MS_Redacted_LSJ_ITSS_Bridge_-_New_GSA_Contract_-_3_months_1.docx

1. Identification of the Agency and Contracting Activity:

U.S Environmental Protection Agency- Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina; Office of Acquisition Solutions (OAS), Information Technology Acquisition Division (ITAD)

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

· Type of Action: Bridge – Limited Source Justification

· Contract Vehicle: General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule Contract 47QTCA19D00HR / 68HERD23F0076

· Vendor: COMTECH, LLC This Bridge – Limited Source Justification supports a short term, three (3) month Task Order 68HERD23F0076 to provide Information Technology Support Services (ITSS), at the EPA’s Research Triangle Park (RTP), as described in the Task Order Performance Work Statement (PWS).

The current Task Order with Comtech LLC for these same services (GS-35F- 0431K/68HE0D18F0930) expires on February 28, 2023. The ordering period of Comtech, LLC’s GSA contract GS-35F-0431K has expired and has been replaced with Comtech LLC GSA Contract 47QTCA19D00HR. The follow-on competition for ITSS is scheduled for award in May 2023. The purpose of this document is to justify the need for this short term, three (3) month Bridge Task Order under GSA Contract 47QTCA19D00HR in order to prevent a lapse in support for critical Information Technology services to maintain the EPA-RTP Operations while the new support task order is competed.

3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value):

The ITSS Contract provides EPA RTP with IT support services as listed below:

· The vendor shall provide for the successful operation, maintenance, management, and enhancement of various aspects of EPA-RTP Intranet/Internet applications and websites. This includes operations, maintenance and management of Web Application software, hardware (hereafter refers to both physical servers and virtual environments), custom coding, application integration, database administration, and website content.

· Vendor shall implement new and maintain existing Archibus modules including, but not limited to, the following: Building Operations (including the Preventive Maintenance and Work Order sub-modules), Space

BRIDGE

LIMITED

SOURCE

JUSTIFICATION

Contract

47QTCA19D00HR

68HERD23F0076

Management, On-Demand, and Furniture and Equipment.

· OARM-RTP websites shall be a comprehensive and easy-to-navigate repository of the most current official information about EPA-RTP.

· Provide all labor and supervision to deploy, install, configure, debug, and maintain end user computing systems throughout their life cycle. OARM- RTP provides computing support services to Federal and Vendor personnel in RTP. These are 140 specific machines that cannot be supported by the current agency computer support contract.

· Provide Lotus Notes application migration and support services. Support existing Notes applications and migrate existing Notes applications to new platforms in response to customer requests. Provide a basic level of development and support for applications in alternate database platforms.

· Utilizing Windows-based graphics software packages, provide support to OARM- RTP clients by designing, developing, printing, and mounting graphic products. Graphic support can also include such things as the preparation of high-resolution image files, image scanning, graphic file conversions, and answering OARM-RTP customer questions about available graphics-based tools and services.

· Technical and creative support shall be provided for Windows-based graphics and multimedia electronic communications delivered via digital signage kiosks in multiple locations. Digital Signage multimedia support includes design and development of animated graphics in a Scala content or Windows Media compatible format, layout design and development of electronic promotional images for location-specific events, and layout design and development of general information content.

· Training support shall be provided out of the EPA-HQ offices in Washington, DC. Training shall be developed and conducted for Office 365 applications and online components including but not limited to SharePoint, Skype for Business, OneDrive, Microsoft Teams, and other applications specific to Government Tenants and cloud environments.

Period of 3/1/2023 1-- ---1 Allotted Price/Labor Performance 5/31/2023 Total Allotted Price/DOC

Month

Bridge

COST

4. The authority and supporting rationale and a demonstration of the proposed contractor's unique qualifications to provide the required supply or service:

· Exception Cited: FAR 8.405-6(a)(J)(C) - In the interest of economy and efficiency, the new work is a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order provided that the original order was placed in accordance with the applicable Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures. The original order or BPA must not have been previously issued under sole-source or limited-sources procedures.

The Government is not stating that there are no other contractors who can support this requirement. Instead, the Government's position is that considering the short period of performance contemplated within this extension, no other contractor could transition this workload from COMTECH, LLC and efficiently continue performance without potential reduced services, increased costs, and unnecessay risks to the Government. COMTECH, LLC has been meeting these PWS requirements since July 1, 2018.

