Q--Mental Health Care Services - Wisconsin Rapids

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION 1. Identification of the Agency and the Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs, Great Lakes Acquisition Center, 5000 W National Avenue Bldg 5, Milwaukee WI 53295. 2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved: Justification and approval for other than full and open competition for Mental Health Care Services - Wisconsin Rapids, WI for Tomah VAMC. Procurement will proceed on a sole source basis. 3. A description of supplies/services required: Tomah VAMC has a requirement for Mental Health Counseling services in the Wisconsin Rapids, WI area for approximately 140 veterans for the period April 1, 2009 through September 30, 2009 with one 6 month option to extend through March 31, 2010. 4. Statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition: FAR 6.302-1(a)(2). The VA's minimum needs can only be satisfied by unique supplies or services available from only one source. (41 U.S.C. 253 (c)(1)). 5. Facilities Unique Qualifications: Tomah VAMC currently has a contract in place with Clinical Services for Mental Health Counseling Services in the Wisconsin Rapids, WI, area. Clinical Services has been providing Mental Health Services for the Tomah VAMC for the past 3 years and performance has been satisfactory. The providers at Clinical Services have developed a therapeutic bond with their patients and to break this bond may be detrimental to the veteran's health. This contractor is familiar with VA requirements and would require no additional training. In addition, there would be no break in services provided to veterans. 6. Efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable: Market Research was conducted to determine if there were any SDVOSB or VOSB that were capable of providing these services through Vetbiz.gov and the SBA Small Business Dynamic Search Tool. No vendors were found. It is not feasible from a patient care standpoint to award a six-month or even one year Mental Health Counseling contract to another contractor. Doing this would impair the therapeutic bond between veterans and current counselors and there would likely be discontinuation of treatment for some veterans who remain in need of the clinical services obtained through this counselor. 7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable: The pricing will be comparable to the expiring contract, but may include a slight increase to incorporate inflation or cost of living. The price of the current contract has been the same for 3 years. 8. Market survey conducted: Market Research has been conducted by the contracting officer and conditions have essentially stayed the same since the previous contract award. Clinical Services was the only vendor that responded to the previous unrestricted solicitation. An "Intent to Sole Source" to Clinical Services was posted on January 28, 2009 with responses due close of business February 2, 2009. No responses were received by that date and even by today's date, February 10, 2009. 9. Other sources expressing an interest: None 10. Actions to remove or overcome any barriers to competition: None. 11. Certification: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge. BECKY CINCOTTA Contracting Officer