IT staff augmentation sole source notice

The Washington State Gambling Commission (GMB) is seeking to award a sole source contract for IT staff augmentation services, specifically business analyst expertise, to support an ongoing multi-year IT modernization project. The current contract, competitively procured in 2022 through ITPS contract 08215, is set to expire on November 30, 2024 with no option to extend. GMB requires the continuation of these services and intends to award a one-year sole source contract to the incumbent vendor, CimpleSquare, LLC, effective December 1, 2024, with an option to extend for an additional one-year term. The business analyst resources provided by CimpleSquare will be responsible for requirements gathering, analysis, documentation, and serving as a liaison between business and technical stakeholders. The total not-to-exceed contract value is $550,000. GMB cites the extensive background check requirements due to its law enforcement agency status and the need for continuity of services as the rationale for the sole source award.

This sole source procurement is open only to CimpleSquare, LLC, the incumbent vendor who has been providing services under the existing competitively awarded contract for approximately 18 months. GMB has determined that transitioning to a new contractor would result in significant project delays and lost productivity, as a new vendor would require 8-10 weeks to complete the necessary background checks. CimpleSquare, a self-attested small business, has developed a deep understanding of GMB's operations, regulatory and law enforcement work, and the ongoing IT modernization project. Offerors other than CimpleSquare are required to submit capability statements within 15 working days demonstrating their ability to meet the state's requirements, including the extensive background check challenges.