D--VetChange Maintenance and Support

LIMITED-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION         1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Acquisition Operations, Strategic Acquisition Center, 10300 Spotsylvania Avenue, Fredericksburg, VA 22408 2. Description of Action: The Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 01, VA Boston Healthcare System, National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Behavioral Science Division proposes to increase the scope of services and add additional work on a limited source basis with Education Development Center (EDC), 3 Foundry Ave, Waltham, MA for the development of new functionality to VetChange. VetChange is an online and self-guided online therapeutic program for Veterans who are concerned about their drinking and PTSD symptoms. This effort is being conducted under the authority of the Multiple Award Schedule Program; the proposed effort will be awarded under the General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) GS-10F-0406P Order #

VA241-16-F-0268.  3. Description of the Supplies or Services: The desired outcome of the project is to develop, implement, and provide operational maintenance and support mobile app connectivity and enhanced security to the new clinical care version of the VetChange website currently under development. The new features will allow the VetChange website to connect to the VetChange mobile app (developed separately), thus enabling Veterans using the website to also use a mobile version for more convenient access to the daily self-improvement tasks in the program. A Firm-Fixed Price Task Order (GS-10F-0406P; VA241-16-F-0268) was awarded for the initial work on 08/01/2016 for a base and 4 twelve-month options with a period of performance of 08/01/2016 thru 07/31/21. The current contract value is $1,359,395.96. This additional work, if approved, will be implemented in Option Period 2 effective 08/01/2018. The total estimated cost of the requested modification is $529,675. The total contract value will increase by 39 percent to $1,784,070.96.                                     4. Authority: This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Multiple-Award Schedule Program. The specific authority providing for a limited source award is Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(c), In the interest of economy and efficiency, the new work is a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order provided that the original order was placed in accordance with the applicable Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures. Rationale Supporting Use of Authority Cited Above: The new project is a direct extension of the VetChange product and it serves the same core purpose as the original work under the first contract, which is giving Veterans Internet-based tools to control their drinking and manage PTSD symptoms. EDC, as the builder of VetChange, is uniquely familiar with both its intricate technology and its subject matter. While VetChange was conceived by VA researchers and clinicians, EDC has been an essential partner in translating these ideas to the development and ongoing deployment of a complex web software application with the potential to improve the lives of Veterans in important ways. EDC, as the prime contractor, provided all software development and implementation of VetChange, plus state-of-the art guidance on adult learning principles, content development, and instructional design. VetChange is a complex, custom-built web software application. It does not utilize existing website publishing or online learning software. It was instead programmed from the ground up (ASP.NET, VB.NET, C#, MS SQL, HTML, CSS, JavaScript) by EDC software developers as a completely novel web application that personalizes a unique clinical program to the individual experience of each Veteran using it. No other software team can presently maintain or modify VetChange. Working with any vendor other than the one that built VetChange would incur significant additional project risk, potential delays in fulfilling the agency s requirements, and cost. VetChange is complex, custom-built web software application, we conservatively estimate any other vendor would need at least 2 to 3 additional months to come up to speed on the existing VetChange program before they would be ready to begin the modifications required by this project. In addition, such a vendor would necessarily progress with the programming work itself much more slowly because they would be modifying a complex, custom-built product that they did not build. Substantial duplication of costs would occur; the increased project time would substantially increase the cost easily adding a minimum of 35%. Another vendor would have to subcontract with the original developers (EDC) for assistance in learning the VetChange software code, including meeting time and written documentation. It would not be possible for any other vendor to work on VetChange without this substantial technical information exchange with the original developers, adding still more cost to the project. Beyond the considerations of cost and time, using a different vendor would significantly increase the risk of vendor errors in translating the SOW to product features, or in programming errors, due to lack of previous experience with the VetChange product s front-end functions and the complex back-end technology. Any such errors would add still more time and cost to the project. EDC is deeply experienced in the content areas of PTSD and substance abuse. EDC has for many years developed educational programs and online interventions in these areas for many federal agencies (NIH, DoE, VA and others). EDC can assign project managers, instructional designers and other key project personnel with substantial experience in the content areas, which speeds the project, increases the quality of Veteran-facing material, and reduces the workload of VA staff. EDC s body of work in relevant topic areas includes several past projects for the VA National Center for PTSD, including PTSD Coach Online, PTSD Awareness in Healthcare Settings, VetChange, videos for the PTSD Consultation Program, and the course PTSD Overview. 5. Determination of Best Value: GSA has already determined that the prices on the FSS contract are fair and reasonable. Further price analysis, to include an analysis of labor effort and pricing will be conducted and subsequent negotiations held as necessary. See contracting officer s determination below. 6. Market Research: Market research was conducted and is in accordance with (IAW) FAR Part10, which describes the policies and procedures for conducting market research to arrive at the most suitable approach to acquiring, distributing, and supporting supplies and services. Methods Used to Conduct Market Research: a. VetBiz query (IAW FAR10.002(b)(2)(iv) querying other Government databases relevant to agency acquisitions and VAAR 810.001 Market Research Policy) The following searches have been conducted within the required source of VetBiz and in the embedded file below: (1.) 726 SDVOSB Firms with NAICS 518210 and no key words; (2.) 177 VOSB Firms with NAICS 518210 and no key words; (3.) 64 SDVOSB Firms with keywords of Substance Abuse; and (4.) 16 VOSB Firms with keywords of Substance Abuse. b. A search of Ability One was conducted and identified that all the required services were unavailable through Source America (Source America is an Ability One Authorized Enterprise) (sourceamerica.org) or from Federal Prison Industries (unicor.gov). Additionally, there are no mandatory supply schedules that provide the needed services. c. Review of GSA/FSS, GSA eLibrary (IAW FAR10.002 (b) (2) (IV) querying other Government databases relevant to agency acquisitions). A search was conducted on GSA, 00Corp Professional Service Schedule874-4; Training Services, Instructor Led, Web Based, Training and Education. There are 738 vendors on this schedule. However as stated above, the government will not be able to utilize another vendor without substantial duplication of cost to the government that is not expected to be recovered through competition or unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency s requirement. 7. Any Other Facts Supporting this Justification: The price to duplicate the work to date is approximately $1,054,395.96 based on experienced pricing. An additional 35% is estimated for pricing in excess of EDCs pricing for this effort. The two project stages most affected by using a new vendor would be Discovery/Planning and Software Programming, given that a new vendor would have no prior knowledge of the current VetChange program s functionality and content, nor the underlying custom, complex programming code and database structure to be modified and extended. 8. Actions to remove barriers to competition: 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 so that other solutions can be considered when available. 9. Contracting Officers Determination and Certification I certify this justification is accurate and complete to the best of the Contracting Officer s knowledge and belief. I hereby determine that the anticipated price to the Government for this contract action represents the best value consistent with FAR SubPart 8.404(d) by: Comparison of the proposed prices to the historical prices paid, whether by the Government or other than the Government for the same or similar items. Comparison of proposed prices with an Independent Government Cost Estimate. Kevin Hershey    Signature___________________________ Procuring Contracting Officer Date: _____7/17/18_________________ 10. Technical and Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.  Andrea Carney Signature___________________________ Program Manager Date: _______7/17/18_______________ 11. Approval: As this contract action does exceed $700,000.00, the contracting officer certification in paragraph 9 serves as the approval required by FAR 8.405-6(d) (1).