Final_LSJ.pdf

LIMITED SOURCE JUSTIFICATION (LSJ)

1. IDENTIFICATION OF AGENCY AND CONTRACTING ACTIVITY

Agency: Social Security Administration

Contracting Office: Office of the Deputy Commissioner for Budget, Finance, Quality, and Management

Office of Acquisition and Grants (OAG)

Office of Information Technology Acquisition

Division of IT Support Services

Contracting Officer (CO): Kevin P. Muñiz

(410) 966-3297

Program Office: Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness (OSEP)

Contracting Officer’s Keith Wilt

Technical Representative (410) 965-6781

(COTR):

Project Title: Security Automation Features and Enhancements (SAFE)

System Support Contract

Proposed Contractor: ICF Jacob & Sundstrom, Inc. (ICF)

7125 Thomas Edison Drive, Suite 100

Columbia, MD 21046-2208

2. NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF ACTION BEING APPROVED

Type of action:

_X_ new award; __ modification of existing award

Contemplated contract action:

We seek approval of an LSJ to award a new single-award task order to ICF under its General

Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Contract Number GS-35F-

4997G IT Schedule 70 for SAFE System support services.

The task order will have a total potential period of performance of 12 months. As preferred by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.404(h)(2), the CO will issue a firm-fixed-price order following the ordering procedures of FAR 8.405-2(c)(3).

3. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET AGENCY NEEDS AND

ESTIMATED VALUE

Estimated Value: $1,649,473.

This requirement is for maintenance and support of the agency’s SAFE system. The contractor must provide software support and updates to maintain the SAFE system, complete current integration development projects, and continue system administration and compliance with the agency’s Office of Information Security standards as outlined in the

Information System Security Handbook.

We built the SAFE web application on an ICF developed product called GroupAssure®.

GroupAssure® is ICF’s compliance automation software that includes a sophisticated security model. The model provides role-based access control and workflows allowing ICF to customize and deliver focused compliance solutions to the agency. To date, ICF is the only vendor that has implemented, installed, configured, or customized GroupAssure®. Over the last eight years, ICF has successfully integrated GroupAssure® with the agency’s internal systems, including Physical Access Control Systems, a Card Management System, and Core

Services.

GroupAssure® utilizes Hypertext Preprocessor, My Structured Query Language, and Open

Lightweight Directory Access Protocol backend databases. ICF’s development expertise in these areas, combined with its ownership of the GroupAssure® software, make ICF uniquely qualified to add functionality to SAFE while continuing to support existing SAFE modules.

4. AUTHORITY AND JUSTIFICATION RATIONALE

41 U.S.C. § 251, et seq. and 40 U.S.C. § 50, as implemented by the Multiple Award Schedule

Program, and under the procedures of FAR 8.405-6 “Limiting Sources.” Specifically, FAR 8.405-6 provides that orders placed under the FSS Program are exempt from the competition requirements in Part 6 of the FAR. However, we are further restricting consideration pursuant to the authority of FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B), as “only one source capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized.”

The SAFE System is a customized module based on and integrated into the GroupAssure® software product purchased from ICF on April 28, 2010 under contract

GS-35F-4997G/GST0310DS6098 for $10,502,682.43. ICF is the only available software development team for the GroupAssure® product and the agency owns its customized component modules. None of the GroupAssure® subcomponents or applications is separable from the software. Since acquiring the GroupAssure® software, OSEP has invested a total of

$4,990,777 in software development.

ICF is in a unique position because it is the sole holder of the GroupAssure® source code, and the only vendor able to implement, install, configure, or customized the code. Even though ICF has customized GroupAssure® for the agency’s specific need, the software’s source code is proprietary which precludes other vendors from maintaining and managing the system. Therefore, only ICF is capable of maintaining and managing the SAFE web application during the 12-month contract period of performance.

5. DETERMINATION BY THE CO THAT THE ORDER REPRESENTS THE BEST

VALUE

As provided in FAR 8.404(d), GSA has already determined the prices offered for supplies and fixed-price services and rates for services offered at hourly rates under schedule contracts to be fair and reasonable. By placing an order against a schedule contract using the procedures in FAR 8.405, the CO has concluded that the order represents the best value and results in the lowest overall cost alternative to meet the Government’s needs.

