Laboratory and Operations Support

The Department of Homeland Security’s Technical Support Laboratory (DHS/TSL) requires an extension of the interim bridge contract HSHQDC-12-F-00065 for up to four months to continue certification readiness testing and support services essential for system evaluations. The extension period under consideration spans from February 16, 2013, to April 15, 2013, with two optional one-month extensions. This contract, initially awarded as a sole source task order on July 16, 2012, was intended as a temporary solution until a new contract vehicle could be established through full and open competition. After the original five-month term, the contract was extended per FAR guidelines to cover the period up to February 15, 2013. A new Request for Quotation (RFQ) was issued in late 2012 under GSA e-Buy to procure research, development, testing, and evaluation services that the interim contract currently supports. Four proposals were received, but because the anticipated award timeline for the new contract extends beyond the current task order’s expiration, this extension ensures uninterrupted contract coverage while evaluations continue. This contract action has been coordinated and approved under Limited Source Justification (LSJ) No. 049-13 with oversight by the OPO Competition Advocate. Additionally, the extension requires authorization for Other Direct Material Costs (ODC) to fulfill service needs, supported by an open market Justification and Approval document prepared under FAR competition guidelines. The contract is managed by the Contract Administration Services Division of the Department of Homeland Security and administered from Washington, DC, with performance occurring in Atlantic City, NJ. The Contracting Officer responsible for this action is Michael E. Jones. This extension facilitates continuity of vital testing and evaluation activities critical to DHS/TSL’s mission while transitioning to a competitively awarded long-term contract vehicle.