Bridge JA_Mail Delivery Service_Redacted.pdf

Control Number: 26-005

Controlled Unclassified Information

Justification and Approval for Other than Full and Open Competition – FAR Part 6

1. Contracting Activity: 411th Contracting Support Brigade – Korea, OPC 371 Box 42, APO

AP 96271-9001.

2. Description of Action: This action establishes a six-month bridge contract, from 1 February 2026 through 31 July 2026, to ensure uninterrupted U.S. Mail Delivery Services across U.S. Forces Korea (USFK). The estimated value is , funded with Operations and Maintenance, Army (OMA) funds. The incumbent contractor, Korea Container Pool, is currently performing under Contract W91QVN-20-D-0038.

3. Description of Services: The contractor will continue providing comprehensive logistical support necessary to transport U.S. mail between the Incheon Airport Military Mail Terminal (MMT), Busan MMT, and all USFK Military Post Offices (MPOs) across the Korean Peninsula. This includes managing a highly coordinated network of personnel, vehicles, and equipment to ensure timely and secure delivery of mail to multiple installations under strict operational timelines. The services require extensive knowledge of the region, established access to military installations, and the ability to navigate complex logistical challenges, including compliance with stringent security protocols and base access requirements.

The contractor must maintain seamless operations across geographically dispersed locations, ensuring uninterrupted mail delivery despite adverse weather conditions, traffic congestion, and other unforeseen circumstances. The ability to execute these services without delay is critical to mission continuity and operational readiness across USFK.

4. Authority Cited: 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source.

5. Reason for Authority Cited: The USARPAC G-1 Postal Operations Detachment oversees the Joint Military Mail Terminal and the distribution of mail across Korea. Mail delivery is a continuous, high-visibility mission requiring an experienced contractor capable of operating specialized transportation assets and handling international mail containers. The follow-on requirement package was submitted on 1 July 2025 following approval by the 3QFY25 Contract Review Board. The competitive follow-on package was actively being processed when a lapse in appropriations during a government shutdown forced a complete halt to all procurement actions. Its impact was immediate and substantial, eliminating the margin necessary to execute a full and open competition within the timeline.

Any lapse in service would cause immediate operational failure, including significant mail delays to service members and families across USFK, reduced morale, and non-compliance with DoD postal policy. This extends beyond routine mail delays; it would disrupt the delivery of mission-critical parts, official records, and medical supplies to service members and their families across the Korean Peninsula.

Interruptions in postal operations undermine the Government’s ability to sustain force readiness and family support—both indispensable to USFK’s mission in Korea. A break in service would erode confidence in the military postal system, impair vital communication between deployed personnel and their families, and degrade operational effectiveness by diverting command resources to emergency mitigation measures. Such consequences directly threaten the Government’s critical mission of maintaining morale, welfare, and operational continuity for forward-deployed forces. Accordingly, uninterrupted postal support is essential to ensuring mission success and safeguarding the well-being of service members and their families.

Therefore, a bridge contract is necessary to prevent a break in service. This action will provide sufficient time to conduct a proper full and open competition, including the required technical and legal review, and allow for a phase-in period if a new contractor is selected.

The incumbent, Korea Container Pool, is the only source capable of performing at full operational capacity on Day One without delays caused by badging, access requests, or phase-in activities. Immediate award of the bridge contract is imperative to ensure uninterrupted support of USFK’s critical mission.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: While other vendors may possess the capability to perform the required services, none can commence operations immediately without introducing significant operational risks. The critical nature of these services, combined with the logistical challenges of transitioning to a new contractor, makes immediate performance infeasible. New contractor personnel would need to obtain base access badges and IDs, a process that is both time-intensive and cannot be completed by January 31, 2026. Without these credentials, personnel would be unable to access military installations and fulfill the contract requirements.

The incumbent contractor, Korea Container Pool, has established infrastructure, trained workforce, and operational readiness to ensure seamless and uninterrupted service starting February 1, 2026. A bridge contract is essential to prevent disruptions in mail delivery and maintain mission continuity while allowing sufficient time to complete and award a competitive follow-on contract.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: The follow-on requirement is being solicited under full and open competition. The bridge contract is a temporary action solely to prevent mission failure while the competitive procurement process is completed.

8. Market Research: Market research confirmed that while alternatives exist, all other potential providers require a phase-in period and access processing that cannot occur before the current contract expires. Therefore, only the incumbent can meet the immediate operational timeline.

9. Other facts. Initial planning for the follow-on was delayed due to evolving requirements for a new Mail Terminal in Busan. Prudent acquisition planning necessitated a contract extension to ensure these new requirements could be clearly defined and incorporated. This resulted in a dash-8 extension, granting the Government the necessary time to develop a comprehensive procurement package addressing all logistical needs across the Korean Peninsula. Subsequently, the 43-day Government shutdown suspended all preparatory efforts for the follow-on solicitation, making a timely competitive award impossible.

Failure to approve this bridge contract will result in a definitive break in service. Such a lapse will directly impact mission-critical support functions and compromise the welfare of personnel and their families who rely on mail service for essential needs, including medication and critical supplies. Approval of this bridge contract is essential to maintaining service continuity, enabling the 411th CSB to finalize and award the follow-on effort.