Project Management Support Services for the Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Associate Administrator for Information Management and Chief Information Officer (OCIO)

I. AGENCY IDENTITY AND CONTRACTING OFFICE

The Office of Acquisition and Project Management, Contracting Operations Division, Headquarters Services Acquisition Branch (HSAB) (NA-APM-126) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) plans to contract for professional project analysis and project management services to support information technology (IT) and cybersecurity support services on behalf of the Office of Information Management (NA-IM) and Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) by using an authority for limited sources.

II. NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION BEING APPROVED

This acquisition action is a follow-on requirement from current Task Order DE-BP0005221 for professional project analysis and project management services to support IT and cybersecurity for NNSA. The current Task Order was competed amongst the NNSA IT Infrastructure and Cyber Security Support (IICS) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) holders. The BPA expired in May 2020. Task Order DE-BP0005221 was awarded to Criterion Systems, Inc. on September 1, 2016, and expires on March 18, 2022. This action will result in award of a one-year (including one six-month base period and one six-month option period) Task Order to Criterion under General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract GS-35F-0032V, with a period of performance starting March 19, 2022, and valued at approximately $3,075,618.93.

III. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES AND/OR SERVICES

The Office of Information Management (NA-IM) and the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) are responsible for providing project management support services in various NNSA locations across the United States. The contractor shall provide professional project analysis and project management services to support IT and cybersecurity. The contractor shall provide the IT business support aspects of procurement support, quality assurance, continuity of operations, and requirement analysis support for IT and cybersecurity projects and initiatives for NNSA OCIO.

IV. LIMITED SOURCES AUTHORITY

The authority permitting limited sources is Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(C) in the interest of economy and efficiency, the anticipated action is a logical follow-on to Task Order DE-BP0005221, which was placed in accordance with FSS procedures and was not issued under sole-source or limited-sources procedures.

V. JUSTIFICATION FOR USING THE LIMITED SOURCES AUTHORITY

Under Task Order DE-BP0005221, which was placed in accordance with the applicable FSS ordering procedures and was competed amongst all IICS BPA Holders, Criterion currently provides ongoing professional project analysis and project management services. NNSA requires continuation of these services for a period of one year. A logical follow-on Task Order to DE-BP0005221 is the most economic and efficient method to obtain the required project management support services because Criterion is engaged in providing these mission-critical services for NA-IM, OCIO, and all of NNSA. Issuing a new Task Order to another contractor for the limited duration (one year) would create a disruption to the current support efforts; require a period of transition, delaying ongoing support activities; and likely result in increased costs (due to the increased efforts of transition). The additional time and costs that would result would not be in the interest of economy and efficiency. Any disruption in the current support could adversely affect NNSA's continuity of operations while impacting the agency's ability to maintain its cybersecurity posture and address current and future cybersecurity threats. The scope for the one-year Task Order will be identical to the professional project analysis and project management services Criterion is providing and has been for the past five years. Any gap in service could have devastating consequences to NNSA's ability to respond to cybersecurity incidents and provide project management support to NNSA's classified networks. A disruption in service will also increase cyber vulnerabilities for NNSA's systems and networks with the risk of exposed and compromised unclassified/classified data. A new contractor would require at least several months of transition in order to ensure continuous services of this nature, resulting in additional costs to the Government, which would not be in the interest of economy and efficiency.

VI. CONTRACTING OFFICER DETERMINATION OF BEST VALUE

The Contracting Officer has determined after considering the level of effort and the mix of skills quoted for the tasks, that Criterion's quoted price represents a reasonable total price and will be the best value for the Program consistent with FAR 8.404(d). The pricing is in accordance with the contractor's GSA MAS schedule GS35F0032V. The Contracting Officer compared Criterion's proposed price to the Independent Government Cost Estimate and has determined the price to be fair and reasonable.

VII. MARKET RESEARCH

NNSA's market research identified the GSA MAS and the GSA Alliant 2 Schedules as potential vehicles for NA-IM and OCIO's requirement. When evaluating the potential use of the GSA vehicles, NNSA found that the schedule holders generally have the capability to perform services under NAICS code 541513.
VIII.OTHER FACTS

None.

IX.STEPS TO FOSTER COMPETITION

Though the immediate requirement is most economically and efficiently sourced to the current vendor (Criterion) providing ongoing services, NNSA anticipates that, prior to the conclusion of these follow-on services, it will issue a solicitation for this requirement. The professional project analysis and project management services will be competed under a single-award BPA structure via the GSA FSS.