Redacted_JA_TAC_Technical Assistance_FY21_FINAL_20210909_CLEAN_Redacted.pdf

Control Number:

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Using procedures under FAR Subpart 13.106-1(b)(2)

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

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

Office of Procurement Acquisition and Logistics Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) 5202 Presidents Court, Suite 103 Frederick, MD 21703

2. Description of the Action:

This activity proposes to negotiate a non-competitive award (sole-source) with Technical Assistance Collaborative, Inc. to provide technical assistance and strategic planning services to support the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Homeless Programs Office (HPO) in executing its mission.

3. Description of Supplies or Services:

This general scope of services required for this acquisition are those services needed to support an awareness campaign regarding homeless Veterans, at-risk Veterans, and others likely to encounter these Veterans.

The following services will be required to support this requirement:

• Community initiative, direct coaching, cohorts, and HPO Support to include coordination calls with the Program Directors to answer questions and provide support in execution of their programs, working with the Executive Director to identify gaps throughout HPO Initiatives where services to reduce Veteran homelessness can be improved.

• VA homeless Veteran and related policy reviews and provision of recommendations for improvement

• VA Strategic Plan implementation support

The scope of work is separated into eight different tasks, each with its own corresponding deliverable.

Task Deliverable 1 Project Management 1.1 Updated Contractor Project Management Plan

1.2 Schedule for all Deliverables

J&A: Technical Assistance & Strategic Planning Control Number:

Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104

Task Deliverable

2 Community Initiative and Direct Coaching, Cohorts and HPO Support

2.1 Community Plan

2.2 Virtual technical assistance and direct virtual

coaching

2.3 Multiple onsite direct support community visits

2.4 Community support

3 Virtual Listening Sessions 3.1 Plan for 20 virtual listening sessions

3.2 List of discussion prompts or questions

3.3 Training materials

3.4 Platform for registration, email notifications and

reminders

3.5 After Action Report

4 Two 2-day in-person Training Workshops

4.1 Implementation of two (2) 2-day in-person

training

4.2 Logistics

4.3 Itinerary to Travelers

4.4 Handouts and training material

4.5 After Action Report

5 VA Policy Review and Recommendations

5.1 Review HPO regulations, policies, and

procedures

5.2 Identify best practices and recommendations for

improvement

5.3 Veteran engagement and feedback

5.4 After Action Report

6 VA Strategic Plan Implementation Support

6.1 Create an implementation plan for cross-partner

support to create a Strategic Plan for HPO

6.2 Attend virtual meetings with HPO leadership, program directors and staff to plan and execute the HPO Strategic Plan.

7 End of Contract Performance Assessment Reporting

7.1 Report of Assessment

7.2 Proposed Next Steps

8 Travel 8.1 Face to Face meetings with HPO Leadership

8.2 Two 2-day conferences

The period of performance for the planned requirement is expected to be September 30, 2021, through September 29, 2022. This will ensure extensive training of grantees, HPO contractors, HPO staff and external stakeholders (community providers) and allow sufficient time for the vendor to conduct a thorough HPO policy review and assessment. The contract to be issued under the authority of this justification shall be awarded on a firm fixed-price basis with an estimated contract value of $ . This estimate is based on a review using commercial pricing benchmarks. Reference the table at the top of the next page:

easily implement stay-at-home and social distancing directives to mitigate the community spread of COVID-19. Furthermore, housing stability helps protect public health because homelessness increases the likelihood of individuals moving into congregate settings, such as homeless shelters, which then puts individuals at higher risk to COVID-19. The ability of these settings to adhere to best practices, such as social distancing and other infection control measures, decreases as populations increase. Unsheltered homelessness also increases the risk that individuals will experience severe illness from COVID-19.” (Federal Register, 2021)

However, after several extensions, with the last extension ending October 3, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the latest CDC extension, leaving millions of renters across the country without protection against eviction for non-payment of rent.

VA has continued to highly prioritize ending Veteran homelessness, especially during the heightened need during the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve this urgent national goal, VA administers several homeless prevention, rapid rehousing, transitional housing, and outreach programs to help homeless Veterans (including those who are at risk of homelessness), access stable housing and wraparound supportive services. VA’s “no wrong door” approach ensures that homeless Veterans and those at risk of homelessness will have timely access to appropriate programs, services, and other interventions regardless of where they initiate contact with the homelessness continuum of care.

VHA HPO’s role in VA’s mission is to oversee execution of the plan to end Veteran homelessness with support from the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations and Management (DUSHOM), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) leadership, and staff at each VA Medical Center (VAMC). In addition, VHA HPO is responsible for policy development, inter and intra-agency coordination, developing and maintaining relationships with external stakeholders, monitoring performance, building and executing an operational budget, and overseeing regional and local operations.

