SPECIAL NOTICE
D -- D--Intent to Award
- Notice Date
- 12/15/2021 6:24:48 AM
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541513
— Computer Facilities Management Services
- Contracting Office
- IBC ACQ SVCS DIRECTORATE (00004) HERNDON VA 20170 USA
- ZIP Code
- 20170
- Solicitation Number
- DOIDFBO220010
- Response Due
- 12/17/2021 7:00:00 AM
- Archive Date
- 12/22/2021
- Point of Contact
- Englehart, Julie, Phone: 0000000000
- E-Mail Address
-
julie_englehart@ibc.doi.gov
(julie_englehart@ibc.doi.gov)
- Description
- Intent to Award The Department of the Interior (DOI), Interior Business Center (IBC), Acquisition Services Directorate (AQD) has a requirement to issue a short-term sole source bridge Purchase Order through open market means pursuant to the procedures under FAR 13.5 and 13.501(a) to have the predecessor contractor, Valdez International Corporation (Valdez), continue existing Systems Operations and Administration (SOA) support services for the base period of, December 26, 2021 through January 25, 2022, to include three (3) one (1)-month option periods. A one-month bridge Purchase Order, to include three (3) one (1)-month option periods, is needed to ensure there will be no lapse in the SOA support services, currently being performed by Valdez, until successful transition can occur under the new competitive ten-year follow-on award. Therefore, the Government intends to make a direct award to Valdez under the authority of FAR 13.501(a), 41 U.S.C. 1901, and 41 U.S.C. 3304(e). This is not a request for competitive quotations or proposals but rather an intent to sole source notification. Questions or concerns may be addressed to the Contracting Officer, Julie Englehart at julie_englehart@ibc.doi.gov no later than 10:00 AM ET, Friday, December 17, 2021. The DOI, IBC, AQD considers employee signatures to be Personal Protected Information, and therefore all employee signatures have been redacted. By posting this document, the Contracting Officer attests all appropriate signatures have been obtained. SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS AUTHORITY: FAR 13.501(a), 41 U.S.C. 1901, and 41 U.S.C. 3304(e). 1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a ""Sole Source Justification."" This is a sole source justification for the DOI, Interior Business Center, Acquisition Services Directorate, Division 1, Branch 1 on behalf of the DOI, Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), as DOI plans to contract by means other than full and open competition. This document sets forth the justification and approval to award a new sole source bridge Purchase Order on a limited source basis pursuant to the procedures under Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 13.5 and under the authority of FAR 13.501(a), 41 U.S.C. 1901, and 41 U.S.C. 3304(e). 2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved. This action is for the issuance of a short-term sole source bridge Purchase Order through open market means pursuant to the procedures under FAR 13.5 and 13.501(a) to have the predecessor contractor, Valdez, continue existing SOA support services for the base period of, December 26, 2021 through January 25, 2022, to include three (3) one (1)-month option periods. Valdez was the only vendor to be considered for this procurement as they are the only vendor capable of continuing such services without disruption or a lapse in services until the new ten-year competitive follow-on procurement effort is awarded and transition is complete. 3. A description of supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs (including the estimated value). The DOI, OCIO requires continued SOA support services currently being provided under performance-based task orders D12PD01391 and D17PD00764 awarded to Valdez. The Contractor, Valdez, will be responsible for the continuity of services to assist Government staff in delivering best practice-based services that comply with DOI architecture and security standards and to provide DOI customers with high quality solutions through the use of contractor support services. The DOI, OCIO, supports the Offices and Bureaus within the Department, as well as federal agency customers outside the Department, as a shared service provider. DOI OCIO maintains robust and mature IT infrastructure and advanced, highly functional, and continually improving technical services in support of the business operations conducted by DOI and its agency customers. DOI provides Data Center management, operations, communications, and customer service support for automated administrative systems, application hosting, storage, and disaster recovery services. These efforts require the support of a third-party contractor to assist Government staff to deliver best practice-based services that comply with DOI architecture and security standards and to achieve their identified missions. The scope for D12PD01319 provides performance under the following task areas: Task Area 1: Contract Program Management Task Area 2: Data Center Operations Task Area 3: Network Services Task Area 4: Database and Storage Administration Task Area 5: Web Applications Task Area 6: System Software Administration Task Area 7: Email Services Task Area 8: Applications Development and Administration Task Area 9: Web Application The scope for D17PD00764 provides Web Applications support under Task Area 5: Web Application. This short-term bridge Purchase Order will prevent a lapse in services and provide uninterrupted and continuous support to the DOI Information Technology (IT), Financial Management, and Human Resources service in an identical fashion to the current Task Orders until successful transition under the new ten-year competitive follow-on award can be executed and completed. 