R702--FY26: Cleanable Areas Inventory

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Justification and Approval

For

Exception to Fair Opportunity Memo

Acquisition Plan Action ID: 36C248-26-AP-0734

Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Healthcare Administration (VHA), Network Contracting Office (NCO) 8, San Juan Services & Commodities Team, 2237 no. 672-26-1-516-0023.

Description of Action: A task order for a Cleanable Areas Inventory of the VA Caribbean Healthcare System at 10 Casia Street, San Juan PR will be issued against NASA Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) contract no. NNG15SD19B. There are two Vendors in this SEWP contract: Alvarez LLC (SDVOSB) and World Wide Technology. However, the only Vendor of these to have the Line Item Number (LIN) for the services being procured is Alvarez LLC.

Description of Supplies or Services: The VA Caribbean Healthcare System (VACHS) in San Juan requires an inventory of its cleanable area. The Contractor shall perform such inventory, and produce a report of such cleanable areas in order to calculate the estimated amount of Full Time Employees (FTEs) required to clean such areas. This information shall be uploaded into the Veterans Affairs Task Frequency Analysis (VATFA) database, as well as the ES Optimizer tool.

Statutory Authority: The statutory authority permitting an exception to fair opportunity is Section 41 U.S.C. 4106(c) as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B): Only one awardee is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services ordered are unique or highly specialized.

Rationale Supporting Use of Authority Cited Above: TFA serves as the essential staffing tool for EMS, as mandated by VHA Directive 1850.01, which pertains to the Health Care Environmental Sanitation Program. This platform employs several hundred tasks that adhere to ISSA standards, which the VHA relies on to assess staffing requirements. VACHS is required to update TFA to calculate the total staffing needed to maintain the areas within its facilities.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Market research was conducted, and the company that performs this analysis (Smart Facilities Software) was contacted. They confirmed that Alvarez LLC Alvarez LLC is an authorized re-seller for the analysis being procured.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: In the event of future purchases for similar services, the Government will continue performing its market research, to determine if the market conditions have changed.

8. Market Research: As confirmed through a representative from Smart Facility Software, this requirement could be satisfied through SEWP contract no. NNG15SD19B, which is held by Alvarez LLC (SDVOSB). Alvarez LLC is an authorized vendor of Smart Facilities Software, and is a certified SDVOSB, as confirmed in SBS. An order against this contract is so a representative can visit the VACHS main facility in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and perform an inventory of the areas, upload the inventory into ES Optimizer, and export the information to TFA.

9. Other Facts: N/A

10. 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.

_____________________________

Chief of Environmental Programs Section

VACHS

11. Determination that Anticipated Cost is Fair and Reasonable: A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable will be made by comparing the quoted price to that of the SEWP main contract.

12. Contracting Officer's Certification (required): I certify that the foregoing justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

_____________________________

Contracting Officer

Network Contracting Office 8

San Juan Services & Commodities Team