SS FAR 13_Social Research Analyst_ 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 Follow-On Requirement

Mod to Existing Purchase Order/Contract Number

Pricing: Firm-Fixed Price Other: __________

3. Description of Supplies/Services:

a. The total estimated dollar value of the proposed action (including options): $ _16,560_

Hourly rate of $23 (40 hrs a week) for 18 weeks

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 needed to meet the interdisciplinary social research management for the SETS Convergence and UREx SRN projects. The project is 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. These include an interdisciplinary degree or experience conducting interdisciplinary research that combines social and natural sciences with engineering. The project is seeking a social science research that has experience working on the relationship of social systems with different types of infrastructure, such as water and energy systems. The individual must have experience in quantitative and qualitative methods and analysis in the social sciences, including surveys, interviews, content analysis, statistical data analysis, and social network analysis. Proficiency in various data analysis programs is required (e.g. Excel, SPSS, Survey Monkey, MAXQDA, KUMU). The position requires bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish, and ideally the applicant is Puerto Rican or has lived in Puerto Rico.

The candidate meets all the management, science and engineering requirements and is the best candidate for the project. The candidate has research experience in projects that examine the resilience, adaptive capacity and governance of both water and energy systems, a rare area for traditional social science researchers. The candidate has experience in both quantitative and qualitative methods and the analytical programs that are needed for the project. The candidate already has a scientific publication on the subject matter in Puerto Rico, therefore has the expertise required.

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. For this task, we are interested in a 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.

7. Market Research:

The applicable market includes scientists with the capacity and experience to analyze and publish relevant datasets in high-impact scientific journals in order 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.

I carried out the market research and compiled the data from the US Dept of Labor in the last three months, starting February 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. Based on our awareness of this available capacity, no other source is practical. The candidate is uniquely qualified to conduct the requirement requested, plus this is a onetime requirement.

8. Procurement History:

Previous Purchase Orders(s) or Contract(s): Yes x No

Purchase order or contract number:_______________ Was action competed? Yes No If action was not competed, state the cited authority, summarize rationale:______________________________________________________________________

9. Additional information to support the justification:

The services requested are needed to meet the interdisciplinary social research management for the SETS Convergence and UREx SRN projects. The project is 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. These include an interdisciplinary degree or experience conducting interdisciplinary research that combines social and natural sciences with engineering. The project is seeking a social science research that has experience working on the relationship of social systems with different types of infrastructure, such as water and energy systems. The individual must have experience in quantitative and qualitative methods and analysis in the social sciences, including surveys, interviews, content analysis, statistical data analysis, and social network analysis. Proficiency in various data analysis programs is required (e.g. Excel, SPSS, Survey Monkey, MAXQDA, KUMU). The position requires bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish, and ideally the applicant is Puerto Rican or has lived in Puerto Rico.

The candidate meets all the management, science and engineering requirements and is the best candidate for the project. The candidate has research experience in projects that examine the resilience, adaptive capacity and governance of both water and energy systems, a rare area for traditional social science researchers. The candidate has experience in both quantitative and qualitative methods and the analytical programs that are needed for the project. The candidate already has a scientific publication on the subject matter in Puerto Rico, therefore has the expertise required.

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

Signature:

Date: 5/4/2020

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: 04 Jun 2020