Sole_Source_Justification_2.pdf

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION FOR ACQUISITION UNDER THE

SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD

1. Contracting Agency and Activity. The Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey, plans to contract on a sole source basis. This document sets forth the justification and approval as required by FAR 13.106-1(b)(1).

2. Nature of Action Being Approved. New contract for Sandra Haire sole proprietor.

3. Description of Supplies or Services. (1) Develop statistical models to define ecosystem vulnerability to mega-fires and post-transformation at local and regional scales, and to (2) link multi-scale bird and vegetation responses to fire regimes across the vulnerability framework to assess factors and mechanisms that drive vulnerability and resilience.

4. Estimated Dollar Value.

5. Statutory Authority. The proposed action may be awarded on a sole source basis under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) – only one source reasonably available.

6. Rationale Supporting Use of Citation in No. 5. Dr. Sandra Haire is uniquely suited to assisting the USGS in completing the modeling portion of this research. Dr. Haire has been awarded past contracts to develop the code and databases the Government uses to define ecosystem vulnerability, and that are required to implement the next steps of this research, which are proprietary. (The Government does own the code and we make it accessible when the project tasks are finished and data are published. The "proprietary" is referencing the databases (species and vegetation) which are collections from University of Arizona and the researchers at US Forest Service and they have not been publicly released yet.) No other vendor can provide continuation of services for this project without a significant ramp up. Ramp up time would require the contractor to become familiar with and synthesize a complex, multi-species data base of >1,400 field observations made during various time periods and in both the U.S. and Mexico, which could take several weeks to become familiar with. Such a delay would impact ongoing studies and cause the Government to miss project/mission deadlines).

Additionally, it is critical to keep the continuity of data between old and new data sets which only Dr. Hair can provide because of her familiarity with the data structure and establish analysis workflow.

7. Other Information. N/A.

8. The Efforts to Identify Additional Sources Including the Market Research Conducted.

RFI, 140G0322Q0225, was posted for ten days on SAM.gov with no responses received.

9. Future Plans to Permit Competition. Future requirements for same/similar items will undergo market research and be competed to the maximum extent practical.

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION FOR ACQUISITION UNDER THE

SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD

10. Recommendation and Certification from Program Office

Based on the above, I recommend this acquisition be conducted on a sole source basis and certify the above statements are true and accurate.

11. Certifications from the Contracting Officer:

a. The proposed action may be awarded on a sole source basis under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) – only one source reasonably available. The Government anticipates receiving a fair and reasonable price by basing it on one or more of the allowable options indicated in FAR 13.106(a)(2).

b. This justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

12. Approvals