I.A.8RedactedJA-W9124J-2013-9.pdf

Control Number: JA-W9124J-2013-9

JUSTIFICATION REVIEW DOCUMENT FOR OTHER THAN FULL & OPEN COMPETITION

Program/Equipment/ Services: Strong Bonds: Couples Communication I & II

Amount:

FAR 13.501(a)(1)(ii) 13.501(a)(1)(ii): Sole source (including brand name) acquisition conducted under simplified acquisition procedures of the test program for commercial items

Prepared by:

Name: Christopher Terhune DSN:Title: Contract Specialist

Email: Date: Jul 11, 2013

Comm.: (210) 466-2235

Contracting Officer:

Name:

Title:

Email:

Comm.:

Technical Representative:

Name:

Title:

Email:

Comm.:

Requirements Representative:

Name:

Title:

Email:

Comm.:

Page 2 of 6 For Official Use OnlyProcurement Sensitive Information

Justification and Approval for Other Than Full and Open Competition

1. Select Command: MICC Sub-Command: MICC CENTER - FORT S DODAAC: W9124J

Contracting Activity MICC CENTER - FORT SAM HOUSTON

2. Description of Action Nature: New Requirement: No Follow-on Requirement: Yes Mod to Existing Purchase Order/Contract Number: No Pricing: Firm-Fixed Price: Yes Time & Materials: No Cost: Yes Funds: OMA: Yes Other Funds: N/A Name of proposed Contractors(s): Interpersonal Communication Programs, Inc Street Address: 30772 Southview Drive #200 City, State, Zip: Evergreen, Colorado 80439 Phone: (303) 674-2051

3. Description of Supplies and Services This is a continuation of services for certification training in the Couples Communication I & II curricula for the Strong Bonds Instructor Training Course. There are ten instructor training events planned involving over 400 unit ministry team members. The contract type will be a hybrid firm fixed price and cost reimbursable. The type of funding is Operation and Maintenance, Army (OMA).

The contractor shall provide two trainers who will conduct certification training for 400 chaplains, chaplain assistants, or Family members in the Strong Bonds – Couples Communication I & II curriculums (3 days per session, 10 times a year). Attendees will have sufficient materials and knowledge to conduct the training to an unlimited number of Soldiers and Family members.

Curriculum must be available in secular and theologically-integrated versions for easy integration into the Chaplain Corps programs. This must include required video clips, PowerPoint Slides, Instructors Manual, Participant Manual, and all essential training aids. Training materials will be purchased and shipped to training locations by a third party vendor to be identified by the Strong Bonds Program Manager.

4. Authority Cited For:

FAR 13.501(a)(1)(ii) 13.501(a)(1)(ii): Sole source (including brand name) acquisition conducted under simplified acquisition procedures of the test program for commercial items

Page 3 of 6 For Official Use OnlyProcurement Sensitive Information

5. Reason for Authority Cited Interpersonal Communication Programs, Inc is the only authorized seller of the Couples Communication I and II curricula as verified in their Proprietary Statement made on 02 May 2013. These curriculums are essential to the Chief of Chaplains Strong Bonds training requirements, and no other companies’ similar products or products lacking the particular features meet or can be modified to meet the agency’s needs without creating unacceptable delays in the presentation of relationship skills training to Soldiers and their Families. Interpersonal Communication Programs, Inc is the only company licensed to certify instructors in program curriculum (see Proprietary Statement of the Contractor, dated 03 May 2013).

a. Alternatives: There are no verifiable alternatives that can provide the services received from the Interpersonal Communication Programs, Inc. The material is proprietary and only available from Interpersonal Communication Programs, Inc (Proprietary Statement, dated 03 May 2013).

b. Justification: Interpersonal Communication Programs, Inc programs are evidence-based and include best practices skills and key foundational theory for emotional fitness, resilience and stability. They contain all Department of Health and Human Services / Administration for Children and Families required elements for relationship skills education. It is one of thirteen evidence-based relationship skills curriculum utilized as part of the Strong Bonds Program.

c. Impact: If this contract is not awarded, the Army’s training strategy for certifying unit ministry teams in the Couples Communication curriculum will be disrupted. Should training material and certification capability be unavailable, the Army would not be able to provide Soldiers and Families relationship skills and education based on specific training content. A major restructuring of the Strong Bonds Instructor Training Course would be required reducing the number of events that could be conducted due to a lack of certified instructors. Additionally, hundreds of Army-wide unit level Strong Bonds events would have to be cancelled. The Strong Bonds Program is the only Army program focused on relationship skills and education training for Soldiers and their Families. Results from current 5 year longitudinal study reflect a lower divorce rate for participants attending training (2.3%) compared to non-participants (4.7%). Upon completion of training, every participant completes an assessment in fourteen areas. Training data highlights positive changes in all areas regarding Soldier and Family behavior and attitudes towards their relationships and the Army.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition

The Couples Communication I & II curricula are proprietary and owned by Interpersonal Communication Programs, Inc.

