JA_Redacted.pdf

end of the current extension, creating potential for disruption to mail handling, sorting, and delivery services. A bridge action is therefore necessary to maintain uninterrupted operations while the competitive acquisition is finalized in accordance with acquisition planning requirements under FAR 7.105(a)(7).

3. Description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value). This is expected to be $575k over six months $95k monthly.

a. Project title. Mail Services Contract Acquisition for November 2026.

b. Project description. The Division of Mail Management Services (DMMS) provides complete mail services for the entire National Institutes of Health, which includes approximately 110 buildings on the Bethesda campus and other locations in nearby Bethesda and Rockville. Within these buildings, there are 1,200 mail stops requiring pick-up and delivery of mail daily, Monday through Friday. The processes involved in this project are receipt, sorting and delivering mail by truck from the central mail facility to all NIH locations in the Bethesda/Rockville area. Outgoing mail from NIH activities is processed by the DMMS and dispatched to the USPS and UPS, as appropriate. This project will provide for continuous essential mail services for the NIH research community within the expected and required timeframes.

This service has been contracted out to various contractors for the last 25 years. The contract is currently held by NT Bankers who are currently in an extension past the fourth option year of a Base year plus 4 option-year contract.

Requirement type.

Research & development (R&D) R & D support services

Support services (non-R&D) Supplies/equipment Information technology (IT) Construction Architect-engineer (A & E) services Design-build Other (specify): ____________________

Type of action.

New requirement Follow-on Other (specify): ______________________

Proposed contract/order type.

Firm-fixed-price Other fixed-price (specify, e.g., fixed-price award-fee, fixed-price incentive-fee): __________ Cost-plus-fixed-fee Other cost reimbursement (specify, e.g., cost-plus-award-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee): ___________ Time and materials Indefinite delivery (specify whether indefinite quantity, definite quantity, or requirements): ___________ Other (specify): ___________ Completion Form Term form

Acquisition identification number. 75N98021C00002.

c. Total estimated dollar value and performance/delivery period.

May 3, 2026, through November 2, 2026, and the estimated amount is $575k.

4. Identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of 41 United States Code (U.S.C.) 1901 as set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.501(a)(1)(ii).

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of section 4202 of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996.

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Services Acquisition Reform Act of 2003 (41 U.S.C. 428a).

5. Demonstration that the proposed contractor(s) unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited.

a. Name and address of the proposed contractor(s). NT Bankers Contract, 1629 K Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006-1631

b. Nature of the acquisition and proposed unique qualifications of the contractor(s). NT Bankers has provided NIH mail services under Contract No. 75N98021C00002 for several years and is highly experienced in performing all requirements outlined in the Statement of Work (SOW). The contractor has consistently met performance expectations, delivering reliable and uninterrupted mail handling, sorting, and distribution in support of NIH administrative, research, and patient care operations.

The contractor has demonstrated responsiveness to Government direction, including implementing staffing efficiencies, reducing staff to support cost, and operational requirements, with no significant performance issues or corrective actions to date. This sustained performance reflects a stable, low-risk contractor with strong operational reliability and familiarity with NIH requirements.

A short-term six month follow-on contract with the incumbent represents the lowest risk option to ensure continuity of critical mail services while the follow-on competition is completed. Transitioning to a new vendor at this stage would introduce unnecessary disruption risk and potential delays to essential NIH operations.

6. Description of the efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable. Indicate whether a FedBizOpps notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies. So far, efforts have been made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable through use of GSA market research tools and early vendor engagement. A formal Request for Information (RFI) was posted on GSA eBuy, which generated strong industry interest, with approximately 20 vendors responding. Additional market research conducted through GSA eLibrary identified multiple capable vendors with the qualifications and capacity to perform the required mail services, confirming the availability of a competitive vendor base. Further, we are considering using Sams.gov to add additional market research value.

For the follow-on acquisition, the requirement will be competed under full and open competition via GSA. However, for the purposes of this sole-source bridge action, public notice will not be issued in accordance with FAR 5.202, as the extension is justified under unusual and compelling urgency and would not permit the time required for full competition. These efforts demonstrate that, while adequate competition exists, the current bridge is necessary solely to maintain continuity of services until a competitive award can be completed. Finally, this timely bridge is necessary to maintain continuity of essential regulatory services.

7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost/price to the Government will be fair and reasonable. The Contracting Officer will determine the price for this bridge action to be fair and reasonable in accordance with FAR 15.406-2 and applicable price analysis techniques. Given the commercial nature of this requirement, the Government will obtain detailed pricing information from the incumbent, including labor categories, rates, and supporting data as needed. Certified cost or pricing data is not anticipated due to use of GSA procedures, but sufficient data will be obtained to support price reasonableness.

The Government will primarily rely on price analysis, including comparison to historical contract pricing, evaluation of the current monthly burn rate (approximately $95K), and comparison with GSA schedule rates and prior market research to ensure alignment with market conditions. Limited cost analysis may be conducted if necessary.

An audit is not anticipated due to the short-term, low-risk nature of the bridge and the contractor’s proven performance. The Contracting Officer will document the determination of fair and reasonable pricing in the price negotiation memorandum.

8. Description of the market research conducted (see FAR Part 10) and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted.

Market research was conducted in accordance with FAR Part 10 to assess the availability and capability of qualified vendors for NIH mail services. The Government utilized GSA eBuy to issue a formal Request for Information (RFI), which generated significant industry engagement, with approximately 20 vendors expressing strong interest. This response demonstrated a robust and competitive vendor pool capable of performing the required services.

In addition, the Government conducted market research through GSA eLibrary to identify contractors holding applicable schedule contracts and to evaluate their capabilities, service offerings, and labor categories. The results confirmed the presence of multiple-qualified vendors with relevant experience in mail handling, sorting, and delivery services most currently hold similarly scoped contracts. This research supports the conclusion that adequate competition exists for the follow-on requirement.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition.

Additional facts support the use of other than full and open competition for this six-month bridge action under FAR 6.302-1. Due to a government-wide reduction in force in June 2025, the loss of the Contracting Officer and acquisition staff delayed the planned competitive procurement despite early market research and efforts to proceed with a GSA-based competition. Although a new Contracting Officer was assigned on March 3, 2026, the remaining period of performance under the current extension is insufficient to complete a full and open competition and award prior to contract expiration.

If this sole-source follow-on bridge contract is not executed, NIH would experience immediate disruption to mail receipt, sorting, and delivery services, directly impacting administrative operations, research activities, and patient care support. These services are mission-critical, and even short-term interruption would result in delays in distribution of equipment, time-sensitive materials, and official correspondence, creating operational inefficiencies and potential downstream impacts to NIH programs. The anticipated cost impact includes the need for emergency measures or ad hoc solutions, which would likely exceed the current monthly cost of approximately $95K (roughly $575k over six-month bridge) and introduce additional inefficiencies.

While several highly capable vendors have been identified through market research in accordance with FAR Part 10, transitioning to a new contractor at this time would introduce unacceptable delays and operational risk due to onboarding, training, and familiarization with NIH-specific procedures and facilities. This would also result in duplication of costs associated with transition activities and reduced productivity during the transition period. The proposed six-month period of performance represents the minimum time necessary to