SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Neutral Services for Northeast Regional Planning Body
- Notice Date
- 11/6/2012
- Notice Type
- Justification and Approval (J&A)
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Morris K. Udall Foundation, Office of the Director, Office of the Director, 130 S. Scott Avenue, Tucson, Arizona, 85701
- ZIP Code
- 85701
- Solicitation Number
- NE_RPB_11-06-2012
- Archive Date
- 12/5/2012
- Point of Contact
- Brian Manwaring, Phone: 520-901-8529, Lauren Nutter, Phone: 202-540-1040
- E-Mail Address
-
manwaring@ecr.gov, nutter@ecr.gov
(manwaring@ecr.gov, nutter@ecr.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Award Number
- 1923
- Award Date
- 11/5/2012
- Description
- U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution Justification for contracting without full and open competition Contract for neutral services with Meridian Institute The following document is prepared in accordance with FAR 6.302-1 and FAC 97-02, October 23, 2012 (6.303). Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements: 1.Identification of the agency and the contracting activity: Udall Foundation U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution 130 S. Scott Ave. Tucson, AZ 85701 2.Nature and/or description of action being approved: The purpose of this sole source justification is to justify and document the procurement of neutral services from Meridian Institute (Meridian) for planning, coordinating and facilitating the Northeast Regional Planning Body (RPB) process under a firm fixed price contract. 3.A description of supplies of services required to meet the agency's needs (including the estimated value): The services include planning, convening, coordinating, facilitating, and documenting four meetings for the Northeast RBP, as well as meetings with the Northeast RPB Secretariat, and ongoing coordination and communication in between RPB meetings. Direct costs include materials, meeting facilities, audio/visual, video taping services, and facilitation team travel. The total cost for this contract is $132,988. 4.An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition: Other than full and open competition is authorized by FAR 6.302-1 and 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1) because there is "only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements." 5.A demonstration that the proposed contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires the use of the authority cited: A mediation/facilitation team with (a) demonstrated experience facilitating and organizing large processes which include challenging and complex issues among a variety of stakeholders, including state and federal agencies, Tribes, and other stakeholders with varying backgrounds, (b) knowledge of and experience with ocean issues and uses in the Northeast, (c) experience with providing electronic meeting technologies to enhance virtual meeting participation, (d) in close proximity to the project, (e) is available to work on the project at the time of award, (f) is cost effective, and (g) credibility as a neutral entity among the range of stakeholders associated with the Northeast RPB, was required for this project. The Meridian Institute is uniquely qualified to provide the services needed based on the following: 1.The Meridian Institute team has valuable relationships with key stakeholders in the region from previously facilitating a national CMSP workshop as well as a regional CMSP planning workshop that included many of the individuals who will participate in the RPB process. This is an important consideration in the costs of start-up for a new contractor who would need additional time to establish those relationships, understand the needs and concerns of all parties, and gain a comparable level of trust. 2.The Meridian Institute team has worked on National Ocean Policy, facilitated the National and Northeast Workshop on CMSP, and is currently facilitating the CMSP regional planning process in the Mid-Atlantic. In doing so, they have gained a clearly unique depth of understanding regarding the National Ocean Council's policy goals and potential process challenges for the RPBs. This unique experience will streamline planning processes for the Northeast RPB, resulting in time and cost savings. 3.The Meridian Institute meets or exceeds the qualifications for Environmental Conflict Resolution professionals established for the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution Roster of Practitioners. The Meridian Institute has a strong past performance record on U.S. Institute projects. 6.A description of the efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many sources as is practical, including whether a CBD notice was or will be publicized as required in Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies: This notice is being issued in accordance with FAR 5.201 and FAR 6.305 (a) and (d) 7.A determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable: Meridian's rates negotiated under the GSA MOBIS schedule for qualified staff are $231/hr for a Mediator/Facilitator 4 (Senior), and $121 for a Mediator/Facilitator 2 (Associate). These rates are used in the proposed contract with the Meridian Institute. The U.S. Institute has data on the rates charged by the Roster qualified senior facilitators in the Northeast. Those rates range from $185 per hour to $285 per hour. The project budget proposed by Meridian results in an hourly rate in the middle of this range for the senior facilitator assigned and an hourly rate for less experience personnel comparable to rates charged by other Roster members with similar experience. Meridian's total budget estimate was reasonably comparable to the independently developed government budget for the project, based on U.S. Institute experience with comparable work. Based on these factors, the cost to the Government is fair and reasonable for the services required by the agency. 8.A description of the market survey conducted (Sec. 7.101) and the results or a statement of the reasons a market survey was not conducted: Market research of 35 practitioners were assessed for this project. The majority of those practitioners are on the Institute Roster of ECR Practitioners. A survey of hourly rates for practitioners in the region was used to develop a budget estimate. 9.Other factors supporting the use of other than full and open competition: None 10.Listings of any sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition: Bickerman, Coastal Vision, Consensus Building Institute, Eastern Research Group, Gosline-Singer Keystone, Keystone, Logue Group, and Naturesource Communications 11.Statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the services required: Future work related to this project will be solicited through GSA MOBIS or the open market. 12.Certification Prepared by: Phil Lemanski, Chief Financial Officer and Contracting Officer Date: 11/06/2012
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/UDALL/UDALLOD01/OD01/NE_RPB_11-06-2012/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Northeast Region of the United States, United States
- Record
- SN02925179-W 20121108/121106234056-f911e67f4044abc81ae2d465f7660933 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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