JA_-_VOV_-__Mod_to_include_call_center_-Signed1.pdf

Justification & Approval for Other Than Full & Open Competition Voice of the Veteran Customer Service Survey – Sole Source

AMENDMENT TO JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR

OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity.

This justification and approval is executed by the Strategic Acquisition Center located in Frederick, Maryland, on behalf of US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), and Benefits Assistance Service (BAS), which administers the Voice of the Veterans (VOV) Customer Satisfaction Survey.

2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

The proposed action is for a modification to contract to J.D. Powers VA119A-17-C-0155, to provide the VBA with sustainment services pertaining to the expired VOV Customer Service Survey Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA), specifically for the Call Center Satisfaction Research Program (VOV CCSR). The modification will not change the period of performance of the contract.

3. Description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value).

In 2012, the VBA awarded a single award BPA to J.D. Powers & Associates (JDPA) for the VOV Satisfaction Survey Program and launched the VOV Call Center Satisfaction Research Program (VOV CCSR) to incorporate Veteran and beneficiary feedback into the decision-making process at VBA. Via orders, JDPA collects data through the survey instrument, which provides VBA with various satisfaction measures on numerous touch points the agency has with Veterans and beneficiaries. The study allows VBA to establish performance metrics, and provide VBA with an overall satisfaction score using the survey information collected. JDPA compares VBA processes against commercial organizations and Government agencies providing similar services and processes; and provide best practices from those organizations on how to increase overall client satisfaction.

The proposed services and tasks within this last contract will allow VBA to bridge a lapse in the call center program and track how various initiatives with VBA Call centers impact satisfaction metrics. The data collected will be analyzed to determine what aspects of the Veterans’ experience is most important in terms of satisfaction and what processes need to be followed and implemented in order to increase satisfaction.

The proposed contract action is for a modification to the single-award contract with a total period of performance of initial six months, anticipating start date of February 2018 through August 15, 2018. This will allow adequate time for J.D.Powers (JDP) to bridge the gap in services for the Call Center Satisfaction Research Program functions. The government estimate of this contract modification is $699,887.91.

4. Identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is found under 41 US Code § 3004(a)(1) as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. JDP is the only company that can quickly and seamlessly begin the lapsed services for the VOV CCSR. JDPA created the survey instrument and developed the methodology and statistical analysis of the survey instrument. This proprietary analysis provides statistical validity and reliability of the data already collected.

5. Demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited.

In May 2012, the then Center of Acquisition Innovation (SAC-F) awarded a single-award BPA to the then JDPA (JDP) due to the delay in developing the re-compete package, the SAC-F extended the BPA POP for five months from May 1, 2017, to September 31, 2017.

In January 2017, JDPA was bought out by a Delaware Company changed their name from JDPA to JDP.

In May, JDP contacted General Schedule Administration to facilitate the Change-Of Name Agreement in accordance with FAR 42.12.GSA did not complete JDP’s request timely and in May 19, 2017 JDP lost their status as an eligible Government Contractor in System for Award Management (SAM.gov). When JDP tried to correct their SAM.gov status they were informed by the Defense Logistics Agency that they need to contact the Agency that has the largest contract value. JDP then contacted SAC-F in August requesting VA modify the existing BPA to change their name. Upon reviewing the Contractor’s request SAC-F concluded that the Change-Of Name Agreement has to be between JDP and GSA since this BPA was an award off of their GSA Schedule.

The previous order for CCSR was completed by JDP under their BPA. The services require reinstatement as quickly as possible and they have the proprietary information, procedures, processes and documentation to seamlessly continue the support of this tasking while an acquisition strategy for any follow-on requirement is determined by VA.

6. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies.

During the process of a competitive set-aside to Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), the agency requirements regarding benchmarking and branding were updated. These requirements are now considered mission critical to the measurement of customer satisfaction within VA. These new requirements were not evaluated in the original solicitation. Due to this change, the Solicitation will be re-competed with the new and updated requirements. A notice was published on January 12, 2018 in accordance with FAR subpart 5.2. VA received no responses.