4.An identification of the statutory authority permitting sole source acquisition. The proposed action may be awarded under the authority of FAR Subpart 13.5, specifically, 13.501(a), 41 U.S.C. 1901, and 41 U.S.C. 3304(e). 5. A demonstration that the proposed contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited. A one-month bridge Purchase Order, to include three (3) one (1)-month option periods, is needed to ensure there will be no lapse in the SOA support services, currently being performed by Valdez, until transition under the new competitive ten-year follow-on award can be executed. Due to delays during the acquisition process, DOI, AQD, was delayed in awarding the new follow-on competitive order within a timeframe that would avoid a break in service. In order to prevent a lapse in services and provide a reasonable transition period for the predecessor contractor, a short bridge Purchase Order is needed. Valdez is the current contractor that provides the SOA support services and is able to ensure required continuity of services so there is no disruption of service to DOI and its agency customers. If the Government sought competition for this short-term bridge Purchase Order, a lapse in service would be an absolute certainty due to the time required to transition to another contractor. The continuous nature of these services is essential to the operation of DOI�s IT infrastructure as well as the financial management and human resource systems for both internal and external customers. There are current positions in direct support of the efforts under the existing Task Orders awarded to Valdez in which the individuals filling these positions are in possession of credentials that allow access to DOI�s internal systems. Transition and onboarding of contractor personnel is a time consuming and costly process. A considerable amount of time (roughly 30-60 days) at an estimated cost of $210,000.00 would be required to onboard, train, credential, and assimilate new employees to the roles of each position included in the existing Task Orders to a new vehicle. Due to delays in the procurement process, there is not ample time to allow a new contractor the ability to achieve transition, and the necessary onboarding of contractor personnel, without a lapse in existing services. Valdez is the only contractor capable of allowing such services to continue without disruption. Additionally, duplication of onboarding costs for this short-term bridge Purchase Order and the competitive ten-year follow-on Task Order, would not be a responsible use of tax-payer dollars. To prevent a lapse in services, and to be mindful of the use of tax-payer dollars, the Government requires the execution of a short-term bridge Purchase Order to Valdez for the continuation of the SOA support services until the transition can be achieved under the more permanent competitive procurement solution, as Valdez is the only vendor capable of providing continuity of service without a lapse. 6. A description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies. The DOI, AQD, needs additional time to allow full execution of successful transition from the current Task Order to the new Task Order. Currently, Valdez is the only vendor capable of fulfilling the SOA support services without a lapse in services occurring. A notice will be published in accordance with FAR Subpart 5.2 and 13.501 and will be posted on the Government Point of Entry: SAM.gov. 7. A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. The Government will request, and the contractor will be required to provide, firm-fixed pricing and fixed burdened hourly labor rates which the Government intends to compare to historically paid prices and to competitive published price lists in order to determine price reasonableness. 8. A description of the market research conducted (see Part 10) and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted. The Contracting Officer has determined, for the reasons provided in Part 5 of this justification, that Valdez is the only vendor capable of providing the SOA support services required by the OCIO during the short-term bridge. Due to Valdez's status as the only source currently capable of providing the services required, other sources were not considered for this procurement. 9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition. There are no other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition for this procurement. 10. A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition. No other vendors have expressed an interest in this acquisition at this time. Any sources expressing interest will be reviewed on their own merit. 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 supplies or services required. The Government has performed market research to identify small businesses capable of providing the necessary services to fulfill this requirement under a more long-term, competitive procurement, which is currently ongoing. The only barrier to competition, in this instance, is the ability of other vendors to provide support without a lapse in services due to the time for transition.
- Web Link
-
SAM.gov Permalink
(https://beta.sam.gov/opp/79120da03d5c499ba514fb1b97265b30/view)
- Record
- SN06197957-F 20211217/211215230118 (samdaily.us)
- Source
-
SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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