LSJ - Only One Source (FE).pdf

USCB Limited Sources Justification Page 5 of 5 Digital Media and Marketing Support Services

LIMITED-SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

FOR DIGITAL MEDIA AND MARKETING SUPPORT SERVICES

In accordance with FAR 8.4 and CAM 1306.70

Task Order Title: DIGITAL MEDIA AND MARKETING SUPPORT SERVICES

Solicitation Number: 1333LB24HK00000008

Contractor: Sensis Inc. (Sensis)

Period of Performance: Date of Award through July 28, 2025 (includes base period and option period)

Place of Performance: U.S. Census Bureau, Suitland, MD

COR: Laura Sewell

Contract Type: Firm Fixed Price (FFP) task order with optional FFP CLINs

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity

This procurement will be awarded by the Census Bureau Headquarters, Acquisition Division (1333LB).

The program office requiring this action is the Center for New Media and Promotion (CNMP).

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

The purpose of this procurement is to provide Enterprise Digital Media and Marketing Support Services for the United States Census Bureau (USCB). The procurement provides a continuation of the same services previously performed by Sensis through Census Task Order # 1333LB23F00000162 while the Strategic Communications and Digital Services (SCDS) Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) award (1333LB23A00000004) is under corrective action. The contractor shall perform all necessary activities to support the agency at the enterprise level.

The period of performance includes an approximately six-month base period from July 29, 2024, through January 28, 2025, with a six-month option period from January 29, 2025, to July 28, 2025, and six-month Extension of Services per FAR part 52.217-8.

3. Description of the Supplies/Services Required

The USCB’s mission is to serve as the nation’s leading provider of quality data about its people and economy. The USCB depends on strong communications and communication channels to educate the public on the importance of data and motivate response to USCB surveys. This includes driving response to the Decennial Census, as required by the U.S. Constitution, the congressionally mandated American Community Survey, and the Economic Census, which leads to the most comprehensive economic statistics available, representing all U.S. industries and geographies.

This requirement, which is directly linked to the USCB Strategic Goals 1 and 2 for Stakeholder Engagement and Innovation, allows for the seamless continuation of the Census Bureau’s important public outreach and promotion via social media and email marketing.

The Census Bureau’s official social media accounts are a primary vehicle for sharing the Census Bureau’s work and data with the American people and data users across the country. This requirement supports the USCB social media at its current rate and quality, averaging 100 posts a week across Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn. This includes the creation of high-quality graphics, animations, videos, and copy that inform the public about Census Bureau data, as well as ongoing expertise on changes and innovations in social media account management and social media platforms so CNMP can best reach the public.

This requirement also supports the Census Bureau’s other digital work, including its email marketing program, continuing to create greater capacity for the development and distribution of high-quality email newsletters to large subscriber lists through the USCB’s email marketing (GovDelivery) platform. Interest in launching email newsletters for internal and external communications continues to grow around the agency.

People across the country, businesses and other federal agencies heavily depend on Census Bureau data and the quality of USCB statistical products to make critical decisions concerning public safety, infrastructure, equity and more. Social media and email marketing help the Census Bureau spread the word about its work and the value of data, highlight free publicly available data, and promote trust in the Census Bureau and other federal government data as valuable tools for businesses and communities across the country.

The total estimated value of the proposed task order is $4,539,044.63.

4. Authority and Supporting Rationale

This action is taken pursuant to the authority of FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B) – Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized.

The Digital Media and Marketing Support Services for the Census Bureau’s data dissemination efforts was intended to transition to the SCDS BPA through the issuance of a call order once awarded. However, due to the protest of the SCDS BPA filed on September 25, 2023, with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Acquisition Division (ACQ) in collaboration with the Office of General Counsel and in support of the GAO, performed a review of the official and final administrative record of SCDS BPA Solicitation and determined the USCB would take corrective action. The current task order expires on July 28, 2024, and the tentative resolution date of the corrective action is September 2024. To avoid a lapse in CNMP data dissemination efforts, Census must obtain a continuation (and an eventual transition) of the critical Digital Media and Marketing support services with Sensis during the resolution period.

This proposed task order accounts for any potential protest, call order issuance under the SCDS BPA, and transition period.

CNMP manages digital communication campaigns that raise awareness of Census Bureau data, expands outreach to partners and stakeholders, and drives survey response. CNMP and its support team specializes in digital storytelling, creating engaging content that humanizes the Census Bureau brand to increase the use of Census Bureau data and response to Census Bureau surveys. If the Census Bureau and CNMP experiences a lapse in the contracted support services, then the following impacts will occur to the Census Bureau:

The ability to disseminate data, in accordance with the established schedules, would be at risk due to the program's loss of support provided by contractors.

The lack of contractor support will lead to a reduction in social media posts and email newsletters coming from CNMP and the Census Bureau, resulting in a loss of engagement and potentially public trust in receiving timely information from the agency.

Delays will occur while planning, training, and ensuring all statistical safeguards are met, resulting in increased costs, to cover the loss of support by contractors.

Upcoming planned paid digital media campaigns will need to be cancelled, resulting in less public outreach on important topics like surveys people may receive.

Reduced ability to continue the same pace of data dissemination. In turn, this may negatively impact the Census Bureau’s reputation and will result in lower engagement and slowed growth of the Census Bureau’s outreach channels. It will also negatively impact customer service, and therefore, public satisfaction.