7. Actions to Increase Competition

This requirement has been publicized on several occasions. Interpersonal Communication Programs, Inc is the only source that has demonstrated the capability to meet requirement. If other viable sources became available, every effort will be made to increase competition through market research and continual assessment of relationship skills programs.

8. Market Research Two attempts were made to obtain information on interested companies. A sources sought notice, W9124J-13-R- CCOM, was posted on Federal Business Opportunities, FedBizOpps.gov, on 27 Feb 2013, with a response due date of 08 March 2013. On 4 Mar, sources sought notice W9124J-13-R-CCOM was canceled and re-issued with the solicitation number of W9124J-13-R-0011, with a response due date of 10 Mar 2013. One interested vendor, a large business, was interested and submitted a reply to the questionnaire. The technical representative reviewed the large business credentials and determined that the large business was not capable; the large business did not specifically identify a

Page 4 of 6 For Official Use OnlyProcurement Sensitive Information capability to provide training materials; and the large business did not express the ability to conduct instructor certification training for Couples Communication I & II curricula.

Further, the requirement has been made known to the National Coalition for Marriage, Family, and Couples Education.

Interpersonal Communication Programs, Inc is the only known source for certifying instructors and obtaining training materials for the Couples Communication I & II curricula.

9. Interested Sources Additional Market research was conducted on 26 April 2013. Four (4) small businesses expressed interest in teaching the Strong Bonds program, but only one (1) company responded to the Questionnaire within the time allotted for response. The technical representative reviewed the small business that replied on time and determined that the small business was not capable; the small business did not specifically identify a capability to provide training materials; and the small business did not express the ability to conduct instructor certification training for Couples Communication I & II curricula. One (1) additional company replied a week after the time allotted to answer the questionnaire.

10. Other Facts

PROCUREMENT HISTORY

Contract Number Contractor Award Date Comp.

Status Dollar Amount Contract

End Date

W91WAW 09 C 0025 0000 00

Interpersonal

Communications Programs

02/02/09 S 2/1/10

W91WAW 10 C 0030 0000 00

Interpersonal

Communications Programs

03/22/10 S 3/21/13

Previous Purchase Order(s) or Contract(s): Yes

Was action competed? Yes

Previous Contract or Purchase Order Number: Previous contracts were awarded by ACC-National Capital Region. Contract W91WAW-09-C-0025 was competed, according to the base CAR under Full and Open Competition, though only one offer was received; Contract W91WAW-10-C-0030 was awarded under Full and Open Competition after Exclusion of Sources with only one offer received, effective 22 Mar 2010

Previous authority for less than Full & Open Competition: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c) (1) - FAR 6.302-1(a) (2) (ii) (A)

Acquisition Data Availability

N/A

Unusual Compelling Urgency

N/A

Page 5 of 6 For Official Use OnlyProcurement Sensitive Information

Subcontracting Competition

This is a sole source requirement to a small business and subcontracting opportunities are not applicable.

11. Technical Certification:

I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Date: 16 July 2013

Signature:Title:

Name:

12. 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.

Signature

Date: 16 July 2013

Title:

Name:

13. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination:

I hereby determine that the anticipated cost to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable.

Date: 16 July 2013

Signature:Title:

Name:

14. Procuring Contracting Officer Certification:

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Date: 16 July 2013

Signature:Title:

Name:

I .

Page 6 of 6 For Official Use OnlyProcurement Sensitive Information

COORDINATIONS

Date: 16 July 2013

Signature:Title:

Name:

Signature

Date: 16 July 2013

Title:

Name:

Approval Based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the procurement of on an other than full and open competition basis pursuant to the authority of 13.501(a)(1)(ii) subject to availability of funds, and provided that the services and property herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

Signature:

Date: 16 July 2013

Title:

Name:

i

I

I

STEVENS.GARY.LEWIS

.1123590267

Digitally signed by STEVENS.GARY.LEWIS.1123590267 DN: c=US, o=U.S. Government, ou=DoD, ou=PKI, ou=USA, cn=STEVENS.GARY.LEWIS.1123590267 Reason: Approval Date: 2013.07.16 14:54:49 -05'00'