With such a short turnaround time and in an effort to stabilize Veteran homelessness due to COVID, VHA HPO has identified Technical Assistance Collaborative, Inc (TAC), a nonprofit organization, as a viable source to assist in its mission based on the extensive prior experience TAC has worked with VHA in the effort to end Veteran homelessness. In conjunction with Veteran homeless experience, TAC has a positive and established relationship in the homeless community amongst civilian providers and other agencies. Requirements for the immediate contract action request include the importance of having access to United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) criteria and benchmarks, knowledge of project-based U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) voucher program, Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grant program, Grant and Per Diem Program (GPD) grant program and Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS). The contract requires cross-collaboration between the programs to provide in-depth policy review and guidance to ensure that VA homeless programs have the tools to prevent or end Veteran homelessness as quickly as possible. The contractor must have access, extensive knowledge, and previous training with HMIS as this plays an integral role in the success of the contract performance. HMIS connects VA, HUD, other government agencies, and community providers. The contractor must also have extensive knowledge of VA homeless data systems and VA homeless data metrics to implement interventions quickly. Due to TAC’s previous contracted performance with the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program Office, the government is confident that TAC is capable of performing the work required by HPO. It is the opinion of VHA HPO that for the stability of Veterans and seamless continuity of the HPO efforts, a contract vehicle is in the Government's best interest.

Since the expiration of the moratorium, VHA HPO program officials are extremely concerned that the expiration of the limited eviction moratorium will contribute to the increase in population of homeless Veterans leading to an increased demand for services supporting the Veteran homeless population. Such an increase in demand creates an immediate need to increase the capability for Technical Assistance and Strategic Planning Support. Outreach and services must be expanded as soon as possible to prepare for any immediate spikes in demand, and for near and distant future needs impacted by COVID-19.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition:

VA issued a Sources Sought notice and published it as a Request of Information (RFI) to Contract Opportunities on July 23, 2021 (see 36C10X21Q0214). The purpose of the RFI was to solicit interest from small businesses and other-than-small businesses, and obtain information to determine to the degree, if any, that those operating in the commercial marketplace would be able to fulfill HPO’s urgent requirement.

The RFI closed on August 02, 2021. There were 5 interested sources that responded to the RFI. The responses included:

• 4 Service-disabled Veteran-owned Small Business (SDVOSB)

• 1 Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)

All five RFI submissions were reviewed by a team of three HPO subject matter experts.

Upon review, it was determined that none of the respondents had the required knowledge or experience to provide the services to the level and schedule required. As such, no other known entity would be capable of performance other than TAC.

Time is of essence in this environment, and urgency dictates an immediate response to fulfill this requirement. As such, it would be too prohibitive to seek competition at this time. VA officials will continue to exercise due diligence in validating sources, ensuring price fairness and reasonableness, and making appropriate contractor responsibility determinations prior to issuing any contract award

7. Contracting Officer determination that the anticipated cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable:

No award shall be made under the authority of this justification until the Contracting Officer determines the cost to the Government to be fair and reasonable in accordance with FAR 13.106-3(a). This determination will be based on a comparison of current contract pricing, past proposal submissions (if available) and contractual history pricing and actuals, industry information made available utilizing market research, price analysis tools, or any other methods described in FAR 13.106-3(a)(2).

8. Description of Market Research Conducted:

Market research was conducted to determine the suitability of commercial services.

Results indicate that the Government’s needs may be met by services available in the commercial marketplace; therefore, meeting the definition of a commercial item in accordance with FAR Subparts 2.101 and 10.002.

In accordance with VAAR 810, the Vendor Information Page (VIP) database was queried on July 21, 2021, using a search of NAICS 541611. Based on the information obtained from VIP, the Government identified 4,202 Service-Disabled/Veteran Owned Small Businesses who perform work under that NAICS. Based on these initial results, a sources sought notice was published to the System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) Contract Opportunities module to determine market conditions and vendor interest. Although five companies responded with interest, upon review it was determined that none of the five are capable of fulfilling the requirement at this time.

It was at that time, additional market research was conducted by consulting other agency officials for known entities that may be capable of fulfilling the requirement.

Based on historical performance and knowledge of agency officials familiar with performance, it was determined that Technical Assistance Collaborative, Inc is capable of providing the technical assistance and strategic planning support services needed. A search of the SAM database concluded there were no restrictions in place that would limit the Government from contracting with Technical Assistance Collaborative, Inc. Technical Assistance Collaborative, Inc remains the only known source capable of performing the required services at this time.