RFO Part 6 J and A_DSPO_Connect Program_redacted_Redacted_1.pdf

This is a Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition (CUI) document for a federal contract award.

The Defense Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO) is awarding a new firm-fixed-price contract to SafeSide Prevention LLC for the Connect Program for Suicide Prevention (RTD DSPO.FY26-1633) under the sole-source authority of 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) and RFO FAR 6.103-1. The contracting activity is the Defense Human Resources Activity (DHRA) Acquisition Management Directorate (AMD). The base period is 12 months with two 12-month option periods. The estimated contract value including all options is redacted. The justification cites the Connect Program as the only existing community-based suicide prevention training program achieving Gold-Standard certification through randomized controlled trials with 1,500 active U.S. military personnel, demonstrating significant reductions in suicide risk, depression, and occupational problems. SafeSide Prevention LLC is identified as the sole sublicensee of the Connect Program from the University of Rochester and Connect Media LLC, which hold the perpetual worldwide copyright license. Market research identified 14 vendors through a Combined Sources Sought Notice posted on SAM.gov in March 2026, but none possessed equivalent qualifications, community-based framework, or sublicensing rights to the Connect Program. The contracting officer will determine price reasonableness through comparison to historical pricing, independent estimates, and negotiated price reductions. Approval signatures are required from the COR, technical requirements certification, contracting officer, branch chief, acquisition policy, general counsel, and head of contracting activity at the AMD level.