EFO - EPST IAWT Sustainment Support-Comp Ad Signed-_Redacted.pdf

Source Selection Information See FAR 2.101 and 3.104 to perform complex calculations of fuel bids and is a major component of the EPST BEM application.

In addition, IT-STRAT’s close involvement and work with the creator of IAWT in support of the application has gained them intricate knowledge of the unique workings of the application. Therefore, J62BG requires that IT-STRAT continue sustainment support of the EPST and IAWT applications while the PMO acquisition team addresses the transfer knowledge, robust documentation and phased transition plan needed in the combined contract.

3. A DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES AND SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET

THE AGENCY’S NEEDS, INCLUDING AN ESTIMATED DOLLAR AMOUNT:

DLA Energy also requires IT-STRAT contractor support services to aid in the sustainment, analysis, design, development, testing, implementation, and operational support of the EPST suite and contractor support services to aid in the sustainment of the IAWT application while maintaining Information Assurance and Security policies, when these policies have an impact on the functionality of the EPST suite and IAWT tool for Tasks 8 through 13 under JETS Contract/Task Order # SP4709-17-D-0054/SP4709-22-F-0085

The government also requires contractor support for troubleshooting and maintenance support of the existing EPST and IAWT applications as the need arises.

This EFO -8 six-month extension for ESPT and IAWT sustainment support of follow-on contract number SP4709-17-D-0054/SP4709-22-F-0085 for Tasks 8 through 13

4. IDENTIFICATION OF THE EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY (SEE FAR

16.505(a)(4) AND FAR 16.505(b)(2)) AND THE SUPPORTING RATIONALE, INCLUDING A DEMONSTRATION THAT THE PROPOSED CONTRACTOR’S

UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS OR THE NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION

REQUIRES USE OF THE EXCEPTION CITED:

Pursuant to FAR 16.5005(b)(2)(i)(C), an exception to the fair opportunity process is justified because it is the most economical and efficient method to obtain the support required. The EPST suite (Bid Evaluation Model (BEM), Offer Entry Tool (OET), Transportation Rate Information System (TRIS), Energy Contract Information System (ECIS) and Prices to Web (P2W) of tools assists DLA Energy procurement programs by providing critical capabilities of automation and optimization of the energy relevant procurement, management and distribution processes through the use of secure technology.

The Inventory Accountability Web Tool (IAWT) is a Supply Chain Management tool that assists DLA Energy with the necessary tools to manage the daily inventory, reconciliation of inventory and financial transactions across multiple systems that the Regions perform oversight.

EPST is a custom-designed suite of applications and the current vendors providing sustainment support were part of and worked closely with the authors of the EPST suite for over a period of 20+ years and are the only contractors that know the sustainment and development work in relation to EPST and how the applications intertwine. The skills and knowledge they possess in working closely with the authors are not readily available in the marketplace, documented or easily transferable to a new contractor within the remaining timeframe the option year has left.

EPST BEM apps function with the use of Gurobi Optimizer license and over the course of years IT-STRAT has developed customized solutions and workarounds to address specific challenges posed by the innerworkings of the Gurobi license in conjunction with EPST BEM application. This knowledge is not yet documented and is essential to prevent disruption of Energy Operations to include the fuel bids and offerors. Attempting to transfer this intricate and undocumented knowledge within the short timeframe of the contract’s expiration would pose a significant risk to the DLA Energy’s operational continuity and cost.

Another skill set currently unique to the incumbent vendor is institutional knowledge along with 20+ years’ experience working with DLA Energy operations in support of the EPST suite, which makes it very difficult for a new contractor to come in and continue to support the application without disruption to DLA Energy business or compromise the system’s security.

The current incumbent has worked closely with the creator of the IAWT application providing sustainment support to the sole developer of this application for over 20+ years. IT-STRAT has gained knowledge directly from the creator that is not in the marketplace or documented and cannot be trained in the time the remaining Period of Performance has left. The vendor has worked from IAWT’s conception in an Access database to the mission critical application it is today gaining intricate knowledge that allows them to resolve issues and provide insight that another vendor lacks.

J62BG requires a (180 days) 6-month extension of the current sustainment support contract and if approved the extension provides the timeline needed to align the current contract with development contract # SP4709-24-F-0063/ SP4709-24-F-0064, AMYX last option year. This extension will allow for the alignment of the sustainment contract with the development contract, enabling a bundled contract with robust knowledge transfer initiatives, documentation, and a phased transition plan, mitigating the high risk of operational disruption and potential security compromises associated with onboarding a new contractor within the remaining timeframe, and merging the contract saves the government money on high-paid management positions and reduces administrative waste through consolidating efforts such as ONE invoice, ONE set of deliverables, ONE COR Status Report, etc.

EPST and IAWT are CIO Mission Critical Applications and relied upon heavily by DLA- Energy in the procurement process for fuel products for DOD as well as for many Federal Civilian agencies and to reconcile their inventory and financial transactions across multiple Energy systems.

The scope of this work is within the duties of the contractors, and they are fully staffed to successfully continue sustainment support of both applications. Therefore, it is in the interest of economy and efficiency to modify this task order to extend the IT-Strat task order SP4709-22-F-0085 through contract modification for the required six-month period on a sole-source basis because it is a logical continuation of required services and fair opportunity was provided at the time the task order was awarded.

5. A DETERMINATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THE

ANTICIPATED COST TO THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE FAIR AND

REASONABLE:

In accordance with FAR 52.217-8, the prevailing rates associated with option period 2 will be utilized, which were deemed fair and reasonable at the time of award.

6. ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE JUSTIFICATION:

Selection of a new vendor or forced transition to a new contractor would be disruptive to Energy operations, cause delays/loss of Energy procurement and compromise system security. The knowledge and experience acquired by their direct involvement with both applications in the development and ongoing maintenance in the past 20+ years while working closely with the author of the EPST suite and the creator of the IAWT tool is not easily transferable to a new contractor within the required timeframe. Furthermore, the current vendor possesses knowledge of the Gurobi Optimizer license required to operate EPST BEM application.

IT-STRAT is knowledgeable and practiced in DLA Energy operations and internal practices and how they are integrated and impact DLA Energy daily business. In addition, the current vendor possesses access/permission/certificates/licenses of the environment, they are knowledgeable of the need/requirements to code or re-code, create script for the application and the know-how and overall sustainment support which would be time consuming, costly and potentially risking delays in Energy procurement if not permitted the 6-month extension to align with the development contract last option year end date. To avoid such risks and disruption of continuity of DLA Energy operations for these reasons we ask that IT STRAT a team that has worked closely with the author of the EPST suite and the creator of IAWT for 20+ years and are uniquely qualified to carry on this effort based on their institutional knowledge of the entire suite of EPST applications (BEM, ECIS, TRIS, OET, and P2W), to include extensive knowledge of the Gurobi Optimizer software package, a license which is used to perform complex calculations of fuel bids, and is a major component of EPST BEM application continue sustainment support.

This exception is being pursued only after careful consideration of all other options and determining that aligning the extension with the development contract end date will allow J6 PMO to combine sustainment support of EPST and IAWT with the development work EPST contract in order to address the need for transfer knowledge, robust documentation and phase planning transition needed.

7. A STATEMENT OF THE ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO

REMOVE OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS THAT LED TO THE EXCEPTION

TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY BEFOR ANY SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITION FOR THE

SUPPLIES AND SERVICES IS MADE:

No actions needed. This is a one-time request to extend the current contract option year for 6-months in order to align with the development contract end date, which is March 30, 2026, to address the lack of knowledge transfer the sustainment support and development work will be combined in a future contract