Sole Source FAR 13_Visualization Technician Signed.pdf

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

(Simplified Acquisition Procedures under FAR Part 13 Not Exceeding $250K)

1. Agency/Contracting Activity: International Institute of Tropical Forestry (IITF)

2. Description of Action:

Nature: ☐ New Requirement X Follow-On Requirement

☐ Mod to Existing Purchase Order/Contract Number

Pricing: X Firm-Fixed Price ☐ Other: __________

3. Description of Supplies/Services:

The total estimated dollar value of the proposed action (including options): $ 24,480 Hourly rate of $24 (20 hrs a week) for 51 weeks (March 31, 2021 to March 31, 2022)

Urban Visualization Technician (See Scope of Work attached for a detailed description of the services that will be provided)

4. Authority:

Action using Simplified Acquisition Procedures

☒ FAR 13.106-1(b) (1): For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g.

urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand name, or industrial mobilization).

5. Reason for Authority Cited:

The services requested are a continuation of the services provided in award #12F43020P0029.

Candidate was the Urban Visualization Technician, and he will continue the work to meet the visualization needs of the SETS Convergence and San Juan ULTRA projects. The projects involve the development of research, decision-making tools, and visualization products to facilitate the understanding of urban systems as social-ecological-technological systems. The projects are highly interdisciplinary, requiring unique experience and skill sets spanning the sciences and engineering.

The candidate has the design and data analysis skill sets that this project requires and is the best resource for the project. He has combined his engineering background, visualization experience, and research on urban socio-technical systems to produce a variety of web-based platforms and products, including data graphics, social network visualizations, and other unique visual products for the SETS Convergence project and San Juan ULTRA network. He brings a variety of technical skills in graphic design, data analysis and visualizations and experience with a diverse set of computer programs (e.g. KUMU, Survey Monkey, GIS, Mapbox, Photoshop, AutoCAD, Civil 3D CAD, SAAP 2000, Python, Plotly) that are needed for the project. The candidate created his own data codes to develop many of the visualization products for the project and developed a new web-based interactive map and transition toolkit for San Juan ULTRA, therefore no other individual or company can complete the services needed.

6. Actions to Increase Competition:

As one of the leading research organizations in Puerto Rico, we are acutely aware of the scientific expertise, available data, and history of published work in our area of work. We receive solicited and unsolicited inquiries for providing a variety of services within the research community. This has given us an understanding of the capacity and expertise available. This project is a highly interdisciplinary, requiring unique experience and skill sets spanning the sciences and engineering, seeking design services that are multi-media (e.g., print design, renderings and digital graphics, web integration) and that incorporates advanced data visualization techniques to translate scientific products for multiple audiences. The skills and experience required for the contract action are unique and rarely available in the market.

This is a highly technical field and competition is very limited due to specific education requirements, equipment knowledge, and training required. As such, a person without the required experience will be a delay of 6 or more months to facilitate in the smooth continuity of the project not to mention additional costs.

7. Market Research:

The applicable market includes scientists with the capacity and experience to analyze and publish relevant datasets in high-impact scientific journals to further our research and outreach mission as related to the Tropics. As such the market is limited, and as a leading research Institute for the Tropics, we are generally aware of the available capacity. In this instance we are interested in highly interdisciplinary, requiring unique experience and skill sets spanning the social and natural sciences and engineering. The skills and experience required for the contract action are unique and rarely available in the market.

This contract will continue with the same hourly rate estimated for the previous contract, at $24.00 per hour. This was estimated based on a similar position in Arizona where the candidate was based.

Graphic Design Average Hourly Wages in Arizona Time-based: $24.21 / hour Non Union: $25.52/ hour

For this estimate, I carried out the market research and compiled the data from the US Dept of Labor form November 2019 to January 2020. In addition to the data I gathered from the US Dept of Labor, I consulted with other members of my project team to compare wages from different institutions. The closest comparable position in the federal database is for a Graphic Designer with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Since the individual contracted will be living in Arizona during the timeframe of the contract (due to the covid-19 situation), I used the average hourly wages for Arizona as reference. I searched the General Service Administration library but many of the contractors were in specific science areas with one-title, thus I did not find any with the range of disciplinary areas that the position requires (e.g., engineering, visualization, sciences).

Also, many of the contractors were head-hunters.

Source: Career One Stop by the US Department of Labor https://www.careerinfonet.org/select_state.asp?next=wages1&level=&optstatus=&id=1&nodeid =208&soccode=&jobfam=&menuMode=&SOC=

8. Procurement History: Action was not completed. Rationale: A notice of intent to solicit and award a sole source contract under statutory authority in accordance with both 41 U.S.C.

253(c)(1) and FAR 13.106-1 (b)(1)(i), set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements was posted in beta.SAM.gov.

Previous Purchase Orders(s) or Contract(s): X Yes __ No

Purchase order or contract number: #12F43020P0029 Was action competed? __ Yes X No

If action was not competed, state the cited authority, summarize rationale: FAR 13.106-1(b) (1):

For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available. Rationale: Highly technical skills and experience required for the contract action are unique and rarely available in the market.

9. Additional information to support the justification:

As stated in #5 above, the candidate has worked previously for the project and will build upon the visualization techniques, codes, and platforms he has developed and therefore is the best candidate to maintain the project’s integrity of the data and visualization platforms.

10. Technical/Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which is included in this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Submitted By: Tischa A. Muñoz-Erickson Position Title: Research Social Scientist Email Address: tischa.a.munoz-erickson@usda.gov https://www.careerinfonet.org/select_state.asp?next=wages1&level=&optstatus=&id=1&nodeid=208&soccode=&jobfam=&menuMode=&SOC= https://www.careerinfonet.org/select_state.asp?next=wages1&level=&optstatus=&id=1&nodeid=208&soccode=&jobfam=&menuMode=&SOC= http://beta.sam.gov/ mailto:tischa.a.munoz-erickson@usda.gov

Signature:

Date: 3/05/2021

11. Fair and Reasonable Price Determination: As Contracting Officer, I hereby determine that the anticipated cost to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable.

Basis for the determination: price analysis techniques.

12. Contracting Officer’s Approval:

I hereby certify that this Justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. Based on the foregoing, I approve this sole source justification subject to availability of funds, and provided that the services and supplies herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition

Signature:

Typed Name: Amelia Davila Title: Contracting Officer Date: 24 Mar 2021