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FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF OCTOBER 17, 2015 FBO #5076
DOCUMENT

R -- Study by National Academy of Public Administration to find ways to decrease VA claims backlog - Attachment

Notice Date

10/15/2015
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

541611 — Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;Veterans Benefits Administration;Office of Acquisition;1800 G. Street N.W.;Washington DC 20006
 

ZIP Code

20006
 

Archive Date

11/17/2015
 

Point of Contact

Mary Connors
 

E-Mail Address

3-7438<br
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Award Number

GS-10F-0414R
 

Award Date

9/18/2015
 

Description

LIMITED SOURCES JUSTIFICATION FAR PART 8.405-6 2237 Transaction # or Transaction #: 101-15-4-5814-0017 This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Multiple Award Schedule Program. The material or service listed in par. 3 below is sole source, therefore, consideration of the number of contractors required by FAR Subpart 8.4 - Federal Supply Schedules, is precluded for the reasons indicated below. Restricted to the following source: Contractor: National Academy of Public Administration Contractor POC & phone number: Joseph Mitchell, PhD Contractor Address: 1600 K Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 2006-2828 (1) AGENCY AND CONTRACTING ACTIVITY: Veterans Benefits Administration, Office of Acquisitions (2) NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF ACTION BEING APPROVED: Division I, Title II of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Act) (Public Law 113-235), which was enacted on December 16, 2014, provides funding for the general operating expenses of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) for fiscal year 2015. Section 4 of this Act stipulates that the explanatory statement, printed in the House of Representatives section of the Congressional Record on December 11, 2014 by the Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House, will have the same effect with respect to the allocation of funds and implementation of divisions A through K of the Act as if it were a joint explanatory statement of the committee of conference. The explanatory statement to the Act submitted by the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations provides that the "[t]he language and allocations set forth in House Report 113-416 and Senate Report 113-174 should be complied with unless specifically addressed to the contrary in this explanatory statement." Specifically, Senate Report 113-174 recommended the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) undertake several new reforms and initiatives including an independent review by the Congressionally chartered entity, National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), of VA's planned claims processing activities and strategies to prevent future claims processing backlogs. In accordance with the expressed interest of the Appropriations Committees, VBA accepted the recommendation of the Report, and seeks to award a Task Order to the National Academy of Public Administration to undertake said independent review. (3)(a)A DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE AGENCY'S NEED: Pursuant to the terms and conditions of GS-10F-0414R, and the resulting Task Order, NAPA will conduct research, analysis and evaluation in consultation with VA and its stakeholders and will focus on the following areas: 1. Assessment of VA's progress in transforming the disability claims process and reducing the backlog, as well as its preparation for future claims processing. 2. Assessment of VA's redesigned business processes and systems, and any specific changes necessary to accommodate increase in claim complexity. 3. Identification of any additional specific procedures that will need to undergo change as VBA achieves a fully electronic, paperless environment. 4. Identification of circumstances that may arise in the future that would most likely lead to another backlog. 5. Propose mitigation strategies, including short-term, medium-term, and long-term, that VA should utilize to reduce the backlog while improving service to Veterans and their families. (b)ESTIMATED DOLLAR VALUE: We surveyed three recent NAPA customers for whom NAPA performed similar studies. In each case, the price was $1,000,000 or slightly less. (c)REQUIRED DELIVERY DATE: Twelve months from award date. Estimated delivery date is August, 2016. (d) DESCRIPTION OF THE JUSTIFICATION RATIONALE (SEE FAR 8.405-6), AND IF APPLICABLE, A DEMONSTRATION OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACTOR'S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS TO PROVIDE THE REQUIRED SUPPLY OR SERVICE. Senate Report 113-174 recommended the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) undertake an initiative for an independent review by the Congressionally chartered entity, National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), of VA's planned claims processing activities and strategies to prevent future claims processing backlogs. NAPA is an independent, non-partisan, and non-profit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress and has worked with many federal departments and agencies that have complied with congressional study mandates. NAPA has nearly 800 fellows from every level of government and academic institutions around the country, including former cabinet officers, Members of Congress, governors, mayors, and