--ATS Services for Fort Sam Houston-Extension of Services

Under Authority of FAR 6.302-1, the Government intends to modify contract W91RUS-08-C-0016 with Mutual Telecom Services Inc.(MTS), exercising FAR Clause 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services, for Administrative Telephone Services at Fort Sam Houston Texas. The government will exercise the full 6 month extension allowed under this clause for the period 1 September 2008 through 28 February 2009. Any responses or inquiries to this notice must demonstrate clear and convincing evidence that competition will be advantageous to the government. Responses are due by noon, 19 August 2008 and addressed to Brian Switzer +1 (555) 000-0000 or email contact@example.gov. The Justification and Approval (J&A) is attached below: 1. Contracting Activity: Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC), Information Technology, E-Commerce and Commercial Contracting Center-West (ITEC4-W), 2133 Cushing Street, Building 61801, Fort Huachuca, Arizona 85613-7070. 2. Description of Action: Extension of performance under FAR Clause 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services, for the period 1 September through 28 February 2009 for Administrative Telephone Services (ATS) at Fort Sam Houston, TX, pending the outcome of the re-evaluation of the IMCS II Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. The current performance period expires on 31 August 2008. The total estimate for the six month extension is $4,966,563.19. 3. Description of Supplies/Services: The Performance Work Statement (PWS) for this effort is for operations and maintenance of the ATS at Fort Sam Houston, TX. These services include the operation, administration, and maintenance of Fort Sam Houston, classified and unclassified enterprise network and customer local area networks. The scope of work on this effort includes: administration; management; parts, supplies, tools and equipment other than GFE; and vehicles to operate and maintain the Administrative Telephone System, Special Projects and cable plant at Fort Sam Houston, TX. This includes Switchboard Console Operations, Inside Plant, Customer Services (Telephone), and Outside Plant (Cable) required by the Directorate of Information Management (DOIM) to support the organizations at Fort Sam Houston. The contractor shall provide technical and administrative coordination of inside plant (ISP), outside plant (OSP) and other on-base telephone activities; track and complete all telecommunications service orders. The contractor shall also be responsible for operations and maintenance (O&M) of the Intuity Audix Voice Mail System, Call Accounting System, and data input of Local Service Requests (LSR), cable record changes, associated components and instruments into the Telephone Management System (TMS). The contractor may also be required to provide material, overtime, travel and per diem, and training in support of requirements, as needed. Special projects are a critical part of the operations and maintenance requirement for the Ft Sam Houston DOIM. Special projects are separate CLINS for work identified as necessary to meet new and changing situations but could not possibly be known at time of contract award. Special projects are based on events, circumstances or changing situations that occur over the course of the contract that require special consideration and provide the customer the flexibility to identify, evaluate, monitor, and fund these projects using the existing contract. This work may be subject to the Service Contract Act (SCA) or the Davis Bacon Act (DBA), or a combination of both, and is vital to the mission of the DOIM. Having one contractor perform both new installation and operations and maintenance of existing work, ensures continuity of services and saves time and resources. Ft Sam Houston has experienced an increase in mission support and personnel due to BRAC initiatives and this means that the DOIM must continually add data, phone, and network conduits and connectivity to new and existing buildings to support the increased tempo. When tasked, the contractor shall provide a detailed proposal in accordance with the PWS associated with the Special Project. Special projects will be funded by modification to the contract. In addition to the requirements cited above, Ft Sam Houston has an immediate need for three new services not included in the current contract. These services are a result of new and evolving technologies, unforeseen at original contract award, but now deemed essential and critical to the operation and maintenance of the Ft Sam Houston Directorate of Information Management. The new services are Land Mobile Radio (LRM) Network operators, Telecommunications Management Systems (TMS) support and Consult and Appointment Management Office (CAMO) support. The contractor shall provide technically qualified personnel for the operations and maintenance of the LMR network to include Government owned or commercially owned communications towers as well as E-911 service administration. The LMR network is a new Force Protection measure that all CONUS DOIMS must incorporate. The contractor shall also be responsible for the installation and integrity of the NET PLUS 6 TMS database as well as supporting the telephone switch at the CAMO satellite office. The addition of these new services will result in a net increase of 3.5 personnel. The increased tempo, coupled with an outdated Performance Work Statement, has identified a need for an additional Telecommunications