The support services provided by Sensis meet a critical need for the Census Bureau in ensuring that a disruption of the overall CNMP mission does not occur. Sensis is the only source that has available and capable staff who are intimately familiar with the Census Bureau’s brand strategy, digital marketing approach, Census Bureau’s and CNMP’s tools and processes, and have a strong foundation in statistical literacy. The technical and management approach that Sensis, Inc has provided for the existing social media and promotional efforts, as well as solutions already delivered, have both met the needs of the government and implemented best practices. Sensis continues to deliver an experienced team with vast knowledge on all technical areas of the performance work statement, and their statistical literacy experience is critical for promotion of USCB data. Sensis team helped the Census Bureau and CNMP develop a unique approach to engaging with data users and the general public by sharing content that is tailored to the audience’s level of awareness of the Census Bureau brand and their use of Census Bureau data, resulting in increased engagement levels with the public. In addition, the Census Bureau’s high profile error rate has decreased significantly under the unique and highly specialized experience of the Sensis team.

Obtaining another contractor (and personnel team) at this critical juncture would significantly impact the Census Bureau’s mission and increase costs due to phase-in expenses while trying to acclimate a new contractor to the Census Bureau and CNMP systems, tools, and processes within an unrealistic, compressed performance timeframe. By the time another contractor would be acclimated to handle the basic functions, CNMP would be required to issue a call order against the SCDS BPA. Additionally, expediting a new contractor phase-in related to work on such a public, high-risk platform like social media could cause irreputable harm, negatively impacting production and jeopardizing public trust in the agency. Not acquiring the required support services from Sensis would result in a lapse of technical support for data releases, as well as support for applications and processes that are utilized to plan, schedule, ensure quality control, and disseminate content smoothly to notify the public about Census Bureau data and surveys. Lastly, this scenario would also require the Census Bureau to incur repetitive expenses when the corrective action is concluded.

5. Contracting Officer Determination of Best Value

Rates listed on the master GSA Schedule have already been deemed fair and reasonable. The Contracting Officer, Contracting Officer Representative, and the technical team will perform an evaluation of the quotation received via the solicitation, and seek any additional discounts. In addition to ensuring technical compliance with the solicitation, the team will also compare the prices to the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) and historical acquisitions for these services. Based on this approach, a determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated price to the government will be fair and reasonable and provide the best value to the government will be documented in the memo for award.

6. Market Research

Market Research was conducted and documented in accordance with FAR Part 10 in support of this procurement. Market Research for this procurement consisted of a review of historical acquisition information, knowledge in procuring services of this type, review of internet resources, contracts with other federal government program representatives, and review of the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contracts with Sensis. Additionally, the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) tool as well as the GSA Procurement Equity Tool were utilized to identify small businesses potentially capable of subcontracting with Sensis for this task order. Based on the market research, the Government determined that Sensis has a valid GSA MAS contract, has a valid entity registration in the System for Award Management (SAM), was not on the excluded parties list and there are small businesses capable of supporting the requirement as subcontractors.

While market research indicated that other sources are capable of providing these types of services, no other sources can be considered for this procurement because of the reasons explained above, and it is in the government’s best interest to issue a task order to Sensis, Inc.

7. Other Facts Supporting the Justification

The following describes the critical nature of the support services and the impacts to CNMP and the Census Bureau if there were a lapse in support services:

The Census Bureau is charged with providing ongoing data of the U.S. population, housing, and economy, which supports the economic and political foundations of the United States. Reliable dissemination of demographic and economic statistics is vital to the Census Bureau’s overall mission and strategic goals and

The Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data and information about the nation's people and economy. More than just numbers, this information shapes important policy decisions that help improve the nation’s social and economic conditions. The Census Bureau interacts with thousands of businesses, residents, partners, journalists, government officials, academic researchers, and many other organizations and groups on a regular basis to collect and disseminate information. The result of these customer interactions has a direct impact on the Census Bureau’s ability to collect high-quality data and increase the visibility and utility of its products. To this end, the Census Bureau’s strategic plan highlights Stakeholder Engagement, including Customer Service Excellence, as one of its three strategic goals. Furthermore, the Census Bureau has developed a data dissemination strategy, which “aims to meet the needs of a complex and disparate user base; and allow these groups to make better data-driven decisions, based on credible statistics, easy-to-use tools, and standardized data elements.”

8. Actions to Remove or Overcome Barriers to Competition

Extensive market research was conducted for the SCDS procurement that included issuance of Request for Information (RFI) on Sam.gov and engagements with industry. As a result, a multi-phase competitive acquisition strategy was developed that allows for greater participation in the SCDS procurement while also minimizing the burden on participating small businesses. Both phases of the competitive process for the SCDS acquisition were developed based on best-practices and prior acquisitions that have received positive feedback from industry.

Certification

9. Technical/Program Certification:

Based on the information herein, and in accordance with FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B), this task order should be awarded to Sensis, Inc. As the Program Office Representative, I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Laura Sewell Date Contracting Officer’s Representative U.S. Census Bureau

Certification from the Contracting Officer:

Based on the information herein, it was determined to be in the government’s best interest to award this short-term task order to Sensis, Inc., in accordance with FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B). As Contracting Officer, I hereby certify that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Long Nguyen Date Contracting Officer U.S. Census Bureau

Activity Competition Advocate:

I have reviewed this justification and find it to be accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. Since this Limited-Sources Justification does not exceed $15M, this review serves as approval.

Leslie A. Andrecs Date Competition Advocate U.S. Census Bureau