The Government is currently in the process of consolidation of this RTP IT Support Services (ITSS) requirement with the RTP Information Technology Infrastructure Operations Support (ITIOS) requirement and the Cincinnati IT Support Services requirement. The resulting combined PWS is contemplated to be awarded under a new support task order in May 2023.

BRIDGE

LIMITED

SOURCE

JUSTIFICATION

Contract

47QTCA19D00HR

68HERD23F0076

This consolidation will provide IT site operations support for RTP and Cincinnati campuses. Through this partnership, our objectives are to reduce PM (project management) overhead costs, attain a more uniform pricing structure than what currently exists across three separate contract vehicles, and greatly improve collaboration between the EPA campuses. This consolidated task order written against a GSA (General Services Administration) contract should provide a more seamless support experience for customers.

Contractor transition for a requirement with the size, scope, and complexity of this combined PWS places critical Government technology infrastructure systems at increased risk as the incoming contractor becomes fully capable to perform the support functions required.

Continuity of services is essential in supporting EPA's mission of protecting human health and the environment. The task order requirement scope includes providing critical information technology support services to employees and US EPA operations at the RTP Campus. A lapse in service will seriously impair agency operations.

The Government will potentially enter a transitional period between contractors for this requirement in May 2023. The period of performance for the new contract (12-month Base Period plus two 12-month Option Periods) will make the risk and costs inherent in transition activities acceptable to the Government. A short term Bridge Task Order under GSA 47QTCA19D00HR to allow for continuation of these critical information technology services with the current contractor, COMTECH, LLC, provides the lowest risk for the three (3) month period of performance contemplated by this Limited Source Justification.

BRIDGE – LIMITED SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

Contract 47QTCA19D00HR / 68HERD23F0076

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

The total Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) for this three (3) month Bridge Task Order is This figure was calculated using the current GSA Supply Schedule rates (approved under 47QTCA19D00HR) for each of the labor categories utilized by COMTECH, LLC under the current Option Period of TO 68HE0D18F0930 .

A total of manhours are estimated for this three (3) month TO. All labor hours and categories utilized in the IGCE are reconcilable with the manhours and categories incurred as actuals under Option Period V extension period of TO 68HE0D18F0930 (October 1, 2022 – February 28, 2023).

The Contracting Officer has determined that the anticipated cost of is fair and reasonable for this 3-month Bridge TO

68HERD23F0076.

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:

A Notice of Intent to issue a Sole Source award to COMTECH, LLC was posted to Sam.gov on February 15, 2023.

The EPA will follow up should any responses to the published notice be received.

No additional market research was conducted for this three (3) month bridge for the reasons stated in section 4 above. Based on the information found in section 4 of this document, it is not reasonable to believe that a contractor could take over and provide the ITSS Services of this size, scope, and complexity without reducing essential services, increasing the Government’s risk, and incurring unnecessary costs on a short-term basis. Therefore, a sole source extension to the current contractor is the only responsible way to meet this critical EPA requirement.

BRIDGE - LIMITED SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

7. Any other facts supporting the justification:

8. A statement of the 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:

The Government believes that there are no significant barriers to the fair opportunity to compete the follow-on acquisition based on previous historical information which indicates that placing an RFQ on GSA authorized Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) will result in multiple contractor submissions of quotations.

9. Requiring Agency Certification:

I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which form the basis for this justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Digitally signed by TRACY

TRACY LANKFORD LANKFORD

Date: 2023.02.28 14:50:24 -05'00'

Tracy Lankford Technical Representative

Date

BRIDGE – LIMITED SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

10. Contracting Officer Certification: The undersigned hereby certifies that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

ROBERT FLOWERS

Digitally signed by ROBERT FLOWERS Date: 2023.02.28 14:56:12 -05'00'

Robert Flowers Date Team Leader/Contracting Officer OAS, Information Technology Acquisition Division

Approval:

LAURANNE

VOGEL

)Digitally signed by LAURANNE VOGEL Date: 2023.02.28 15:11:52 -05'00' Lauranne Vogel Date Branch Chief OAS, Information Technology Acquisition Division image1.png image2.jpeg image3.png image4.png image5.png