SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Bridge TAC Contract
- Notice Date
- 5/29/2009
- Notice Type
- Justification and Approval (J&A)
- NAICS
- 561421
— Telephone Answering Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Housing and Urban Development, OCPO, Western (Denver) Field Contracting Operations, Denver Operations Branch, NFW, 1670 Broadway, 23rd Floor, Denver, Colorado, 80202-4801
- ZIP Code
- 80202-4801
- Solicitation Number
- CDEN02381
- Point of Contact
- Toni D. Hoskinson, Phone: 3036725293
- E-Mail Address
-
toni.d.hoskinson@hud.gov
(toni.d.hoskinson@hud.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Award Number
- CDEN02381
- Award Date
- 5/28/2009
- Description
- Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition 1.Requiring Activity: PIH-Real Estate Assessment Center Contracting Activity: OCPO, Western (Denver) Field Contracting Operations Requisition Number: Contract Number:C-DEN-02381 2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved: The Office of Public and Indian Housing Real Estate Assessment Center (PIH-REAC) hereby requests an emergency bridge contract for the continued and uninterrupted operation of the Technical Assistance Center (TAC, a multi-channel inquiry center providing user support for over 190,000 users of HUD Secure Systems subsystems) for the purposes of: •providing continued program support while the recompete initiative for the new contract (C-DEN-02332) is in the final stages of completion, and, •providing adequate time for an appropriate transition period of all TAC services and business processes, from the incumbent contractor to the new contractor after award. In order to provide continuity of this Departmental-wide program support, PIH-REAC’s needs for a multi-channel inquiry center operator capable of providing continued services without interruption is of a unusual and compelling nature. PIH-REAC requires this action to offset the impact of the delay of a new 8(a) competitive contract award to provide these services for the Department. The anticipated cost of this service is $1,391,131 for a period not to exceed seven (7) months total (see below). The current expires 05/28/2009. The proposed emergency bridge contract is required to allow sufficient time to award the new 8(a) competitive procurement and to allow for a transition period to implement the SOW under the new contract. A Technical Evaluation Panel is currently evaluating proposals submitted for R-DEN-02332. 3. Description of supplies or services required to meet PIH-REAC’s needs: The TAC services include operating a multi-channel (phone, email, fax, etc.,) inquiry center from 7:00 AM to 8:30 PM EST Monday through Friday, excluding Government holidays. TAC personnel provide assistance across multiple HUD program areas by providing direct user support to 190,000 HUD internal and external stakeholders requiring access to HUD Secure Systems to complete statutorily-required electronic filings, answering general program status and technical questions from property inspectors, HUD Field Offices, housing authorities, management agents, residents, sponsors, other HUD and government officials and the general public. TAC personnel also answer questions about PIH-REAC business processes; facilitate the resolution of any problems users may experience with using PIH-REAC systems; support communications with program participants in selected business areas; and support PIH-IT system releases throughout the year. The structure of the proposed emergency bridge contract is for a base period of three (3) month periods, an option of three (3) months the option period will only be exercised if needed due to exigent circumstances – and a one (1) month transition period. The total period of performance of this emergency bridge contract will not exceed seven (7) months. The total estimated dollar value of this emergency contract if all options are exercised is between $1,200,000.00 and $1,500,000.00. 4.Identification of the statutory authority permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition: 41 USC 253 (c) (2) (FAR 6.302-2) - Unusual and Compelling Urgency. 5.A demonstration that the proposed contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited. CCSi has proven its capability to satisfactorily operate the TAC over the past three years and four months. While there are other 8(a) vendors that are believed to be capable of operating TAC, only the current incumbent is capable of performing all the required services starting on day one of the proposed emergency bridge contract term and is likewise the only vendor capable of performing the requisite transition activities to the new SOW. Virtually all other potential vendors would require start-up activities and transition time to perform all of the services required under this contract. Given the urgent and compelling need for the TAC services, an award to other than the incumbent at this time would result in a disruption of services creating an unacceptable lapse in services for the Department with the potential to put both the Department and HUD stakeholders at substantial technical, legal and fiscal risk. 6. A description of the efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a FEDBIZOPPS notice was or will be published as required by FAR 5.2, and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies. There are no plans to solicit alternative sources for this action. The requirement