officer certifies that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of the Contracting Officer’s knowledge and belief.

SANDRA SMITH

CONTRACTING OFFICER

JO-LYNN DAVIS

ACTING BUREAU PROCUREMENT OFFICAL

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