LSJ FINAL - WB AAS.pdf

LIMITED-SOURCES JUSTIFICATION FOR

FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE PROGRAM

Advisory & Assistance Services In support of the

Bombers Directorate (AFLCMC/WB) Acquisition ID: 47QFNA22K0038

Upon the basis of the following justification, prepared in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.405-6(c), as the Region 1 Competition Advocate, I hereby approve the use of sources limited to fewer than those required in FAR 8.405-1, FAR 8.405-2, and FAR 8.405-3 pursuant to the authority of 41 U.S.C. 251 as implemented by FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(A) – an urgent and compelling need exists, and following the procedures would result in unacceptable delays. This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Multiple-Award Schedule Program (41 U.S.C. 152, et seq. and 40 U.S.C. 501).

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity.

The Requiring Activity is the United States Air Force, Life Cycle Management Center, Bombers Directorate (AFLCMC/WB). The contracting activity for this bridge action, as well as the planned follow-on competitive acquisition, is the General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Acquisition Service (FAS), New England Region (Region 1) – Boston, Massachusetts.

2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

To ensure the continued and uninterrupted operation of the Bombers Directorate, in support of its many missions which are integral to our nation’s security, a predominantly Firm-Fixed-Price Advisory and Assistance Services (A&AS) task order is contemplated on a sole source basis to the incumbent, Macaulay-Brown.

A statement of work is required; a performance work statement (PWS) is provided.

DocuSign Envelope ID: F8AC0C69-2FE8-4FA0-B863-A45521EAEAF5

3. A complete description of the supplies and/or services required to meet the agency’s needs.

The AFLCMC/WB requires A&AS at the enterprise/organizational level in support of Bombers Directorate multiple programs/projects. This support spans all disciplines and includes, but is not limited to, the following tasks:

a. Briefings, reports, studies, analyses, recommendations, documentation

b. Knowledge and resource sharing within the Program Office and with outside organizations as appropriate in accordance with security classification guidance

c. Standardization of work processes and best practices

d. Tracking, monitoring, managing, and controlling task order cost, schedule, and performance to align with mission requirements

e. Functional expertise

f. Integration and administration support

This A&AS contract will provide AFLCMC organizations with a broad range of professional services to include Program Management, Life Cycle Logistics, Contracts Management, Financial Management, Engineering, Configuration and Data Management, Administrative Support, Information Technology, Information Assurance and Security Management Support capabilities to execute effective and responsive integrated program management of research, development, test, evaluation, production, modernization and lifecycle acquisition, and sustainment activities.

The estimated value for this bridge action is approximately $13.1M, based on previous procurement history and fair and reasonable escalation. More than 75% is FFP, while the remainder is Labor Hour to allow for surge requirements and hard-to-find expertise.

This task order will commence at the end of the current period of performance (4 Jun 2022), with a period of performance of eight months. The acquisition team estimates that competitive award of the follow-on effort will take eight months and assumes that, given the level of effort required to award this bridge action, most of the work for the planned follow-on acquisition cannot begin until after the bridge action is awarded. Also, this task order will contain the clause for extension of services (52.217-8) in the event that circumstances arise that require additional time.

This additional period of performance (beyond the eight months), if needed, is included in this Limited Sources Justification.

4. An identification of the LSJ rationale, and if applicable, a demonstration of the contractor’s unique qualifications to provide the required supply or service.

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

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This bridge action is not due to inadequate planning by the requiring activity or GSA Region 1 (the ordering activity for this bridge action and the planned competitive action to follow, as soon as practicable). Appropriate and timely actions were taken by the requiring activity and the ordering activity at the time (GSA Region 5), starting in September 2021 (seven months before the end date of the existing BPA).

Circumstances beyond the control of the requiring activity led to the current need for this bridge action, to be awarded to the incumbent under an urgent and compelling justification.

The requiring activity currently has in place a Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Single-Award Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) Task Order (TO). The BPA contractor is Macaulay-Brown (GS-00F-063CA). The BPA was awarded 27 April 2017 by GSA FAS AAS Region 5 and is being administered by them. The period of performance for this BPA ends 4 Jun 2022.

In anticipation of the need to recompete this effort, Region 5 initially supported the efforts of the requiring activity and began the acquisition planning, beginning with conducting market research in Sep 2021. This research indicated that multiple schedule and GSA GWAC (Government-Wide Acquisitions Contract) contractors are capable and interested in performing this work.

However, due to a lack of appropriate resources, the supporting ordering activity (at the time, Region 5) was unable to ensure timely award of the contemplated follow-on competitive acquisition. (Similarly, it is worth noting that, due to a lack of appropriate resources at the Air Force Bombers Directorate, the program office also was not able to take on this acquisition, and therefore needed to continue engaging GSA for these assisted acquisition services.) When ultimately informed of this in January 2022, the requiring activity engaged GSA FAS AAS, Region 1 in February 2022 to award a follow-on contract action while ensuring no break in service (i.e. award of a new contract by 4 Jun 2022 at the very latest).

