P03 SSJ Redact_ Redacted.pdf

VHAPG Part 813.5 Simplified Acquisition Procedures for Certain Commercial Items Attachment 1: Request for Sole Source Justification Template >SAT-$7.5M under FAR13.5

Effective Date: 02/01/2022 Page 1 of 4

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION UNDER SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES

FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR 13.5

Acquisition Plan Action ID: 36C249-24-AP-0839

1. Contracting Activity:

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Network Contracting Office 9 Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. VA Medical Center

2. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Processed:

This proposed action is for a new interim firm-fixed-price sole source contract for Orthopedic Physician Surgical Services, in accordance with FAR 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, but still require a justification using the format of FAR 6.303-2. The proposed period of performance is 04-01-2024 to 03-31-2025, and the estimated cost for this proposed action is .

3. Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet the Agency�s Needs:

Contractor shall furnish 1.5 FTE personnel to perform onsite Orthopedic Physician Surgical Services to eligible beneficiaries of the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. VA Medical Center (hereinafter referred to as VAMC). The VAMC requires in-house Orthopedic Physician Surgical Services to support patient care.

The current Contractor, Assurgent Medical Staffing LLC, has contracted personnel who are actively working after credentialed by the VAMC, allowing for a seamless transition between contracts without disruption of services. The current contract expires 03-31-2024.

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Restricted Competition:

FAR 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items. The statutory authority for applying the Simplified Procedures for Commercial Items of FAR 13.5 is 41 U.S.C. § 1901 and is implemented by FAR 13.106-1(b)(2) for restricting competition on this procurement. Competition is restricted on this procurement for the reason below:

(X) Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements

( ) Unusual and Compelling Urgency ( ) Industrial Mobilization, Engineering, Developmental or Research Capability or Expert

Services ( ) International Agreement ( ) Authorized or Required by Statute ( ) National Security ( ) Public Interest

VHAPG Part 813.5 Simplified Acquisition Procedures for Certain Commercial Items Attachment 1: Request for Sole Source Justification Template >SAT-$7.5M under FAR13.5

Effective Date: 02/01/2022 Page 2 of 4

5. Demonstration that the Contractor�s Unique Qualifications or Nature of the Acquisition Requires the Use of the Authority Cited Above (applicability of authority):

The incumbent Contractor employs orthopedic physicians who are onboarded and credentialed by the VAMC, have active Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards, and have completed background investigations through Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Awarding this interim contract to any other Contractor other than the incumbent would result in significant delays in providing services, as the VAMC onboarding process for physicians takes approximately 90 days to complete. Due to these circumstances, the incumbent Contractor is the only source capable of providing these critical services without a substantial break in services.

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

Ongoing recruitment efforts by the VAMC to hire permanent orthopedic physicians have been unsuccessful. Due to nearing the expiration of the current contract, it is not feasible to solict a competed requirement, award a contract, recruit, and onboard new providers before 04/01/2024;

therefore, it is in the best interest of the Government to negotiate and award a short-term contract to the incumbent Contractor, allowing for continuity of patient care until a long-term solicitation can be competed and awarded.

7. Determination by the CO that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable:

Upon receipt of proposal and in preparation for negotiations, the Contracting Officer will conduct price analysis, in order to determine price fair and reasonable, by comparing proposed rates to the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Price Index (CPI), market rates, and historical rates including the current contracted rates for similar services. The current contract was competed.

8. Description of the Market Research Conducted and the Results, or a Statement of the Reasons

Market Research Was Not Conducted:

Market research was conducted for the long-term requirement via Request for Information (RFI) No.

36C24923Q0189,

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: