Redaction_FINAL_REM_Fort_Benning-JA_Redacted.pdf

Control No:

Contractor: Erica Lane Enterprises, Inc.

Program/Equipment: Resource Efficiency Manager (REM)

FAR Subpart 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items Sole Source

Justification and Approval

1. Contracting Activity: Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Sam Houston, Environmental & Energy Division, 2205 Infantry Post Road, Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234-1361

2. Description of Action: The Directorate of Public Works (DPW), Fort Benning, GA is requesting a short-term firm-fixed-price contract for Resource Efficiency Manager (REM) services. HQ IMCOM’s Resource Efficiency Manager Program seeks to increase the effectiveness of Army installations energy programs by identifying practices that reduce energy and water costs by utilizing subject matter experts (REM’s), who provide expertise in identifying needed infrastructure energy improvements in Government facilities that will significantly reduce energy and water utilization, and meet or exceed the Army’s energy savings goals.

The Government projects award for September 10, 2019 for a period of one year and using Fiscal Year 2019 Operations and Maintenance funds.

3. Description of Supplies/Services: This requirement is to provide the services of 1 Resource Efficiency Manager (REM) at the Directorate of Public Works, Fort Benning, GA. The REM services will be in support the installation’s efforts to reduce energy and water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, utilities costs, and comply with all applicable energy related federal laws and Executive Orders, to include but not limited to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005), Executive Order 13834 “Efficient Federal Operations” and the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007.

Period of Performance: 10 September 2019 to 09 September 2020 Total Value: $ 133,317

4. Authority Cited:

41 U.S.C. 1901, as implemented by FAR Subpart 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

5. Reason for Authority Cited:

a. As described 41 U.S.C. 1901 at FAR Subpart 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items. This subpart authorizes the use of simplified procedures for the acquisition of supplies and services in amounts greater than the simplified acquisition threshold but not exceeding $7 million.

On 10 September 2017 MICC Fort Sam Houston awarded task order W9124J-14-D- 0008-0007 as a fair opportunity against the Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ)

Version – September 2018 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Resource Efficiency Manager (REM) Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) to Erica Lane Enterprises, INC. Due to the expiration of the base contract ordering period, disallowing further fair opportunities or task order extensions, and delays in the award of a new IDIQ contract, it is imperative that Erica Lane Enterprises be awarded a short term contract for the reasons stated below.

The REM is presently involved in several on-going initiatives at this installation, for which DPW’s continuity of effort will be lost if there is a break in service, to include the following:

1) Since February 2019, the REM has been heavily involved in supporting an

IMCOM initiative with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), acting as the liaison in coordinating PNNL’s surveys and site visits to Fort Benning.

The initiative seeks to re-tune HVAC controls at the installations and evaluate the results, and will run for approximately the next twelve months.

2) Since January 2018, the REM has been actively supporting the Energy

Manager in the coordination and execution of a fence to fence ESPC.

Currently, the first phase is in construction which is requiring intense coordination and review of submittals. The second phase is currently developing a detailed feasibility study (DFS), which will be submitted for approval in October. By January 2020, Fort Benning will be heavily executing both phases, encompassing ~500 facilities across post.

3) REM is responsible for managing the energy audit program on post that is responsible for auditing ~5 MSF of buildings each year. The REM analyzes this information to create Energy Projects for submission to the EWCR project call in June 2020.

4) Additionally, Fort Benning is currently working to fill a recently vacant Energy

Manager position, and the current Energy Manager will be on maternity leave starting October 2019. The REM will be temporarily taking additional responsibilities to cover down for the energy program for 3 months. These duties will include, but are not limited to, coordination of the Solar 2 project and ERCIP micro-grid project with Office of Energy Initiatives, quarterly M&V oversight for an existing ESPC, management of the Building Energy Monitor (BEM) program and monthly briefing of the program to the garrison.

5) Erica Lane Enterprises is the established REM contractor for DPW, Fort

Benning under Contract W9124J-14-D-0008 and Task Order 0007. They have the knowledge of Fort Benning and the experience to continue providing the services needed to support priority IMCOM initiatives without a break in service until the new MATOC for REM services is in place and proper transition can occur.

6) Proper transition between REM Contractors is imperative to ensure that key

IMCOM initiatives continue uninterrupted and to maintain continuity of effort.

Due to unforeseen circumstances beyond the customer’s control, the base period of the current REM MATOC’s expired before a new MATOC and task orders could be awarded.

b. Alternatives:

(1) One alternative is to compete the Resource Efficiency Manager (REM) requirement as a fair opportunity under an existing GSA schedule contract, as there are no in-house resources available to do this work in the interim. This is unacceptable for the following reasons:

(a) A competitive action would require a minimum of 120 days. There are less than 90 days remaining on this task order. The gap in services would result in a loss of continuity of effort and data collected to date, resulting in Government resources being wasted. A gap in services would require 3-4 months for a new contractor to come up to speed on on-going initiatives and data collected to date, resulting in wasted contracted resources of approximately $100,000.

(b) A competitively awarded GSA MATOC for REM services is already in the planning stages as stated above.

(c) The sole purpose of this action is to allow on-going IMCOM initiatives to continue uninterrupted and remain current until a new competitively awarded action is in place.

(d) A short term competitive award would cause unacceptable delays due to the learning curve for a potentially new contractor that is unfamiliar with the REM program, IMCOM installations, and on-going initiatives as identified above. This unfamiliarity would result in a loss of continuity of effort and wasted resources.

(2) A second alternative is to do nothing and allow a gap in service until a new contract is in place. This is not acceptable as the gap in services would result in a loss of continuity of effort on key on-going initiatives. This would result in wasted time and effort and would adversely impact progress on key IMCOM on-going initiatives which would be detrimental to the overall REM program.

6. Actions to Increase Competition: The Government’s intention was to have a new IDIQ MATOC in place prior to the expiration of the current MATOC. Due to unforeseen circumstances beyond the customer’s control, this did not occur. The current task order for DPW Fort Benning will expire on 09 September 2019. Although a new IDIQ is in the planning stages, the REM program at HQ IMCOM will be jeopardized if this interim contract is not in place on/about 10 September 2019. The new IDIQ MATOC will be in place by the time this interim contract is completed and a proper transition between Contractors can occur, if necessary.

7. Market Research: The original task order (W9124-J-14-D-0008-0007) was awarded to Erica Lane Enterprises, INC. with a specified number of hours, labor categories and rates for the REMs. Due to the competitive nature of the original task order award, the proposed hours, labor categories and wage rates were determined technically acceptable and reasonably priced at time of award. The same hours, labor categories and wage rates will be used for this requirement. No further market research is deemed necessary.