Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source Contract - Parking Garage Services

1. Action Description

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) intends to award a sole-source firm-fixed-price contract to Arlington VA I FGF LLC, Chicago IL, the owner and lessor of the property located at 675 N. Randolph Street in Arlington, Virginia, to provide secure, controlled parking and related facility support services for the below-grade structed parking garage directly beneath DARPA Headquarters.

2. Background and Scope of Services

DARPA requires continued control of the below-grade structured parking garage located at 675 N. Randolph Street. The garage is physically integrated with and located directly beneath the DARPA Headquarters facility.

The Contractor will be required to provide comprehensive facility support services necessary to maintain the garage in a safe, operational, and secure condition.  These services may include structural maintenance; mechanical, ventilation, and related building system support; fire and life-safety system support; emergency infrastructure support; compliance with Department of War below-grade, structured parking garage at 675 North Randolph Street, Arlington, VA, to ensure a fully secure and operational exclusive-use parking facility for DARPA.

Historically, parking and associated access-control capabilities were included within the master building lease managed by Washington Headquarters Services (WHS). As a result of changes to the WHS leasing structure, these requirements will no longer be included in the master lease. Therefore, DARPA intends to independently procure the services necessary to maintain control of the below-grade parking area and support the physical-security requirements of its headquarters facility.

3. Authority and Basis for the Proposed Sole Source Acquisition
 

This proposed acquisition is being conducted under the authority of 10 U.S.C. § 3204(a)(1) (formerly 10 U.S.C. § 2304(c)(1)), as implemented by FAR 6.103-1, "Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements."

DARPA’s market research identified numerous commercial parking facilities in Arlington, Virginia that can provide general commercial parking. However, the Government has not identified an alternative facility capable of satisfying all of the following requirements:

1. Unique Physical Location and Integration. The required parking facility is physically integrated with and located directly beneath DARPA Headquarters at 675 N. Randolph Street. No other commercial parking facility can provide the same physical relationship to the DARPA facility.

1. Physical Security and Access Control. DARPA requires controlled vehicle access to the below-grade parking area to support the physical security requirements applicable to the Agency headquarters facility. For instance, in accordance with Department of Defense (currently Department of War (DoW)) Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) 4-010-01 (DoD Minimum Antiterrorism Standards for Buildings), access control to subterranean structures directly beneath DoW offices is a critical security vulnerability.

1. Proprietary Rights and Building Systems.  The Government requires access to the garage and the building systems integral to its operation, including structural, ventilation, mechanical, and fire and life safety systems that support the garage. Arlington VA I FGF, LLC owns and controls the property where the garage facility is located. Because those rights and systems are controlled by the property owner, another source could not independently provide the Government with exclusive rights to the same facility without authorization from the owner.

1. Continuity of Operations. DARPA requires a transition that does not create an interruption in the physical security and access control measures supporting DARPA Headquarters.

4. Determination

DARPA has determined that Arlington VA I FGF, LLC is the only responsible source capable of providing the required services, and no other type of services will satisfy all the Agency’s requirements because:

• The Government’s requirement extends beyond obtaining parking spaces in the Arlington, Virgina area. An alternative, off-site parking facility would not provide the Government with control of the area directly beneath DARPA Headquarters or eliminate the Government’s continuing requirement to maintain appropriate physical security controls over that area.
• Unrestricted or uncontrolled commercial use of the area directly beneath the headquarters could adversely affect the physical-security posture of the facility.
• Maintaining the existing below-grade parking facility avoids the operational and security disruption that could result from attempting to relocate the parking function while simultaneously maintaining control of the area directly beneath the headquarters.

5. Notice to Interested Sources

This notice is not a request for competitive proposals. It is issued to determine whether any responsible sources can demonstrate their capability to satisfy the Government’s complete requirement and provide a basis for the Government to reconsider the contemplated sole-source acquisition.

Interested sources are invited to submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation demonstration, with objective and specific information, their ability to satisfy all of the Government’s requirements. The ability to provide ordinary commercial parking spaces at another Arlington, Virginia location, standing alone, will not satisfy the requirement. A response should address, at a minimum, the following:

1. Physical and Legal Access. Legal authority and practical ability to obtain the rights necessary to provide exclusive and controlled use of, and perform the required services within, the below-grade parking facility directly beneath 675 North Randolph Street in Arlington, Virginia.

1. Security and Access Control. Ability to satisfy the Government’s physical security and controlled access requirements applicable to the below-grade parking facility, including applicable Department of War requirements, such as compliance with DoD Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) 4-010-01 for subterranean facility access control.

1. Continuity of Operations. Ability to provide uninterrupted services during transition and throughout contract performance without compromising DARPA’s physical security requirements.

1. Organizational Capability. Identify relevant experience, technical capabilities, facilities, personnel, and other resources demonstrating ability to perform the required services.

1. System for Award Management (SAM) Registration. Provide documentation of current registration in SAM, including a valid Unique Entity ID (UEI) and CAGE code, as applicable.

Interested sources should submit a capability statement addressing the requirements identified above to the Primary and Secondary points of contact listed above no later than the Response Deadline. Generic statements of interest or statements that merely demonstrate an ability to provide commercial parking services will not be sufficient.

The Government will consider all timely and substantive responses solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. A determination by the Government not to compete the contemplated contract action, based on responses to this notice or otherwise, will be within the Government’s discretion and consistent with applicable acquisition laws and regulations.

The Government is not responsible for costs incurred by interested sources in preparing or submitting responses to this notice.