state legislators, distinguished scholars, business executives, and public administrators. These fellows comprise a resource that is unique and not available elsewhere or from other GSA schedule holders. Based on its charter, NAPA operates in the public interest with objectivity and independence while remaining free of any organizational conflicts of interest. It has a distinguished track record of providing the highest quality independent and non-partisan assessments and is the only responsible source that would satisfy agency requirements. Section 17 of Public Law 98-257 provides that "[t]he National Academy of Public Administration shall, whenever called upon by Congress, or the Federal Government, investigate, examine, experiment, and report upon any subject of government, the actual expense of such investigations, examinations, and reports to be paid by the Federal Government from appropriations available for such purpose." Furthermore, the explanatory statement that accompanied the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 explicitly recommends for "VA to undertake an independent review by the National Academy of Public Administration to review the Department's planned claims processing activities and strategies to prevent future claims processing backlogs." VBA accepted the recommendation of the Senate Report, hence NAPA was the only source considered to provide the services recommended since it has been specifically identified by Congress in both the explanatory statement and Senate Report 113-174. (5) DESCRIBE WHY YOU BELIEVE THE ORDER REPRESENTS THE BEST VALUE CONSISTENT WITH FAR 8.4 TO AID THE CONTRACTING OFFICER IN MAKING THIS BEST VALUE DETERMINATION: As previously stated, based upon its charter, NAPA operates in the public interest with objectivity and independence while remaining free of any organizational conflicts of interest. It has a distinguished track record of providing the highest quality independent and non-partisan assessments and is the only responsible source that would satisfy agency requirements. (6) DESCRIBE THE MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED AMONG SCHEDULE HOLDERS AND THE RESULTS OR A STATEMENT OF THE REASON MARKET RESEARCH WAS NOT CONDUCTED: Market research was conducted and it has been verified that NAPA has a GSA schedule contract. NAPA's schedule contract is one of many under Schedule 874-1 (MOBIS). Based upon the recommendation by Senate Report 113-174 for NAPA to perform an independent review, and said recommendation having been accepted by VA, other GSA schedule contractors were not considered to perform this independent review. Further, as described above, NAPA is uniquely structured and organized to conduct these types of analyses. (7) ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE JUSTIFICATION: None other than previously stated. (8) A STATEMENT OF THE ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS THAT LED TO THE RESTRICTED CONSIDERATION BEFORE ANY SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITION FOR THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES IS MADE: The Congressional recommendation to use this organization is unique to the specific initiative to conduct research to prevent future claims processing backlogs. VBA will endeavor to use competitive means to conduct all other acquisitions, when possible. (9) REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION: I certify that the requirement outlined in this justification is a Bona Fide Need of the Department of Veterans Affairs and that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in the justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that processing of this limited sources justification restricts consideration of Federal Supply Schedule contractors to fewer than the number required by FAR Subpart 8.4. REDACTED Lois Mittelstaedt, Chief of StaffDATE NAMETITLESERVICE LINE/SECTION (10) APPROVALS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR 8.405-6(d): a. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S CERTIFICATION (required): I certify that the foregoing justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. REDACTED Mary J. Connors, CONTRACTING OFFICERDATE b. VBA HCA REVIEW AND APPROVAL: I have reviewed the foregoing justification and find it to be complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief and approve for restricting consideration of the Federal Supply Schedule contractors to fewer than the number required by FAR Subpart 8.4 redacted Felton Jones, Director, VBA AcquisitionDATE and Acting Head of Contracting Activity (HCA)
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/17a8b9b17a2d470061b923b976ec28dd)
 

Document(s)

Attachment
 

File Name: GS-10F-0414R VA101V-15-F-1354 GS-10F-0414R VA101V-15-F-1354_3.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2370476&FileName=GS-10F-0414R-002.docx)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2370476&FileName=GS-10F-0414R-002.docx

 

File Name: GS-10F-0414R VA101V-15-F-1354 limited source justification-NAPA updated.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2370477&FileName=GS-10F-0414R-003.docx)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2370477&FileName=GS-10F-0414R-003.docx

 

Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
 

Record

SN03922271-W 20151017/151015234242-17a8b9b17a2d470061b923b976ec28dd (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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