Description
JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION 05/16/2012 Capital Hotel Management, LLC (CHM) At NPS Commercial Services Program (WASO) As required by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.3, authority is herein requested to contract on a sole source basis for travel industry reports to be provided for NPS Commercial Services Program (the Program) in support of National Park Service visitor services. In accordance with 41 U.S.C. 253(c), this justification is submitted to request award of a contract to TravelClick, Inc. of Atlanta, GA, for providing Price Position Reports to assist the Program in monitoring future lodging rates. As specified by FAR 6.303-2, Content, the following are the facts and rationale to justify the use of the specific authority cited. (1) Identification of the agency and the contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a "Justification for other than Full and Open Competition." The agency is the U.S. Department of the Interior acting through the National Park Service, NPS Commercial Services Program. The Contracting activity is the National Park Service WASO-WCP. This document is a Justification for other than Full and Open Competition. (2) Nature and/or description of the action being approved. The NPS Commercial Services Program must comply with a legal requirement to approve rates in a manner that is "as prompt and unburdensome as possible to the concessioner" and that shall "rely on market forces to establish reasonableness of rates" (PL 105-391, Section 406). The Service is reviewing and testing new processes to ensure that they are achieving these legal requirements. Contracting with TravelClick would give the Program access to Price Position Reports, which would capture forward looking rates for the NPS lodging properties and their competitive properties. TravelCLICK is the only current source of this information and recently merged with the other previous provider of similar hotel data information, Rubicon. The data captured in these reports looks 365 days into the future, utilizing software to pull this information from multiple sources and channels. The information captured in these reports will ensure that accurate and effective rate monitoring will occur within the Program. (3) Description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs (including the estimated value). The National Park Service is executing a project to update its Concessioner Review and Concessioner Rate Administration Programs. These programs were established more than 20 years ago and the Service needs to revise these programs to address current NPS needs and align NPS practices with industry practices, where appropriate. The Standards, Evaluations, and Rate Approval (SERA) Project, began in 2002 and two phases are now complete. The NPS obtained contractor assistance in each of these efforts. The NPS needs to continue efforts to update the programmatic elements of the Concessioner Review Program during Phase 3 of SERA. The cost for this requirement is estimated to be $384,000.00 over a one-year term. (4) An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition. FAR 6.302-1: Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. (2) When the supplies or services required by the agency are available from only one responsible source, or, for DoD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, from only one or a limited number of responsible sources, and no other type of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, full and open competition need not be provided for. (5) A demonstration that the proposed contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited. CHM was the contractor in the previous (SERA) task order (P11PD00100). CHM has been involved with the SERA requirement since 2002. The requestor, NPS Commercial Services Program has stated that they would estimate a one year delay in the project should another contractor be selected for this project. CHM has specific knowledge and experience gained under the prior contract and the work for the next phase is a continuation of the successful previous work. Selecting a different contractor at this stage of SERA would necessitate considerable time for NPS staff to educate a new contractor on the effort and would cause significant delay in the process to update our Program. CHM is the only company that is able to support this requirement in a timely manner. (6) A description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies. Since this requirement will be placed as a task order under an indefinite delivery contract it is not required to be publicized in accordance with FAR 5.202(a)(6). (7) A determination by the contacting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. This requirement will be placed as a task order under an IDIQ contract. As such all rates and pricing has been previously competed and determined fair and reasonable. It is anticipated that the basis for determining fair and reasonable pricing will be to compare it to the independent government estimate and the rates contained in the IDIQ contract. (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. None. Market Research was not done since this is a follow on requirement. (9) Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition. None. (10) A listing of the sources, if any that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition. None. (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. NPS will continue to monitor and research any and all requirements of this type in the future for possible competition. (12) Contracting Officer certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the contracting officer's knowledge and belief. As the approving Contracting Officer, I hereby certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. Elizabeth E. Walden Contracting Officer Date:__________________