Market research clearly indicates that competition can be expected in the planned follow-on competitive acquisition.

However, it was clear that due to several challenges, a competitive award would not be possible in the three plus months remaining before expiration of the current effort.

The challenges are listed below.

First, due to the nature of the services required, the requiring activity cannot accept any break in service. The requiring activity requires an integrated team of military, civilian and A&AS contractors to effectively support its programs which is one of the Air Force’s highest priorities. This contract provides highly technical and specialized subject matter expertise that is not currently available in the Government, and without which, the program will suffer insurmountable challenges that could delay production, fielding and sustaining of critical new defense capabilities.

Second, the GSA Region 1 project team currently estimates eight months to complete a competitive award (which cannot possibly be compressed into the three-plus months available). Contributing to the length of this PALT is the fact that

WB A&AS, 47QFNA22K0038 Page 3 28 March 2022 virtually all contractor employees must be on-site and TS/SCI certified on day one, which requires additional lead time between contract award and the beginning the period of performance.

Third, GSA Region 5 has established its position that it would not/could not extend the existing BPA call order to provide any additional time for us to complete the new competitive acquisition.

Finally, given the small amount of time remaining before the end of the existing PoP (June 3, 2022), it is not possible for any contractor other than the incumbent to successfully execute an effective transition without a break in service. The incumbent is performing well and has been throughout the five year term of the current BPA.

5. A determination by the ordering activity Contracting Officer that the order represents the best value consistent with FAR 8.404(d) and FAR 8.405-2(d).

The Government fully expects that the level of effort (as confirmed by the requiring activity) and wage rates will remain stable, with only fair and reasonable escalation of wage rates. The ordering activity contracting officer will use historical data (such as recent negotiated rates used on the current schedule BPA, which was awarded 27 April 2017 with an ultimate PoP end date of 3 June 2022) to determine, after considering the level of effort and the mix of skills available for the tasks needed, whether the proposed price represents a reasonable total price, and will be the best value for the Government.

6. A description of the market research conducted among schedule holders, and the results of the research, or a statement why market research was not conducted. A statement must be made that the supplies and services are available from the FSS.

Market research for the planned follow-on competitive acquisition was conducted by GSA Region 5 in September 2021 IAW FAR 10 and is documented in the Market Research Report in Tab 3 of the ECF. Approximately 30 contractors expressed interest in competing for this work, so competition is expected. For this bridge action, a review (conducted in February 2022) of the technical scope of Macaulay-Brown’s GSA Federal Supply Schedule contract confirms that the contractor continues to offer the required services under contract number

GS-00F-063CA.

7. Any other facts supporting the limited source justification.

N/A

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8. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency will take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to restricted consideration before any subsequent acquisition for supplies and services is made.

The sole purpose of this bridge action is to provide the new ordering activity (GSA Region 1) with sufficient time to complete the planned follow-on competitive acquisition.

9. The ordering activity Contracting Officer’s certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the Contracting Officer’s knowledge and belief and evidence that the supporting data that form a basis for the justification have been certified as complete and accurate by technical/program personnel.

Certification

Program Senior Official (or designee):

I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, and which form a basis for this justification, are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Mr. Stephen Uyehata

___1_Apr 2022_______ Date

Strike Systems Division Chief

Contracting Officer:

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

David Feit Date

WB A&AS, 47QFNA22K0038 Page 5 28 March 2022

UYEHATA.STEPHEN.

G.1173608116

Digitally signed by

UYEHATA.STEPHEN.G.1173608116

Date: 2022.04.01 09:19:44 -04'00'

4/4/2022

Reviews and Approvals

Contracting Branch Chief/One Level above CO:

I have reviewed this justification and find it to be accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief

Timothy Pearson Date

Director, Contracting Division:

I have reviewed this justification and find it to be accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief

Dave Dudley Date

Director, Assisted Acquisition Services (AAS):

I have reviewed this justification and find it to be accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief

Michael Attachi Date

Legal (if > $650K per GSA Order ADM 5000.4B) I have reviewed this justification and find it to be legally sufficient.

Meaghan LeClerc Date

Activity Competition Advocate:

I have reviewed this justification and find it to be accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Kevan Kivlan Date

WB A&AS, 47QFNA22K0038 Page 6 28 March 2022

DocuSign Envelope ID: F8AC0C69-2FE8-4FA0-B863-A45521EAEAF5

4/4/2022

4/4/2022

4/4/2022

4/5/2022

4/5/2022