jofoc-ep-g132-00157.pdf

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Limited Sources Justification and Approval

I. Contracting Activity

Contracting Activity: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 2, 290 Broadway, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10007-1866

Contracting Officer: Carol Fitzpatrick, (212-637-3384)

Purchase Request: PR-R2-14-00040

Program Name: Information Resources Management Branch

Estimated Cost/Price of the Action (including options): $322,293.75

Authority: Individual, FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(C) Logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order

I certify that the data supporting the recommended use of other than full and open competition for the acquisition of these additional information technology and telecommunications support services is complete and accurate.

Contracting Officer: ___”signed”___________________ __________ ____________ Carol Fitzpatrick Office Symbol Date Signed

Program Manager: __”signed” ___________________ __________ ____________ Jay Griffiths Office Symbol Date Signed

Local Legal _____________________________ __________ ____________

Reviewer: Office Symbol Date Signed

Chief of the __ “signed” ___________________ __________ ____________ Contracting Office: Karen Giacobbe Office Symbol Date Signed

Competition: __ “signed” ___________________ OARM/OAM ___________ Advocate: Susan Moroni Office Symbol Date Signed

Senior Center ____________________________ __________ ____________ Contracting Official: Office Symbol Date Signed

II. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Processed

The Information Resources Management Branch (IRMB), Office of Policy and Management (OPM) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 2, has a continuing requirement for Information Technology and Telecommunications Support Services. The service is currently performed under a firm fixed rate, labor hour task order, which consists of one twelve month Base Period, one twelve month Option Period and three twelve month Award Term Periods, issued against a U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule contract. Option Period I of the task order is effective January 1, 2014.

History:

The information technology and telecommunications support services were previously performed under two separate task orders utilizing FAR Part 8.4 “Federal Supply Schedules”. The resultant task orders were Task Order No. 0001 under GSA Contract No.

GS-35F-4502G issued to Management Technology, Inc., (MTI) for information technology support service, which expired December 31, 2012 and Task Order No. 2001 under GSA Contract No. GS-35F-0283R issued to World Information Technology Solutions for telecommunications support services which also expired December 31, 2012. Since Region 2 converted to Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services, the telecommunications support services became closely aligned with the Information Technology support services requirement. As a result, the services provided by both these task orders were combined into one requirement and the subsequent follow on procurement for these services was procured utilizing the procedures set forth in FAR Part 8.4.

In order to ensure a competitive price, FAR 8.405-2 (c) (3) requires that an RFQ be either posted on e-Buy to afford all schedule contractors offering the required services under the appropriate multiple award schedule an opportunity to submit a quote or provided to as many schedule contractor holders as practicable, consistent with market research appropriate to the circumstances, to reasonably ensure that quotes will be received from at least three schedule contractors that offer services that meet the agency’s requirements.

In accordance with these procedures, RFQ-NY-12-00004 was emailed to twenty-eight

(28) contractors holding GSA Schedule 70 contracts as a small business set-aside to provide information technology and telecommunications support services. The twenty-eight contractors represented parties who expressed interest in this requirement which was posted on EPA’s forecast database and from market research conducted on GSA Advantage! Ten quotations were received as a result of the RFQ, which were reviewed in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in the RFQ instructions.

On December 19, 2012, Management Technology, Inc. (MTI) was awarded Task Order No. EP-G132-00157 under GSA Contract No. GS-35F-4502G for information technology and telecommunications support services for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 2 Offices.

III. Description of the Supplies/Services Required To Meet the Agency’s Needs

The EPA has determined that exercising the Option Period under Task Order EP-G132- 00157 is most advantageous to the Government. However, due to new and changing technology being deployed within EPA, a slight change to the scope of the Performance Work Statement (PWS) is warranted.

