REDACTED_MICC 2025-22_Boot Camp.pdf

Control No.: MICC 2025-22

CUI//SP-PROCURE//FEDCON

FAR 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items Sole Source Justification and Approval

1. Contracting Activity: U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC)-Fort Belvoir, 9410 Jackson Loop, Bldg. 1425, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060.

2. Description of Action: The Military District of Washington (MDW), 3d United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), requires a firm fixed price services contract with Live Oak Combined Driving, Inc. The Government projects award for 21 January 2024 and FY 2025 Operations and Maintenance, Army funds will be used. An acquisition plan is not required because this procurement does not meet the threshold at Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement 207.103(d)(i)(B).

3. Description of Supplies/Services: Live Oak Combined Driving Inc will provide non-personal services(s) for no less than 12 military working equine at a time, capable of conducting Caisson services for a State Funeral in the National Capital Region (NCR) or Memorial Affairs missions in Arlington National Cemetery (ANC). The contractor is required to provide the necessary trainers, riders, facilities, feed, supplements, and supplies to complete the services defined in the performance work statement. The Government reserves the right to modify conditions with the contractor to support mission accomplishment and will consider expert advice from the contractor as needed.

At end state, the contractor will have trained up to 6 separate squads of the U.S. Army Caisson Detachment�s Military Working Equines (MWE) capable of conducting Memorial Affairs missions in ANC or State Funeral in the NCR.

The current Caisson squad has been previously trained by the same contractor and a continuation of services is needed to sustain the level of readiness needed to perform a State Funeral and memorial affairs services in Arlington National Cemetery. This service is the next required training progression for the Army�s herd. These Soldiers and equine have completed the basic riding instruction course and require additional training to ensure mission success. Therefore, it is a need to retain the level of training that the contractor has previously provided to provide Caisson Funeral Operations that the contractor is solely situated to provide. If the Government were to use a different contractor, the MWEs and the Soldiers would be required to learn new methods of instruction that would greatly jeopardize the immediate ability of the Caisson Detachment to safely and effectively conduct Caisson operations.

State Funerals and Memorial Affairs require strict adherence to traditions and standards that are set forth by the Department of Defense to include mandated riding styles, horse and rider configurations, and ceremonial composure. State Funerals are watched widely throughout the world and are internationally publicized events. Due to these strict requirements and the public nature of this time-honored tradition, the Government has a compelling need to conduct advanced horsemanship training for its herd promptly so they can be prepared to perform State Funeral Operations and Memorial Affairs missions promptly upon notification. Any delay in awarding this may result in a failure of the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR)

7. Actions to Increase Competition: The 3d United States Infantry Regiment and the Military District of Washington routinely conducts Equine Symposiums and invites equine industry experts from across the United States and around the world to attend. This requirement and other equine services will be discussed at the symposium to increase competition and to expand the vendor base.

8. Market Research: Other vendors were not able to provide adequate training space and boarding capability, did not have qualified trainers, or could not provide the instructors needed for this service. Live Oak Combined Driving employees and trainers meet all specifications as required by the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps and can facilitate Soldier and horse training. On 5 December, searches were conducted using public and government websites and none yielded the equine expertise and available services required.

9. Interested Sources: A sources sought notice was posted to SAM.gov on 2 December to 13 December for any interested vendors to provide capabilities statements that they could perform the contract requirements. Three vendors responded to the sources sought, Ride Verbatim LLC, Silver Eagle Stable LLC, BHPE LLC responded to the sources sought.

Ride Verbatim LLC is registered in Sam.gov, capable and able to perform the contract. However, based on communication and the curriculum provided, the Caisson Detachment is not able to provide the horse quality, rider quality or instruction abilities that Ride Verbatim requires. Ride Verbatim also did not provide an explicit confirmation that they can provide the Postillion expertise required to successfully instruct Caisson Detachment riders in that style of riding, nor would they be able to adhere to the timeline of the contract (6 weeks).

Silver Eagle Stable, LLC is registered in Sam.gov and could acquire the needed trainers and training space to perform the contract. However, they do not currently have the staff or all the resources necessary to perform the contract. Given the short timeline to start of performance, the vendor would have to change their business model and acquire the staff for a short-term contract. At this time, the vendor could not guarantee that these resources could be acquired prior to award. Therefore, without the staff and facilities, the vendor would lack the technical experience to perform the contract.

BHPE LLC is registered in Sam.gov however they operate as a government consultant firm, not an independent business owner that could provide the needed services of the contract. It would not be prudent to go through a subcontract for this highly technical requirement. Additionally, the government would not have privity with the subcontract if any issues were to occur.

The supported unit has also contacted several vendors, however to date, none of those vendors expressed interest in the acquisition. Searches were conducted through various government and public websites to contact equine providers.

10. Other Facts:

a. Procurement History

Contract number: W91QV1-24-P-0067 Vendor: Live Oak Plantation Combined Driving, Inc.

Award date: 26 July 2024 Competitive Status: Sole Source Authority cited: FAR 13.501(a)(1)(ii): only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

b. The �Actions to Increase Competition� in the justification and approval (J&A) for

Contract No. W91QV1-24-P-0067 were the same as those described above, �The 3d United States Infantry Regiment and the Military District of Washington routinely conducts Equine Symposiums and invites equine industry experts from across the United States and around the world to attend. This requirement and other equine services will be discussed at the symposium to increase competition and to expand the vendor base.� The last symposium was conducted in December 2023, the opportunity was discussed during that event. The December 2023 symposium yielded the current vendor. The previously mentioned sources sought is the only formal publication of the requirement.

c. No previous contract for this requirement was accomplished using full and open competition.

d. The continuity of services from the same trainers is necessary to retain both the level of proficiency and the health and safety of the herd and the Caisson Detachment Soldiers. If the contract were awarded to a different contractor, the training timeline would need to be extended due to the Caisson Detachment Soldiers and Military Working Equines having to learn different methods of instruction that would not meet the requirements to perform the State Funeral or Memorial Affairs missions.

Live Oak Combined Driving Inc. and its CEO Chester Weber have won 17 United

States Equestrian Federation Combined Driving National Championships and consistently finishes at the top of the Federation Equestrian International rankings. The contractor serves on the U.S. Equestrian Federation Performance Driving Committee, National Driving Committee, and Safety Committee. These specific qualifications make the contractor uniquely qualified to conduct training that will result in the highest of proficiency that is required to conduct a State Funeral to the expectations set forth by the Department of Defense and in the minds of the American People.