Sole Source Justification 4636 Project

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1.

Identification of the agency and the Contracting Activity

The agency is the U.S. Department of State; Office of Acquisition Management is processing this acquisition at the request of the Office of the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.

2.

Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Approved

In the days after January 12, 2010, the 8.0 quake that leveled Haiti, a group of private sector technology experts in conversation with the State Department worked with the Haitian telecommunication companies to stand up “4636” which is “info” on a cell phone. All the telecommunication carriers agreed to make this short number free to Haitian phones and anyone who texted into that number could, for free send a distress messages. Those messages were supported then by this group of volunteers around the world who then captured the messages, tagged and categorized the messages, provided mapping and locations to messages where possible and then routed the messages to emergency responders on the ground who would act upon the needs conveyed.

This system provided many life saving needs to persons affected in Haiti from the quake. The system has continued to be maintained by volunteers up to now. However, as recovery and reconstruction move forward it is becoming more and more necessary to transition this system from a volunteer based network to a Haitian supported and maintained system to have lasting effects and to be able to handle more responses as early responders are now leaving.

We have also learned that the Haitian Government has tried to start up a similar service using the short number “177” to provide emergency response needs to Haitians.

To systematize and streamline for this project we would like to integrate “4636” and “177” and bringing the best aspects of “4636” to “177”. Also with capacity building and training a concern as “4636” was a volunteer network, we would like to provide seed funding to provide for:

1. Training and capacity building of Haitians to work in call centers to answer calls.

2. Training and capacity building of Haitians to tag and categorize messaging coming in from calls and texts.

3. Transfer of advanced tech platform to tag/route messages and support Haitian owned system.

Given the unique nature of the crisis and that this was a first of its kind volunteer network to provide urgent response needs through this communication channel, the sole source is requested as it is only this volunteer network which has experience with the volunteer hosted “4636” specifically and has the experience and expert ability to provide the proper training and capacity building in Haiti, to Haitians themselves and to the Government of Haiti.

3.

Description of the Supplies or Services Required to Meet Agency’s Needs

The contractor would be expected to implement the project by providing expert advice and strategic planning for the entire transfer of the “4636” platform to “177”.

1. Identify local employees & service partners who can work at call centers or employ people to provide services, using strong criteria that verify service partners' capacity and potential for deep social impact.

2. Work with Haitian Government to set up proper terms of service and data sharing to allow transfer of platform from “4636” to “177”

3. Work with Haitian Government and existing contract on “177” to facilitate the movement of data feeds to Government and NGO responders on the ground to ensure proper and real time action is taken on the incoming calls/messages.

4. Provide employees and partners with specific training and prepare them to further train their own beneficiaries using live sample projects and web-based tools.

5. Facilitate the transfer of Ushahidi Haiti into Haitian hands to be operated at call center. The objective is to create a Haitian citizen-driven transition of the site into a platform that addresses local needs as the response moves from crisis to development and rebuilding.

6. Sustain the current communications infrastructure in collaboration with Haiti telecommunications companies; from a technical perspective, for 6 months.

7. Provide expertise and assistance to the organizations owning the long-term contracts and partnerships with the Haiti telecommunications companies.

8. Establish local operations by Haitians of aspects of the outbound alert system and infrastructure to allow longer term information services for the population.

4.

Identification of the Statutory Permitting Other than Full and Open Competition

The proposed procurement is to be made under the authority of only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, as implemented by FAR 6.302.1.

5.

Demonstration that the Contractor’s Unique Qualifications or the Nature of the Acquisition Requires Use of the Authority Cited.

Samasource has the unique experience to oversee the transfer of “4636” to “177” in that it is a primary volunteer in the current network and has intimate knowledge of the system and of the current situation in Haiti.

Samasource is a 501(c)(3) non-profit social enterprise that has successfully garnered over $300,000 in paying digital work contracts for over 600 marginalized women, youth and refugees in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Digital services, unlike other kinds of work, rapidly boost beneficiaries’ skill level and income, and allow them to be acknowledged and rewarded as productive workers in the global economy.

They thus have experience capacity building and training in situations that are low income and start-ups – although different the current crisis in Haiti, these difficult areas lend itself to having knowledge of training and dealing in more difficult situations. This coupled with their current volunteer status on the “4636” project give them the knowledge to hit the ground running to build capacity and sustain this program.

6.

Description of Efforts Made to Ensure that Offers Were Solicited from as many Potential Sources as Was Practicable.

Due to the nature of the requirement, no FEDBIZOPPS announcement was made.

7.

Determination of the Contracting Officer that the Anticipated Cost to the Government Will be Fair and Reasonable

The Contracting Officer has determined that anticipated costs to the Government are fair and reasonable based on the commercially listed prices for the contractor’s services.

8.

A Description of the Market Survey Conducted and the Results or a Statement of the Reasons A Market Survey was not Conducted No market survey was conducted due to lack of time and the determination that the contractor was the best source to satisfy the requirement.

9.

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

See paragraphs 5 and 7.

10.

A Listing of Sources if Any, that Expressed, in Writing an Interest in the Acquisition

No sources expressed an interest in this acquisition.

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

This is the first time a network like this has been established right after a crisis that is then transferred to a local government. Working through this model we will allow the Government of Haiti to take ownership of this model and will allow for competition for any other longer term projects as related to this.

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