JA MAPS Redacted.pdf

Requisition Number: SHOP-PR-26-001888 Version 1.0 Page 1 of 4

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND

OPEN COMPETITION

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION IN ACCORDANCE WITH 10 U.S.C.

2304 (C) (1)

Requisition Number: SHOP-PR-26-001888

Date: 07/16/2026 Estimated Contract Dollar Value:

1. Identification of the agency and contracting activity.

The U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Professional Services Acquisition Unit (PSAU), requests approval to award a Firm Fixed Priced (FFP) contract with Personnel Decisions Research Institute (PDRI) for the Multidimensional Adaptive Personality Scales MAPS assessment in support of Human Resource Division (HRD).

2. The nature and/or description of the action being approved, i.e., sole source, limited competition, establishment of a new source, etc.

This Justification and Approval (J&A) authorizes the use of other than full and open competition procedures to acquire the MAPS assessment. The MAPS assessment is part of the Intelligence Analyst (IA) Phase 1 assessment. The test shall include a personality assessment and incorporate the latest advances in psychometrics to reliably and efficiently assess personality traits through the use of the multidimensional forced choice (MFC) type.

3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs.

The Contractor shall provide a personality assessment solution (fully developed) that fulfills the following technical requirements:

Psychometric Rigor: Utilize the latest advances in psychometrics to ensure reliable and efficient assessment of personality traits.

Mitigation of Social Desirability: Incorporate Multidimensional Forced Choice (MFC) item types to minimize 'faking' or socially desirable responding, particularly in high stakes testing environments.

Operational Efficiency: Deliver a system with reduced assessment time and increased test security compared to traditional Likert-scale models.

Customization: Support the design of tailored assessments mapped to specific role-based personality trait combinations.

Requisition Number: SHOP-PR-26-001888 Version 1.0 Page 2 of 4

Proven Performance: Demonstrate compatibility with industry standards, such as the Multidimensional Adaptive Personality Scales (MAPS) framework, to meet agency-specific requirements.

Period of Performance is 9/30/2026 through 3/29/2032

4. The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition for this acquisition is 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 6.302-1(a)(2) (iii)(a) entitled, “Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.”

5. Demonstrate the unique qualifications of the proposed contractor or the nature of the action requiring the use of the authority.

PDRI is uniquely qualified to provide MAPS, off-the-shelf assessments for the FBI. MAPS is just one of several assessments that are conducted during Phase I testing of potential new IA hires and is a configurable assessment system for measuring an array of personality traits that are required for success in roles in the United States federal government. MAPS leverages PDRI’s experience and computer adaptive testing (CAT) technology applied to personality assessment and incorporates the latest advances in psychometrics to reliably and efficiently assess personality traits through the use of the multidimensional forced choice (MFC) item type that recent research has shown is most effective in mitigating socially desirable responding in high stakes testing situations. MAPS is able to accommodate specific competencies and KSAs that were recently identified for the Intelligence Analyst position. This flexibility allows the FBI to have a targeted and dynamic personality test to measure the critical personality constructs of future IA applicants.

PDRI is the sole proprietary owner of this assessment. MAPS assessment licenses and maintenance are available only through PDRI.

6. A description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies.

In accordance with FAR 5.202 (6) The proposed contract action is an order placed under subpart 16.5. When the order contains brand-name specifications, see especially 16.505(a)(4) The FBI utilizes a 3 Phase approach to screening and assessment of candidates. The Phase 1 approach is for candidates to complete a personality assessment. There are a number of assessments as part of Phase 1 with one being MAPS. The prior contract was competitively awarded and there is currently a competitive effort in development for Testing Capabilities.

This recompete will include all segments of Phase I assessments with the sole exclusion of the custom and proprietary MAPS assessment proprietary to PDRI.

There are other personality assessments offered by other companies, and the FBI does utilize a number of other products, however MAPS is more closely aligned to the specific IA