Life Support Services

The contract extends life support and maintenance services for the Residential Compound and Embassy Compound in Juba, South Sudan, through the transition to the New Embassy Compound, scheduled to open between December 2028 and February 2029. The current contract period runs from June 2021 through May 2026, and the proposed extension covers June 2026 through December 2028, with a possible further extension to February 2029 if the NEC opening is delayed. Following this, a reduced level of services will continue through October 2029 to complete the final decommissioning of the older compounds. The services include lodging, food service, laundry, building and grounds maintenance, fuel and water tank upkeep, and 24-hour emergency repairs, all required to meet a minimum three-star U.S. hotel standard. The extension is a sole-source action justified under FAR 6.103-2 due to unusual and compelling urgency, primarily driven by the lengthy background clearance process for personnel, the critical need for continuity in a high-threat environment, and the time-intensive mobilization of a new contractor. The current contractor, RA International, holds irreplaceable operational knowledge of the secure compounds, local logistics, and security protocols, making a competitive transition unfeasible without risking mission continuity. The contract is of the cost-plus-award-fee type, with funding managed by the U.S. Department of State through Ariba and GFMS systems, and performance is entirely localized in Juba under strict access restrictions and operational curfews. While the estimated cost for the extension is approximately $1 million, no detailed line-item pricing is provided. A full and open competition for the long-term life support services at the NEC will be initiated in early 2027 to secure a permanent contract, ensuring operational stability while allowing for structured market competition in the future.