P03 - J and A over SAT Program Support Services.pdf

Program Support Services

VHAPG Part 819.7008/7009 Sole Source Awards to SDVOSB/VOSB Page 1 of 3 Revision: 03 Effective Date: 06/15/2024

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Justification and Approval (J&A) For

Other Than Full and Open Competition (>SAT)

Acquisition Plan Action ID: 36C776-25-AP-0009

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health

Administration (VHA), on behalf of VHA Procurement Systems and Informatics Office (PSI) and Program Contracting Activity Central (PCAC), the contracting activity plans to procure program support services on a sole-source basis. This document sets forth the justification and approval as required by the procedures in FAR 13.5, used in accordance with 41 U.S.C 1901.

2. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Processed: PSI and PCAC requests approval of a sole source, firm-fixed-price purchase order to Veterans Management Services, Inc. (VMSI), a VetCert-certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), for program support services. This procurement is in accordance with FAR Part

13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items and specifically FAR 13.501 Special Documentation Requirements, where acquisitions conducted under Simplified Acquisition Procedures are exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6.

3. Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet the Agency’s Needs: The Department of Veterans Affairs has expressed an immediate need for continued program support services. Specifically, the requirement is for a short-term one-year (12-month) purchase order for senior consultative and program analyst support services. This requirement provides consultant and program analyst support services to PCAC and PSI. Contractor personnel shall provide program support services according to the performance work statement for each function. The purchase order’s period of performance will be October 10, 2024, through October 9, 2025. The estimated value is $695,088.48. The requirement will be reassessed during this period to determine whether a long-term follow-on contract will be needed for these services, and if so, whether the requirement should be competed based on market research and other considerations.

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other than Full and Open Competition:

In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 8127(c), VAAR 819.7003 (DEVIATION) and VAAR

819.7008 (DEVIATION), a contracting officer may award a contract up to $5M to a SDVOSB concern on a sole source basis provided that the following eligibility requirements are met:

1. The offeror represents that it is SDVOSB eligible. The offeror, VMSI, is a VetCert certified SDVOSB.

2. The offeror represents it is a small business concern under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). As verified on SAM.gov, VMSI represents itself as a SDVOSB under the applicable 541611 NAICS for Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services.

VHAPG Part 819.7008/7009 Sole Source Awards to SDVOSB/VOSB Page 2 of 3

3. In the estimation of the contracting officer, the contract award can be made at a fair and reasonable price that offers best value to the United States. See Section (7).

5. Demonstration that the Contractor’s Unique Qualifications or Nature of the

Acquisition Requires the Use of the Authority Cited Above (applicability of authority):

Veterans Management Services, Inc, can meet the VA’s immediate needs because its personnel have been vetted through the internal VA background investigations; they have current IT access; and they have current and relevant experience with VHA procurement processes, systems, applications, procedures, and regulations in relation to program support services. The contracting officer intends to procure the requirement on a sole source basis since the Contractor can provide the services immediately upon award. Historically, VMSI has provided program support services to the VA for many years. VMSI’s experience working for the VA allowed the Contractor to develop a unique expertise specific to VHA procurement processes, systems, applications, policies, procedures, and regulations.

Awarding to a different vendor will negatively affect mission requirements due to the amount of time it will take to train its personnel to become proficient.

6. Description of Efforts Made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as deemed practicable: N/A

Under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 8127(c), this is not required.

7. Determination by the CO that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable: The anticipated cost to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable. The contractor’s proposal will be subjected to technical evaluation and price analysis. Price analysis will be accomplished by comparison to proposed prices to historical and current contract prices paid and to the prices shown on other SDVOSB FSS pricing, in accordance with FAR 12.209 and 13.106-3.

8. Description of the Market Research Conducted and the Results, or a Statement of the Reasons Market Research Was Not Conducted: Market research was not conducted for this bridge contract. However, previous market research confirms program analysts and consultative support services are commercial “off the shelf” services that are currently available and offered by numerous SDVOSBs on FSS and via open market. FSS was surveilled for sufficient SDVOSBs and VOSBs. A search under schedule Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), NAICS code 541611, revealed 607 sufficient published schedules from SDVOSBs/VOSBs. This market research will be updated if the government determines that a longer-term contract will be needed in the future.

9. Any Other Facts Supporting the Use of Other than Full and Open Competition:

None.

10. Listing of Sources that Expressed, in Writing, an Interest in the Acquisition:

Under a previous effort, a sole source justification for this requirement was published and The VISN Group, an SDVOSB, expressed an interest in this short-term acquisition.

VHAPG Part 819.7008/7009 Sole Source Awards to SDVOSB/VOSB Page 3 of 3

11. A Statement of the Actions, if any, the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome any Barriers to Competition before Making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required: Updated market research will be undertaken if the VA determines that it has a long-term requirement for these services in the future. At that time, VA will determine its acquisition strategy and whether the requirement should be competed or set aside.

12. Requirements Certification: I certify that the requirement outlined in this justification is a Bona Fide Need of the Department of Veterans Affairs and that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in the justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Trey Childress Director, Procurement Systems & Informatics Office VHA Procurement and Logistics Office

13. Approvals in accordance with the VHAPM Part 806.3 OFOC SOP:

a. Contracting Officer or Designee’s Certification (required): I certify that the foregoing justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Andrew Schoenecker Contracting Officer

VHA PCAC

b. One Level Above the Contracting Officer (Required over the SAT but not exceeding $750K): I certify the justification meets requirements for other than full and open competition.

Paris Everson Division Chief

VHA PCAC