J A__ACOTA_IDIQ_FBO.pdf

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN

COMPETITION

1. The Office of Acquisition Management is conducting this acquisition for a six (6) month bridge contract to continue training and logistical services currently being provided under the four (4) ACOTA Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts: SAQMMA10D0056

(Northrop Grumman Technical Services), SAQMMA10D0057 (PAE), SAQMMA10D0058

(PAE) and SAQMMA10D0059 (FDR) on behalf of the Bureau of African Affairs (AF). The estimated cost is $45,000,000.00

2. Nature and/or Description of the action being approved.

The current IDIQ contracts included one twelve (12) month base period and four (4) one year option periods. FAR clause 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services (NOV 1999) was included and exercised at the contract level on May 22, 2015. The period of performance for the current IDIQ contracts is set to expire on November 30, 2015. The total contract value for the base period and all option periods is $500 million. The Solicitation for the successor ACOTA contracts (RFP

SAQMMA15R0318) was posted on FedBizOpps (FBO) on July 7, 2015.

The bridge contracts are required to provide DOS sufficient time to ensure receipt of proposals, conduct a source selection in accordance with FAR 15 procedures and ensure continuity of services for mission critical operations. This justification requests approval to award bridge contracts to the current ACOTA IDIQ contract holders for one six (six) month base period through May 29, 2016 with one six (6) month option period. The estimated cost for the six (6) month base period and the six (6) month option period is $45,000,000.00

3. Description of the supplies or services required to meet the Agency’s Needs

The ACOTA IDIQ contract holders currently provide mission critical training, equipment and logistical support required by African militaries to carry out Multi- National Peacekeeping operations supporting U.S. national security objectives. Specific tasks include Bi-Lateral and

Multilateral military training, equipment procurement and delivery, to include enhancements to

National Peacekeeping Training Centers with the intent of enabling African partner self-sufficiency and enduring training capacity. A more specific breakdown of the requirement follows:

Provide pre-deployment training to units to include but not limited to: Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra

Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia, as well as African regional organizations such as: the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West

African States (ECOWAS), and the Economic Community of Central African States

(ECCAS) and others of similar stature as required. The participating units will serve in on going AU and UN Peacekeeping and contingency missions across Africa.

Store and transport mission critical equipment utilized by African Union and UN peacekeepers.

Provide National Training Center enhancements to the following partners to included but not limited to: Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and

Zambia.

Provide training, operational and logistical support to partners with the objective of enabling institutional self-sufficiency.

Provide planning and coordination to facilitate integration of: U.S. interagency capacity, and the international community as appropriate to achieve synchronization and synergy of effort.

4. Identification of the Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open

Competition.

41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(2) Unusual and Compelling Urgency. See also FAR 6.302-2.

5. Demonstration that the Contractor’s Unique Qualifications or the Nature of the

Acquisition Requires Use of the Authority Cited.

The current ACOTA IDIQ contract holders provide training, logistical and construction services to support the Africa Peacekeeping Program. Bridge contracts are necessary to ensure a continuity of services to support host African nations. Failure to retain the current incumbent contractors throughout the competitive solicitation process would result in potential harm to government operations due to the following:

Given the rapidly changing security situation in Africa and the limited American assets or existing capabilities in sub-Saharan Africa, any lapse in service would jeopardize the mission support capability of the DOS and may result in an imminent threat to DOS, contractor personnel, and property;

Transition to other contractors for this short time frame would be extremely disruptive. Familiarity with the planning processes and standard operating procedures utilized by African partners is critical to support operations and the learning curve associated with a transition would result in a negative impact to the mission;

Current IDIQ contract holders have demonstrated experience working in host African nations with third party contractors and local African subcontractors. A working knowledge of the business practices utilized by host nations and local African companies is critical to support timely completion of mission critical milestones. The loss of the working knowledge required to operate in Africa would result in unacceptable delays and compromise mission performance;

Currently deployed contractor support personnel have AF experience, meet all qualification requirements and have working knowledge of the diverse operating environment of host African nations. Transition to new personnel would have a negative impact on mission performance and increase response times to mission critical requirements.

DOS has an active solicitation to secure the required training, logistical support and construction under a newly established multi-award IDIQ contract, which should be awarded prior to the lapse of the bridge contracts. Delays are not due to the lack of advance acquisition planning.

Based on the foregoing, bridge contracts are required to ensure continuity of services for training and logistical support to African partner nations and ongoing American support for African mission deployment in conflict regions. The extension will allow time for award and transition, without disrupting major support to African partners and missions.

6. Description of Efforts Made to Ensure that Offers Were Solicited from as Potential

Sources as Was Practicable.

The original IDIQ contracts were competitively awarded. The RFP for the successor contracts is currently posted on FBO.

7. Determination of the Contracting Officer that the Anticipated Cost to the Government

Will be Fair and Reasonable.

A price analysis at the task order level will be performed prior to award. All IDIQ contract holders will be provided fair opportunity for new task order requirements and pricing should be determined fair and reasonable based on adequate price competition. The contract labor rates in the current ACOTA IDIQ have already been determined to be fair and reasonable.

8. A Description of the Market Survey Conducted and the Results or a Statement of the

Reasons a Market Survey was not Conducted.

A market survey was not conducted because NGTS, PAE, Engility and FDR, as the current providers, are the only companies who can provide the required services for the brief period of time without an available transition/on-boarding period.

9. Any Other Facts Supporting the Use of Other Than Full and Open Competition.

The continuity of services is required to support mission critical operations and respond to emerging conflicts until the successor ACOTA contracts can be awarded. Unfamiliarity with the diverse operating environments and political dynamics of African nations would cause a negative impact to mission operations.

10. A Listing of Sources If Any, that Expressed, in Writing an Interest in the Acquisition.

N/A

11. A Statement of the Actions, If Any, The Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome

Any Barriers to Competition Before Any Subsequent Acquisition for the Supplies or

Services Required.

Advance acquisition planning included the release of an RFI (SAQMMA15I009) on

05/14/2015. Based on an analysis of the market research, the successor contracts will be competed on a partial set aside basis.