SSJ (STRANGULATION 2025) FINAL_Redacted.pdf

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

($10,000 to SAT ($250K)

1. The service listed is Sole Source and competition is precluded for reasons indicated below. There are no substitutes available for this material or service.

2. Restricted to the following source. Provide original manufacturer’s name.

Manufacturer: Alliance for HOPE International Mfr. POC / Phone # / Email: Casey Gwinn, Casey@allianceforhope.com, (888) 511-3522 Mfr. Address: 501 W. Broadway, Ste A #625, San Diego, CA 92101 Mfr./Resellers/Dealers: NA

3. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition.

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1), Only One responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

4. Identification of the justification rationale.

The acquisition is being conducted under the procedures of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) – Soliciting from a single source. The justification rationale for restricting competition is:

The Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention (TISP) is a program of Alliance for HOPE International. The TISP offers instruction on the investigation and prosecution of strangulation allegations that is a one-of-a-kind service that Naval Criminal Investigative Services (NCIS) cannot acquire elsewhere. There are no other sources that exist on the market that will meet agency training requirements.

5. Description of the item or service required, statement that the requested material or service represents the minimum requirements of the government, the estimated cost, and required delivery date or performance period.

NCIS Code 23 requires a Strangulation Investigations course to provide agents with new information to help refute or corroborate strangulation allegations and enable more successful prosecutions of violent offenses. The courses will be scheduled to reach the largest possible audience of NCIS agents.

The Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention (TISP) program is a function of the Alliance for HOPE International that was formed to help enhance the knowledge of professionals working with strangled victims who are subjects of domestic violence and sexual assault. The TISP was initiated with support from the United States Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women. The TISP provides consulting, training, resources, and support services to professionals working in the fields of domestic violence and sexual assault. Attendees of TISP trainings learn how to identify the signs and symptoms of non-fatal strangulation cases; understand and recognize the anatomy and medical aspects of surviving and non-surviving victims; investigate and document cases for

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

H E AD QUA RT ER S

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prosecution; prosecute cases, including using experts in court; and enhance victim safety through trauma-informed advocacy services.

In 2022, the TISP provided a virtual 4-hour block of instruction for over 150 NCIS Agents. The course was deemed a success by all responding attendees, with requests for additional in-person training on the topics of investigating and prosecuting strangulations. As such, NCIS coordinated with the TISP to provide three in-person trainings for NCIS in 2023 (Contract #N6328523P0034) and 2024 (Contract #N6328524P0032), reaching agents in MWFO, SWFO, CAFO, NFFO, DCFO, HIFO, and SEFO. The effort to provide standardized training across the agency will continue this year in NEFO, NWFO, and FEFO. Each of the trainings will be two days long, and the trainings will be conducted in three different NCIS Field Offices that were chosen to maximize the number of students who could attend. The TISP will provide two instructors to present course materials that have already been created by the TISP. The cost for each 2-day course with two instructors varies based on travel costs. The estimates for each course, which includes all travel expenses for the instructors, is cited in attached documentation. In total, the three separate courses will total an expense of There is no limit to the number of students that can attend each course.

The requested service meets the minimum requirements of the government.

Required Delivery Date or Period of Performance:

Northwest Field Office, Bremerton, WA: July 17-18, 2025 Far East Field Office, Okinawa, Japan: August 5-6, 2025 Northeast Field Office, Newport, RI: August 20-21, 2025

6. Specific characteristics of the material or service that limit the availability to this/these source(s) (unique features, function of the item, etc.). Describe in detail why only this/these suggested source(s) can furnish the requirements to the exclusion of other sources. Provide a description of the market research conducted among schedule holders.

Although this exact training has been successfully taught by Alliance for HOPE International for the past few years, Code 14B posted a Sources Sought Announcement (SSA) in SAM.gov to verify if there were any other entities who could adequately perform the strangulation training. The SSA was open from 29 May 2025 to 03 June 2025, and as a result of the announcement, three responses came back from interested vendors: Alliance for HOPE International, Awal LLC, and Tesfaye LLC.

The interest emails and supporting documents for all three companies were sent to the TPOC, who stated that Alliance for HOPE International was the only company out of the three who was capable of successfully performing the strangulation training. The TPOC explained that Awal LLC and Tesfaye LLC both fail to meet the capabilities standards as neither of these vendors appear to have adequate background in strangulation investigations (see Sources Sought Response Analysis Excel Sheet attached in file for more information). Code 14B did further research on the three companies and found that: Awal LLC appears to have a background in equipment and goods, machineries, truck manufacturing, and furniture; Tesfaye LLC appears to have a background in hotels and motels, as well as rental of conference space and facilities; and Alliance for HOPE International appears to have a background in educational support services and has a team of instructors that have decades of experience in Investigating, Prosecuting, and applying Medical Knowledge strictly in the field of strangulation.

Based on this market research and evaluation, Alliance for HOPE International is the only strangulation training available that can provide the adequate training for this requirement.

Moreover, TISP is the only program of its kind that offers specialized training, basic and advanced, in investigating and prosecuting strangulations. The TISP faculty members are comprised of former prosecutors, defense attorneys, investigators, and medical doctors who all have years of experience in strangulation investigations.

In addition to providing trainings to jurisdictions all over the United States, the TISP also creates protocols that have been adopted by cities and states governing how different agencies within that jurisdiction will handle strangulation incidents. The protocols developed by the TISP dictate how first responders, hospital staff, investigators, family advocates, and prosecutors will work together to resolve strangulation allegations.

Many of the jurisdictions for which the TISP has developed such protocols are in Department of Navy (DON) fleet concentration areas in which NCIS agents routinely respond to family and sexual violence calls and will be expected to adhere to the local protocols designed by the TISP. More specifically, the TISP frequently trains family advocacy programs for all branches of the Department of Defense (DOD).

The TISP has also been in consultation with the Defense Health Agency to establish the protocols used by DOD Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners and Domestic Assault Forensic Examiners to provide treatment and proper documentation of strangulation victims reporting to DOD hospitals. The TISP is the only training center positioned to provide NCIS agents training on strangulation protocols that will be consistent with those being employed by DOD family advocates, DOD Healthcare providers, and in all facets of many concurrent jurisdictions boarding DON Installations.

7. Other information to support a sole source buy: N/A

8. TECHNICAL OR REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION:

I Certify That The Facts And Representations Under My Cognizance Which Are Included In This Justification, Which Form A Basis For This Justification, Are Complete And Accurate.