Section 2.2 “Computer Center Operation Support” of the PWS for Task Order No. EP- G132-00157 outlines tasks to be performed for network administration support related services. These functions include:

• Monitoring the status of network and server systems and backups for the servers,

• Monitoring the access to the Agency’s Wide Area Network (WAN),

• Assisting in communications upgrades and maintaining connectivity,

• Ensuring user access,

• Monitoring security,

• Performing file restoration from back-up media and

• Maintaining backup media libraries and collections.

However, as a result of the expansion of hardware and software systems in the Region, the volume of network administration support duties to implement hardware and software systems has increased. New tasks associated with these functions include the following:

• Implementing database, application and web servers, messaging systems, enterprise tools, and related business systems in a VMWare virtual hosting environment of a Microsoft network utilizing storage area network technology.

• Ensuring continuity of operations of virtual hosts

• Ensuring all changes to infrastructure are recorded in BMC Remedy which is the

Agency’s change management database

• Provides information on specifications for new equipment and/or systems and upgrades to existing equipment to support the data center infrastructure.

Although the PWS of Task Order No. EP-G132-00157 incorporates services related to these additional tasks; the duties associated with these tasks are not covered under an existing labor category in the task order. Therefore, there is a need for an additional labor category to be incorporated into the task order to perform network administration support related services.

In addition, a change to Section 2.7 Internet/Intranet Development Support is required.

The Region has completed the Agency-wide “One EPA” redesign of EPA’s Internet. As a result, the amount of time and resources for web programming and support covered under the PWS has decreased significantly. This change will result in a reduction in hours equivalent to one full-time employee.

IV. Identification of the Justification/Rationale for Limiting Sources and Demonstration of the Contractor’s Unique Qualifications to Provide the Required Supply/Service

In accordance with FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(C), the additional/new work is a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order. The original order was competed among twenty-eight schedule contracts in accordance with FAR 8.405-2. Ten responses were received for this requirement.

Since MTI is already performing computer center operation services under this task order, it is not in the Government’s best interest to compete this action and procure services through another schedule contractor. If two separate contractors were performing computer center operation services on the same systems, it would be difficult to track which contractor had responsibility and accountability for the work that was performed. Further, any cost savings would be mitigated by the administrative burden of awarding and managing a new task order.

V. Determination by the Ordering Activity Contracting Officer that the Order Represents the Best Value Consistent with FAR 8.404(d)

In accordance with FAR 8.404(d), GSA has determined the prices of supplies and fixed price services, and rates for services offered at hourly rates under schedule contracts to be fair and reasonable. Additional price reductions were sought at the time of award in accordance with FAR 8.405-4.

The total increase over the remaining four years of the contract is $322,293.75.

Therefore, based on the above findings, the best value for the Government is to exercise the Option Period and amend the current task order to add a labor category, reduce the hours for an existing labor category and revise the PWS for the above additional tasks.

Pricing is determined to be fair and reasonable based on GSA Federal Supply Schedule negotiated contract prices.

VI. Description of the Market Research Conducted Among Schedule Holders and the Results or a Statement of the Reason Market Research Was Not Conducted

Market research for Schedule 70 holders was not conducted for the additional information technology and telecommunications support services since the additional/new work is a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order.

The original order was competed among twenty-eight schedule contracts in accordance with FAR 8.405-2. Ten responses were received for the requirement. However, market research was conducted via GSA Advantage! for the proposed labor category for a price reasonableness determination.

VII. Other Factors Supporting the Justification

There are no additional factors than previously stated above supporting this Limited Sources Justification.

VIII. Actions the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome Any Barriers that Led to the Restricted Consideration Before Any Subsequent Acquisition for the Supplies or Services

No further actions are planned since the original order was competed among twenty-eight schedule contracts in accordance with FAR 8.405-2. This action is a modification to the existing task order.

IX. Contracting Officer’s Certification

I certify that the justification and supporting data are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

__”signed”_____________________________ ___________ Carol Fitzpatrick, Contracting Officer Date

X. Technical/Requirements Personnel’s Certification

I certify that the justification and supporting data are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

__”signed”______________________________ ____________ Jay Griffiths, Information Technology Date Specialist, National Expert