Redacted Sole Source Justification AHAT 70Z02321FMPE00100_Redacted_VMP_Redacted.pdf

month Task Order extension utilizing FAR Clause 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services; with a Period of Performance: 04/07/2026 – 08/04/2026. If this Order can be extended by another four months as requested, the total amount of the funding increase will be , .

3. Description of Supplies/Services. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is seeking approval to extend mission-essential contractor support for its Emergency Management Program. This extension directly supports near-term operations such as World Cup 2026, America 250 and Sail 250 as well as sustained operations in support of the U.S. border security, facilitation of commerce, and response to contingency. The four (4) contract full-time equivalent employees are essential for providing continuity of program management, contingency response, and expert facilitation and training.

4. Identification of Statutory Exception and Rationale.

The statutory exception is:

GSAR 538.7104-3(b)(ii) Only one source is capable of providing the products, services, or solution required at the level of quality required because the products, services, or solutions are unique or highly specialized.

Rationale:

Harkcon, Inc. is currently performing these services via Order# 70Z02321FMPE00100, and the Contractor’s General Services Administration schedule # 47QRAD20D1158, which expires on 04/06/2026. Additionally, the USCG seeks to continue services on the existing requirement to ensure no lapse of services occur. Hence, a new competitive solicitation is anticipated to be released in FY26 to ensure a follow-on procurement is awarded by no later than 08/05/2026.

The contractor possesses unique qualifications and that the nature of the acquisition requires a sole-source extension to avoid unacceptable mission degradation and ensure continuity of critical government operations. The incumbent contractor personnel hold essential Tier 1 and above security clearances, a fundamental and non-negotiable requirement for their direct support of classified activities, including continuity of operations (COOP) planning and national security war gaming exercises. This level of access, combined with their established integration within the U.S. Coast Guard's (USCG) Office of Emergency Management and Disaster Response, represents a unique and specialized qualification that cannot be readily replicated by a new vendor without incurring significant delays for security processing and indoctrination, thus introducing unacceptable risk.

Furthermore, the four incumbent full-time equivalent (FTE) contractor employees provide mission-essential continuity for program management, expert facilitation, and contingency response training. The loss of this institutional knowledge and specialized expertise during the period of performance would create a critical capabilities gap. This bridge extension is required to provide uninterrupted, mission-essential support to ensure peak readiness for all-hazards response. The services directly impact the successful execution of key statutory missions and near-term, high-consequence events, including World Cup 2026, America 250, and Sail 250, alongside sustained operations supporting U.S. border security and the facilitation of commerce.

Therefore, procuring these services from any other source would result in a substantial duplication of cost and an unacceptable delay in fulfilling the agency's requirements, jeopardizing national security and emergency management preparedness.

5. If applicable: Demonstration of the Proposed Contractor’s Unique Qualifications to Provide the Requirement. Describe to someone who is unfamiliar with your organization or your requirements why full and open competition cannot be used for this procurement.

(a) Due to the mission-critical and multifaceted nature of the contract scope, full and open competition would significantly impair program performance. The incumbent contractor possesses:

Deep institutional knowledge of procedures advanced emergency planning and training, continuity of program management and interagency dynamics.

Full operational capability without the need for onboarding, background checks, or data system access provisioning, especially with the near-term operations of World Cup 2026, America 250 and Sail 250.

Embedded expertise in legacy system integration, FOIA compliance, regulatory project drafting, and safety program analysis.

(b) Summarize alternatives considered and why they will not work; N/A

(c) Impact to the mission that would result if the J&A is not approved and, consequently, the product or service not provided.

The loss of this contractor would disrupt the ongoing management of the delay as the stakeholder coordination efforts tied to the impact of the Coast Guard’s ability to meet deliverables tied to federal mandates and advisory board activities.

(d) (Section is required to be completed when the justification includes the exception listed under FAR 25.103(b)(2) or FAR 25.202(a)(2))

Given the urgent need to maintain continuity across these interlinked efforts, and the significant performance risk posed by transitioning to a new vendor, continuation with the incumbent under GSAR 538.7104-3(b)(ii) is warranted.