LSJ IT Academy PFD777 Final_Redacted.pdf

Limited-Sources Justification

Pursuant to the Multiple Award Schedule Program (as authorized by 40 U.S.C. § 501), this justification is prepared in accordance with the requirements of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.405-6(c) for the use of sources limited to fewer than those required in FAR 8.405-1, FAR 8.405-2, and FAR 8.405-3. The circumstance justifying restriction is FAR 8.405- 6(a)(1)(i)(B)based on the following facts and rationale:

(1) Agency and Contracting Activity.

The Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard (USCG), Office of Contract Operations (CG-912) proposes to extend the current Task Order (General Services Administration [GSA] Schedule Contract # GS-35F-0646S / Task Order # 70Z02320FPFD77700) on the basis of a limited-sources justification.

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

(a) Nature of action: USCG intends to add additional services for interim period of nine (9) months for Administrative Systems, Application, Support Services, and Ship Control and Navigation Training System (SCANTS) Services

Current period of performance: 08/30/2020 – 08/29/2021 New period of performance 08/30/2020 – 05/31/2022

(b) Name and address of the contractor:

Knight Point Systems LLC 1775 Wiehle Avenue Suite 101 Reston, VA 20190

(c) Contract type: Firm-Fixed-Price

(d) Estimated total value (including options):

Current Contract

Description Period of Performance Quantity Unit Issue Unit Price Total Amount

Base 08/30/20 – 06/29/21 1 10 Months Option Period 1 06/30/21 – 07/29/21 1 Month Option Period 2 07/30/21 – 08/29/21 1 Month

Total Amount $3,305,933.85

Nine (9) Month Extension

Description Period of Performance Unit Issue Unit Price Total Amount

Additional Services 08/30/21 - 05/31/22 9 Months

(e) Type of funding: AFC 30 Operating and Maintenance

(f) Year of funding: Fiscal Year 2021

(g) Solicitation number: Not applicable

(h) Background information about the requirement: Task Order HSCG23-15-J- PHX001 was competitively awarded under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) strategic sourcing vehicle EAGLE II. An interim task order was awarded on 08/11/2020 for a twelve (12) month period (Task order: GS-35F0646S /70Z02320FPFD77700) on a sole source basis to Knight Point Systems, LLC as the pre-award planning phase of the recompete was delayed due to the COVID pandemic which impacted the Academy’s educational environment. The task order was to allow the IT support services contract performance work statement (PWS) to be reexamined, updated, amended, and adjusted to meet the changing environment of the Academy and its ancillary schools as a result of COVID-19 and its corresponding impact to the Academy. The Academy originally anticipated PWS completion during the Cadets’ winter leave period (mid-December 2020 and early January 2021).

However, additional time was required to update programmatic changes to reflect the current technology needs and changes. The Academy is still in the process of developing its updated PWS to ensure its needs are captured in a new contract. Task Order 70Z02320FPFD77700 expires on 08/29/21 and services must continue uninterrupted to ensure vital training continues.

(3) Description of Supplies/Services.

The additional services are required to continue providing the Academy services in support of academic and administrative functions in a higher education and military environment while the pre-award package for a new competitive contract is completed. The Academy maintains its own.edu domain for cadets, instructors, and other educational purposes.

Services are required in four major areas: Administrative Systems, Application, Support Services, and Ship Control and Navigation Training System (SCANTS). Functions include Help Desk services, training (student, faculty, and staff), system administration and maintenance, network administration, and general computer support services.

(4) Identification of the justification and the rationale.

The circumstance justifying restriction is FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B) – Only one source is capable of providing the services required at the level of quality required through the following facts and rationale. The Academy’s educational network is a one of a kind network only found at the Academy. The .edu domain/network is not supported by the IT support contractor that supports the Coast Guard’s (.mil) IT infrastructure. Without the Academy’s independent IT support contract for the .edu domain, officer accession for the USCG would be severely impacted.

The Academy operates an entirely separate network on the USCG .edu domain. Within that network, the contractor is also responsible for government owned, contractor developed software that is unique to the Academy’s mission. The new Cyber Systems academic major at the Academy is supported with another network commonly referred to as “CyberNet” and logically separate from other domains. Given the network’s focus on cyber security research and Information Technology development education, it presents a very challenging environment with respect to contractor support. The time for a new contractor to ramp up service support is approximately 90 days and for this reason, transition should only be targeted for the summer of 2022 when the academic year has ended and there is sufficient time to prepare the new contractor before the start of the Fall semester. Attempting to transition during the academic school year (September – May) will have a major impact and unacceptable operational risks to support students (computer assistance, coursework, research, capstones), civilian and military faculty members, custom coursework programs, various educational specialty platforms such as Desire to Learn (D2L), maintaining an acceptable ticket queue, and ensuring the .edu network stays functional during hardware or software failures.

At this time given all factors, the only way for the Government to continue these critical services uninterrupted is to award a sole source interim action to Knight Point Systems LLC.

The USCG continues to develop the procurement package for a new competitive action with an anticipated solicitation release date in Fall 2021.

(5) Determination by the ordering activity Contracting Officer that the anticipated order represents the best value consistent with 8.404(d).

The Contracting Officer has determined that issuing a nine (9) month extension to Knight Point Systems, LLC for this effort represents the best value and will result in the lowest overall cost to meet the Government’s needs. The original order was placed in accordance with FAR 8.404

– Use of Federal Supply Schedules. GSA has already negotiated fair and reasonable pricing at the contract level. The Contracting Officer will consider the level of effort and the labor mix available for the extension and seek further reductions in schedule prices to ensure a fair and reasonable price.

(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.

Extensive market research has been continually performed between June 2019 and April 2021 in anticipation of a competitively awarded contract in quarter four of 2021. Based on the market research, VETS2 was determined to be the most compatible strategic sourcing vehicle. In addition, the result of an issued RFI provided a list of interested vendors on VETS2 and illustrated that adequate competition would be available on VETS2.

However, as illustrated in Section 4 above, and for purposes of this LSJ, only one source is capable of providing the services required at the level of quality required for the Academy at this time. Market research will continue to be conducted during this nine (9) month extension to ensure that the use of VET2 is still both in the best interest of the Government and that competition for the follow-on contract is maximized.

(7) Any other facts supporting the justification.

To ensure that the follow-on contract will have as many potential sources as possible, APFS record F2021052815 will be continually updated to ensure the public sector has the most up-to-date information and to maximize competition.

(8) A statement of actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that preclude the agency from meeting the requirements of 8.405-1 and 8.405-2 before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services is made.

The Government anticipates the follow-on contract be solicited as a competitive 100% Small Business set-aside against a DHS Strategic Sourcing Vehicle. While additional market research will be conducted, current market research still reflects the VETS2 to be the most appropriate vehicle to conduct a competitive follow-on contract. Upon completion of the actions outlined in Section 4 and the completion of the academic school year (May 2022), no subsequent barriers to competition are present.

(9) Contracting Officer’s Certification.

I certify that the data supporting the recommended use of other than full and open competition is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Date

(10) Technical/Requirements Personnel Certification.

I certify that this requirement meets the Government’s minimum need and that the supporting data, which forms a basis for the justification, is accurate and complete.

Date

APPROVAL: