Description
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Justification and Approval For Other Than Full and Open Competition 1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs, NCO 12, 556 Medical Center Department of Veterans Affairs, Great Lakes Acquisition Center, 115 South 84th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53214 2. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Processed: There is an immediate need for an ambulance services contract for advanced and basic life support services as well as Critical Care at Jesse Brown VAMC. In order to continue providing these critical services, a sole source contract of three months is proposed to enable acquisitions time to conduct a properly competed acquisition. The full pre-solicitation package for the long term contract is complete and submitted for legal/technical review. Release of the pre-solicitation notice is expected approximately mid September and release of solicitation is expected beginning of October. The action being reviewed is a follow on, firm fixed-price procurement for ALS, BLS, and Critical Care Services. 3. Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet the Agency's Needs: Jesse Brown VAMC has an immediate and vital need for an ambulance services contract vehicle in order to continue operations. These services include advanced life support, critical care, and basic life support ambulance transportation for Jesse Brown VA and affiliated CBOCS. Transportation includes but is not limited to one way trips between VA facilities, resident to VA facility, VA to affiliated hospitals, VA to the morgue, respiratory ventilator transportation and all associated labor, equipment, and supplies necessary to assure patient safety in process. The total cost of the contract is estimated at $135,000.00, based on historical data. This cost may vary based on changes in fuel or labor costs. 4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other than Full and Open Competition: ( X ) (1) Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements per FAR 6.302-1; 5. Demonstration that the Contractor's Unique Qualifications or Nature of the Acquisition Requires the Use of the Authority Cited Above (applicability of authority): Advanced life support, critical care, and basic life support ambulance transportation services and all associated equipment are vital to operations of the VA Medical Center. Conversion to a new vendor without sufficient transition time would be disruptive and put both operations and patient's lives at considerable risk. Significant additional time and costs are required for properly competing, awarding, transitioning and reconfiguring procedures while ensuring that patient safety is not put at risk. Awarding a new contract would take approximately 3 months to properly conduct the acquisition process and transition. All nursing stations, patient wards, doctors, transportation personnel, and fiscal would be required to change processes and procedures that were setup with the incumbent contractor (if necessary). NCO 12 is currently in the process of obtaining legal and technical review of the long term solicitation documents. The VA will need approximately 3 months to properly compete these services and allow for the successful conversion to a potential new contractor. To prevent disruption of the current service, a short-term sole source to the incumbent Blackhawk Medical Transportation Inc. dba Vandenberg Ambulance is required until a long-term contract is put into place, pursuant to acquisition regulations. 6. Description of Efforts Made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as deemed practicable: It is anticipated that a long-term contract will be competed for these services within the next several months to allow adequate transition time and mitigate any disruption of service. The pre-solicitation notice will be posted mid September and the solicitation anticipated release date is the beginning of October. 7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable: The contractor the Government intends to solicit is the incumbent contractor and has numerous contracts within VISN 12. The former contract and comparable current contracts were competed, determined fair, reasonable, and of best value. The requirements have not significantly changed from previous contracts and therefore an adequate price comparison is expected utilizing historical pricing and comparison to other facility's contracts. 8. Description of the Market Research Conducted and the Results, or a Statement of the Reasons Market Research Was Not Conducted: Market research has indicated that other providers are capable of meeting this requirement with proper transitional time. The market research conducted includes a sources sought notice, survey of local Chicago hospitals of similar size and scope, and a survey of socio-economic websites. 9. Any Other Facts Supporting the Use of Other than Full and Open Competition: None 10. Listing of Sources that Expressed, in Writing, an Interest in the Acquisition: The contracting office contacted the incumbent contractor to determine if they'd be interested in continuing services on a limited basis while a competitive procurement was conducted and they confirmed that they would be interested. The sources sought received a number of submittals providing evidence of competition. With enough time, a proper competition will provide the Government with the best overall value for the next couple of years. 11. A Statement of the Actions, if any, the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome any Barriers to Competition before Making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required: The NCO 12 is in the process of obtaining legal and technical review of pre-solicitation package. A competitive procurement will be in process for a firm-fixed price contract for ambulance services including ALS, BLS, and Critical Care within the next month. 12. 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 and belief. _____________________________ ________________________ Lori Chapman Date Administrative Officer Jesse Brown VAMC 13. Approvals in accordance with FAR 6.304 a. Contracting Officer's Certification: (required) I certify that the foregoing justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. _____________________________ ________________________ Name: Kevin Baier Date Title: Contracting Officer Facility: GLAC b. NCM/PCM: I certify the justification meets requirements for other than full and open competition. _____________________________ ________________________ Name: Christine Hansen Date Network Contract Manager VISN 12