Additionally, the CO will verify, before award, that all services proposed are currently available on the GSA schedule, and offered at or below current approved GSA prices. Lastly, the CO will seek a price reduction for prices offered by ICF consistent with FAR 8.405-4.

6. MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED

The program office and Contract Specialist (CS) conducted market research to locate potential vendors who are able to maintain and manage the system. Market research consisted of searching GSA Advantage for authorized vendors capable of maintaining and managing the GroupAssure® software platform. Neither the market research nor general internet searches identified alternate providers.

In addition, the CS issued a sources sought notice under SSA-RFI-15-0029 on www.fedconnect.net to widen the market research pool. However, no vendors responded to the Request for Information as being capable of or interested in supporting the

GroupAssure® software.

The program office along with the CS concluded that ICF is the only source provider of

GroupAssure® software; therefore, the only source able to support its SAFE subsystems.

The program office will continue to conduct market research to obtain a long-term contract and to promote future competition through alternative solutions to the GroupAssure® software platform.

7. ANY OTHER SUPPORTING FACTS

GSA completed a determination of responsibility at the schedules contract level and maintained that ordering agencies are not required to conduct such a determination at the order level. Even so, before making an award, in accordance with FAR 4.1102, 4.1201, and 9.104, the CO will examine the System for Award Management to make an affirmative determination of the contractor’s responsibility. The contractor’s past performance records indicate that it has the corporate ability and the access to necessary knowledgeable and skilled technical resources to perform this requirement.

8. STATEMENT OF ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE

OR OVERCOME BARRIERS THAT LED TO RESTRICTED COMPETITION

BEFORE SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITION IS MADE

In the 4 th quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2014, OAG and OSEP management discussed the procurement history of the SAFE requirement. OSEP procured the new license for the base software through a GSA contract in FY 2013 using the agency micro-purchase process. We advised OSEP the procurement process must follow OAG’s acquisition procedures. Both offices agreed to a 12-month sole source requirement to allow for continuity of service and for sufficient time to plan and explore the possibility and cost of separating the SAFE subsystem from GroupAssure® without a disruption to service. During this period, OAG and

OSEP will also explore the availability of similar systems. OSEP believes it may be prohibitively expensive to replace GroupAssure® with new software. However, OSEP requires OAG’s assistance to conduct substantive market research to determine whether replacing the GroupAssure® will be prohibitively expensive or offer a cost saving to the agency.

Therefore, additional market research will focus on functionality of any available options as well as costs associated with any such options. Results will assist OSEP and OAG in determining the best acquisition strategy to acquire a longer-term contract for this requirement.

CERTIFICATION BY THE CO AND OTHER CONTRACTING OFFICIALS

The CO and other contracting officials hereby certify that the information provided in support of this LSJ is accurate and complete to the best of their knowledge and belief.

RECOMMEND: January 28, 2015

Ursula Nkwantabisa Date

Contract Specialist

Division of IT Support Services (DITSS)

Office of Information Technology Acquisition (OITA)

OAG

CONCUR: ______________________________ 1/30/15___________

Kevin P. Muñiz Date

Contracting Officer/Acting Division Director

DITSS, OITA, OAG

CONCUR: _2/2/15__________

Christian Hellie Date

Office Director

OAG, OITA

Cathy A. Bella 2/19/2015

CONCUR:

Cathy A. Bella Date

Deputy Associate Commissioner, OAG

2/19/15

CONCUR:

Seth Binstock Date

Associate Commissioner, OAG

APPROVE: 2/26/2015

M. Elizabeth Reich Date

SSA Competition Advocate

Competition Advocate Review Board (CARB)

Project Title: Security Automation Features and Enhancements (SAFE) System Support

Contract

Estimated Amount: $1,649,473

Review and discussion occurred: Electronically

For a

__X_Limited Source Justification (LSJ)

____Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition (JOFOC)

____Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity (JEFO)

CARB Panel Members

Associate Commissioner, Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness (or designee)

___Jonas M. Garland___________________Date_2/20/15___

__X__I recommend signature by the approving official

_____I do not recommend signature by the approving official

General Counsel (or designee)

General Counsel (or designee)_ Date_Feb. 23, 2015

__X_I concur that the justification is legally sufficient

_____I do not concur that the justification is legally sufficient