for notice to potential sources, for example through publication FedBizOps pursuant to FAR Subpart § 5.2, is specifically exempted for contract actions subject to the conditions of unusual and compelling urgency in which the Government would be seriously injured by the delays that such notice requires. The exemption is specifically provided in FAR §5.202(a)(2). However, the current 8(a) competitive solicitation resulted in several proposals from 8(a) firms. These proposals are currently being evaluated by a Technical Evaluation Panel. It is this office's desire to maximize the use of competition. Accordingly, the procurement strategy for the follow on competition (R-DEN-02332) has generated adequate response to a competitive 8(a), best-value procurement, utilizing price and technical factors. As the closing date of the solicitation was the required 30 days after issuance of the solicitation, we believe sufficient time was provided to insure that we have achieved the maximum competition among eligible 8(a) firms while simultaneously achieving the mandated 8(a) program goals. 7. The Contracting Officer has determined that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. The prior procurement strategy and the current pending contracting action provided for 8(a) competition. Extensive market research was conducted for both actions with separate independent government cost estimates developed: the anticipated cost to the Government of this emergency bridge contract action is consistent with those price ranges, adjusted for the short term nature of the contract vehicle and transition period. The government will use a combination of cost and price analysis techniques; comparison of previously proposed prices and previous government contract prices for the same items to determine proposed cost to be fair and reasonable. 8. A description of the market research conducted (see FAR Part 10) and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted: Market Research was conducted for the current solicitation that is currently under evaluation by using a Source Sought announcement for a competitive 8(a) procurement and since the closing date of this solicitation sufficient competition has been received. No further market research was conducted because of the nature of the short term bridge contract. 9. Any other facts supporting the use of other full and open competition: Performance in-house by government employees is not a feasible alternative due to the unavailability of the special technical skills required to perform these tasks and the lack of time in which to train them. There is not adequate time to transition a new or different contractor to absorb the institutional knowledge of PIH-REAC TAC necessary to continue seamless operations to meet the goals of PIH-REAC and the Department. (i) Explanation of why technical data packages, specifications, engineering descriptions, statements of work, or purchase descriptions suitable for full and open competition have not been developed or are not available. A complete statement of work, detailing the type and level of services to be delivered during the short term emergency bridge contract term and transition period has been developed (see attached 720 package). (ii) When 6.302-2 is cited, data, estimated cost, or other rationale as to the extent and nature of the harm to the Government. The PIH-REAC Technical Assistance Center performs integral activities daily to directly support the Department’s Mission to ‘increase homeownership, support community development and increase access to affordable housing free from discrimination. To fulfill this mission, HUD will embrace high standards of ethics, management and accountability and forge new partnerships--particularly with faith-based and community organizations--that leverage resources and improve HUD's ability to be effective on the community level.’ TAC operations, as currently performed by CCSi, directly impact the achievement of major goals detailed in the Department’s FY2006—2011 Strategic Framework. TAC support of HUD Secure System stakeholders is essential to the accomplishment of four of the six Strategic Goals. Without the ongoing TAC support to the more than 190,000 external and internal Secure Systems users and stakeholders, the Department cannot meet these goals. Moreover, the business processes that require Secure Systems access are integral to the Department’s activities regarding the disbursement of funds, insuring that properties in which it has an interest meet exigent health and safety standards and serve general oversight and accountability functions. 10. A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition. See item #6 above. 11.A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the services or supplies are required. TAC services are normally procured on an 8(a) competitive basis and HUD will continue to procure these services competitively. The current solicitation for these services received vigorous competition and the anticipated date of the new award is August 1, 2009.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HUD/NFW/NFW/CDEN02381/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: 550 12ths Street, SW, Suite 100, Washington, District of Columbia, 20410, United States
- Zip Code: 20410
- Zip Code: 20410
- Record
- SN01830661-W 20090531/090529235839-82551415ce33947c32c3d3e88bfa8602 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |