Active

Contract Opportunity

12444124F0003

Limited Source Justification

United States Department of Agriculture

1. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated dollar value).

This scope of work outlines the specific details for the Retirement Training to be provided to all employees of the USDA Forest Service, National Forests in North Carolina.

Commitment Amount Total: $44,431.00 12444124Q0007

2. Identify the exception to competition.

Logical Follow On

The National Forests in North Carolina is providing retirement training to all employees. The exception to competitive that applies to our proposal to use S. Harman and Associates as the vendor is Logical Follow On. We are proposing to utilize this vendor because the Regional Office is currently using this vendor to provide retirement training to employees throughout the Region. Using S. Harman and Associates to provide training to our employees, will provide our employees the same training experience currently being provided to employees throughout the Region.

12444023F0112, 12443922F0045, 12444023F0068, and 12444023F0004 Task Order contract actions within last 18 months.

3. Rationale or circumstances for limiting competition.

FAR 19.1506 Women-Owned Small Business Program sole source awards.

S. Harman and Associates is a woman-owned small business with more than 38 years of experience. They are a GSA Schedule vendor (GS02F126BA) with a proven track record of providing benefits training to Federal employees nationwide. Unlike similar vendors in this market segment, they do not sell insurance or financial services. They provide instruction and training to Federal employees to facilitate understanding of the complex Federal benefits and retirement systems. Since this is the same vendor used to provide training to Region 8 employees, the quality and information will be identical and in line with the expectations of the Regional Training Plan.

GRB response to conduct retirement planning webinars, dated 8 November 2022, was reviewed. GRB only provides for 40 participants and does not have the prior history with Region 8.

4. Other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition.

FAR 19.1506 Women-Owned Small Business Program sole source awards: The acquisition is assigned a NAICS code 541612 in which SBA has determined that WOSB concerns are underrepresented in Federal procurement; S. Harman and Associates is listed as a WOSB in SAM/FPDS and is a responsible contractor with respect to performance and the award can be made at a fair and reasonable price based on their GSA schedule rate. S. Harman and Associates is only WOSB to respond.

The specifications for full and open competition were not developed as the vendor holds GSA

Schedule GS02F126BA. The expectation was that we would utilize the same Task Order currently used by the Regional Office to provide retirement training and follow the parameters of the Regional Training Plan.

The Government has high confidence that S. Harman and Associates understands the requirement, proposes a sound approach, and will be successful in performing the contract with little or no Government intervention.

5. Description of the market research conducted and the results or a statement of the reason Market Research was not conducted.

NAICS Code: 541612

The U.S. Forest Service, under the authority of the FAR 8.405-5 and FAR 19.1506, authority of 41 U.S.C. 1901; (modified FAR 6.302-1), intends to issue a firm fixed price, Woman Owned Business Sole Source Task order to S. Harman and Associates for Federal Employees Retirement Benefits Training for NFsNC Employees as listed in the Statement of Work.

NO SOLICITATION OR REQUEST FOR QUOTE IS AVAILABLE. Contractor selected is capable of supplying the requirements because of their experience within this requirement and have the necessary skills to adequately provide these services. Contractor selected also has explicit and intimate knowledge of the specific project for which those services are required. Notwithstanding, interested parties who believes they are capable of meeting Forest Service requirements as stated herein may submit a response that shows clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government in future procurements. This notice is not a request for competitive proposals or a solicitation of offers. A determination not to compete the proposed Task Order based upon the responses is solely within the discretion of the Government. All questions should be directed to David Easter via email to david.easter@usda.gov no later than 11:59 am CST 5 calendar days after the date of this announcement. Telephone inquiries are discouraged.

Market Research was performed on the prior contract actions within 18 months. WOSB condiderations given to S. Harman and Associates as the only WOSB response.

Special Notice posted to SAM.gov.

6. Provide a statement of actions, if any, that can be taken to remove or overcome barriers to competition if subsequent acquisitions are anticipated.

In order to remove or overcome barriers to competition in future acquisitions for this requirement, the agency will work with the program office to perform additional market research in a timely manner to see if other solutions are feasible and can be considered as a viable alternative.

7. Recommended Source(s).

S. Harman and Associates

8. Identification of Program or Technical Personnel that will sign final Limited Source J&A:

Name of Program or Technical Personnel: Carol Milholen; Administrative Operations Specialist

Contracting Officer: David Easter ________________

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