7. A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

The rates from the current contract will be used and have already been determined fair and reasonable. A verification of the Level of Effort will be conducted by the program office to ensure it meets the Government need. In addition, price analysis will be conducted using the Independent Government Estimate for the modification.

8. A description of the market research conducted (see FAR Part 10) and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

During FY17, the VA conducted extensive market research for the re-compete of the VOV BPA. The CCSR supported by the BPA lapsed during the process of acquiring a new vendor. This lapse has deprived VA of the customer sentiment required to improve call center processes under its modernization priorities. During Q1FY18, VBA executive leadership reviewed the recently awarded BPA and determined that certain requirements and scope were not appropriately defined in the solicitation and the Sample Call Order Quote Request (COQR). These new requirements render the recently awarded BPA ineffective to appropriately address the agency’s need.

In terms of scope it was determined that the BPA should be narrowed to support the VBA administration rather than an enterprise-wide survey vehicle. This change was warranted based on the implementation of the Veterans Experience Office (VEO) Moments that Matter survey to capture enterprise-wide data. VEO is an enterprise level office that provides structure for surveys throughout VA. The development of agency level survey processes made an enterprise-level BPA redundant. As the administration of the contract is under the VBA administration, leadership has requested the scope be limited to VBA.

In the most recent review, the requirements were also deemed inadequate. VBA relies on Veteran and beneficiary feedback to support operations and make necessary program enhancements. This feedback is essential to VA’s mission to modernize the VA and provide world class service. Voluntary feedback for customer satisfaction can be difficult to obtain.

To maintain impartially and minimize bias VA has the contractor collect and review the submitted survey results. The return address is not a VA address. The ability to provide customers with a familiar, national brand-name was one method to increase response rates and survey compliance. A recognizable brand identity is considered essential to provide customer assurance regarding the safety and validity of the survey.

The VA has also obtained customer satisfaction data to establish benchmarks. These benchmarks allow VA to compare customer service and timeliness against the industry. The JDP benchmarks were also well known to our stakeholders in Congress and the White House. This provided basis of comparison between VA scores and industry. This ability to benchmark to against a national standard has aided VA in setting priorities and goals. The ability to benchmark is critical to the mission and requires a more thorough review of the abilities offered in the marketplace.

The use of branded customer satisfaction metrics and benchmarks is now considered a mission critical component for VA. Given the additional mission critical requirements, and lapse in service the Government is limited in sources that can quickly resume the program.

JDP is the only source available with the ability to seamlessly continue the survey and complete transition-out procedures for this effort without delay. Further market research will not produce different results.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition:

While a re-compete for future services is being conducted, the work that is required is mission critical and requires data at the earliest possible date. The requirements will be updated and re-competed separately, however, the VA cannot allow further gaps in the data required to develop innovative ways of serving its Veterans. The lapse in service has reduced the VA’s ability to be responsive to Veteran concerns and improve the VA customer experience. This bridge order is necessary to sustain the program while competitive procurement is conducted. The survey process could not be resolved by another vendor.

10. A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

A notice was published to Federal Business Opportunities on January 12, 2018 and no responses were received from any interested parties.

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.

A competitively solicited BPA was awarded based on best value in November 2017. Since that time, it was determined the Agency need was not fully addressed and the solicitation and BPA were cancelled. Therefore, the program office will reconvene an Integrated Product Team (IPT) to fully develop requirements and complete additional market research.

An Acquisition strategy will be developed based on the results of the market research.

12. Technical and Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Contracting Officer’s Representative Date

13. Contracting Officer Certification: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Contracting Officer Date

DAWNA S. QUICK

310997

Digitally signed by DAWNA S. QUICK 310997 DN: dc=gov, dc=va, o=internal, ou=people, 0.9.2342.19200300.100.1.1=dawna.quick@va.gov , cn=DAWNA S. QUICK 310997 Date: 2018.02.08 08:01:39 -05'00'

2/8/2018

2/9/2018