Switch operator as well as additional inside and outside plant technicians to keep pace with the requirement. The original PWS identified one host switch and four (4) switch nodes and 15,320 active communication lines. Since 2001, a new switch has been installed to support the Base Realignment and Closure Joint-Medical Training Centers and approximately 7,400 new communication lines have been added with an additional 12,300 lines projected in FY09. Finally, the Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) has an urgent need to complete renovation projects in the hospital delayed under the previous bridge contract due to the structure of the contract. This delay has caused a ripple affect in prioritizing critical projects needed to support returning injured war fighters and existing patients. The BRAC office at Ft Sam Houston has offered to fully fund two (2) additional Telecommunications Mechanic II positions to alleviate the backlog. 4. Authority Cited: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) and FAR Part 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii) Only One Responsible Source. 5. Reason for Authority Cited: These services are currently being provided under contract W91RUS-08-C-0016, with Mutual Telecom Services Inc. (MTS). Prior to this bridge contract, services were being performed by MTS under contract DABL03-02-C-0001. The current performance period expires on 31 August 2008. These services are being competed as part of a larger consolidated, competitive, small business set aside, the Information Management Communications Support II (IMCS- II) effort. This requirement is necessary to allow for the Contracting Officers actions in response to the Government Accounting Office (GAO) protests and subsequent re-evaluation of offers submitted for the IMCS II IDIQ contract. A decision is anticipated for the January 2009 timeframe with full performance expected to begin March 2009. It is anticipated that award of a task order for Fort Sam Houston can be made within two months. It is not in the Governments best interest to compete this short six month requirement for interim support. A new contractor would be required to ramp-up, to include hiring employees and purchasing vehicles, tools and test equipment. The Government estimates these ramp-up costs at a minimum of approximately $175,000 (based on historical data). In addition, competition for this six month bridge could potentially result in at least two different contractors providing services over the course of a few months, creating personnel turbulence, significant learning curves, and potential loss of critical employees. Finally, it appears unlikely that any contractor can mobilize at this point in time to even attempt the effort. A delay or break in services would result in a critical loss of support to Fort Sam Houston. Fort Sam Houston DOIM serves many important customers such as Army Medical Department (AMEDD), Joint Medical Training Centers (METC), Southern Regional Contracting Center West (SRCCW), United States Army South (USARSO), United States Army North (ARNORTH), Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC), and Homeland Defense & Civil Support Operations. Award to another source at this point would cost the government time (a potentially extensive learning curve and familiarity with the site); significant duplication of cost that would not be recouped through competition; and unacceptable delays in fulfilling the requirement. Moreover, a new protest was received 21 July 2008 regarding the IMCS II Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, further delaying award and impacting this requirement. 6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: These services have been competed as part of IMCS II and significant competition has been obtained. A notice of intent for the IMSC II IDIQ contract, which included the Ft Sam Houston ATS effort, was synopsized on FedBizOps. For this short term effort, the only responsible source who can provide these services without substantial duplication of cost and unacceptable risk of mission failure is MTS, the incumbent contractor. 7. Actions to Increase Competition: A special notice and intent to exercise FAR Clause 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services, for Contract W91RUS-08-C-0012, with award to Mutual Telecom Services Inc. (MTS) as the only responsible source, will be posted 4 or 5 August 2008 in FedBizOpps. It is anticipated that no further actions will be necessarry after award of the IMSC II IDIQ contract, as orders will be issued in accordance with FAR 16.505(b)(1) to satisfy this effort. 8. Market Research: Research has been done for this action as part of the IMCS II contract. ITEC4-W received 23 proposals in response to the IMCS II solicitation which clearly demonstrates there are many companies that can perform these services. However, none of these sources are able to commence performance by 1 September 2008. 9. Interested Sources: MTS is currently performing this contract and is the only known source capable of performing at the current levels while maintaining continuity of services through 31 August 2008. The notice required by FAR 5.201 will be published 4 or 5 August 2008, and any proposals or inquiries received shall be considered. To date, no other sources have expressed an interest in performing the six month interim contracts that will transition to the IMSC II IDIQ contract. The original synopsis for this bridge contract was published 11 February 2008 and no responses were received.