AWARD
65 -- Dictaphone Speech Recognition Reporting System
- Notice Date
- 2/3/2015
- Notice Type
- Award Notice
- NAICS
- 811219
— Other Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Education and Training Command, 502d Contracting Squadron, 1655 Selfridge Avenue, JBSA Lackland, Texas, 78236-5253, United States
- ZIP Code
- 78236-5253
- Archive Date
- 3/6/2015
- Point of Contact
- Parie Reynolds, Phone: 210-671-1739, Socorro C. Apodaca, Phone: 210-671-5904
- E-Mail Address
-
parie.reynolds@us.af.mil, socorro.apodaca@us.af.mil
(parie.reynolds@us.af.mil, socorro.apodaca@us.af.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Award Number
- FA3047-15-F-0026
- Award Date
- 1/21/2015
- Awardee
- EC America, Incorporated
- Award Amount
- $311,255.94
- Description
- NOTICE OF AWARD The 502 Contracting Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) Lackland, Texas awarded a Limited Sources, Firm-Fixed Price contract to EC America, Inc., 8444 Westpark Drive, Suite 200, McLean, VA, 22102 for the renewal acquisition to an existing service of the Dictaphone Hardware, Software and Maintenance Service. The contract action is for the commercial service for which the Government awarded to one source. This notice of award is not a request for competitive proposals. The Government will not be responsible for any cost incurred in preparation of request for quotation. The justification for this limited sources procurement is that Nuance Communications, Inc. and EC America, Inc. are the only two (2) sources that can provide this service for the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center (WHASC) due to the installation and current use of the Dictaphone System. This procurement will be acquired using procedures in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.405-6, Limited Sources. This notice is not a request for competitive proposals. DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR EDUCATION AND TRAINING COMMAND LIMITED SOURCE JUSTIFICATION: Dictaphone Software and Maintenance Service. I. Contracting Activity: The United States Air Force, Air Education and Training Command, 502d Air Base Wing, 502d Contracting Squadron, is executing this Limited Source Justification on behalf of the 59 th MLRS/SGSKM, WHASC, JBSA-Lackland, TX 78236-5300. Based on the circumstances below, the procurement will be acquired using procedures in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.405-6, Limited Sources. II. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Approved: This action will be awarded as a new order to an existing service. The Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contract number is GS-35F-0511T. The period of performance (PoP) will be 21 January 2015 through 20 January 2018. A firm-fixed priced task order for this procurement was issued to EC America, Inc., 8444 Westpark Drive, Suite 200, McLean, VA, 22102. The applicable NAICS code is 811219, Other Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance. EC America, Inc. is a Large Business. III. Description of the Supplies/Services to Meet Agency Needs: This action is hereby submitted for the procurement of the Dictaphone Hardware, Software and Maintenance Service at WHASC located at JBSA-Lackland, TX. The estimated total amount for this acquisition is $311,255.94. The period of performance will be 21 January 2015 through 20 January 2018. This requirement provides the web-based speech recognition software, hardware and equipment to generate necessary physician transcription records. Existing Dictaphone hardware, software and equipment shall include installation of updates and upgrades, and on-site equipment repair which is required to ensure continuous operability of the system and equipment. In addition, the Dictaphone system is already installed and functioning, there is no need for installation. This acquisition will be funded with DoD O&M (0100) funds. IV. Authority and Supporting Rationale for Limiting Sources and Demonstration of the Contractor's Unique Qualifications to Provide the Required Supply/Service: FAR 8.405-6 requires an ordering activity to justify its actions when restricting consideration of schedule contractors to fewer than required in FAR 8.405-1 or 8.405-2. The specific circumstance that justifies restriction for this acquisition is FAR 8.405-6(a) (1) (i) (B). FAR 8.405-6(a) (1) (i) (B), "Only one source is capable of responding due to the unique or specialized nature of the work". V. Determination by the Ordering Activity Contracting Officer that the Order Represents the Best Value Consistent with FAR 8.404 (d): Fair market pricing for this service was determined by comparing previous contracts for the Dictaphone Speech Recognition Reporting System. The original award was a Sole Source firm-fixed priced purchase order awarded to Nuance Communications, Inc. No option years remain available. A contract is needed with EC America, Inc. (authorized distributor of Nuance Communications, Inc.) to prevent a duplication of work efforts by Government personnel. It is in the government's best interest to establish an order to avoid creating a new contract year after year. Therefore, this acquisition will be a follow-on contract for the continued production of highly specialized equipment. The services listed on the FSS under contract number GS-35F-0511T are listed as fixed price for performance of a specific task. GSA has determined that the prices of fixed-price services to be fair and reasonable for the purpose of establishing the schedule contract. Based on Market Research, it has been determined that this requirement cannot be satisfied via a small business set aside. However, this requirement is available commercially and can be procured from EC America Inc. A price evaluation was conducted between Nuance Communications, Inc. and EC America, Inc. The price evaluation determined that EC America Inc. offers the lowest price and best value to the Government for the following reasons: the cost is not expected to be recovered through competition; given the criticality of the work being performed by the contractor, not awarding the contract to EC America, Inc. would result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling the Government's critical requirements for the Radiology Department. EC America, Inc. satisfactorily meets all requirements of the Performance Work Statement (PWS) and has not had any significant performance issues on contracts for this service in the past. Other than Nuance Communications, Inc. and EC America, Inc., there are no other vendors or prices with which to compare this requirement. Therefore, this acquisition is for continued performance of a unique service. VI. Description of the Market Research Conducted Among Schedule Holders and the Results or a Statement of the Reason Market Research Was Not Conducted: A Sources Sought Notice was posted on Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOps) on 2 January 2015 in accordance with FAR 5.203 to ensure the widest opportunity of competition as possible to include all interested sources will be considered by this agency. The sources sought notice provided an opportunity for interested vendors to provide responses to this notice by providing a capability statement that addressed the organization's qualifications and ability to perform as a prime contractor for the required work as described in the sources sought notice. Two responses were received. One response was received from Nuance Communication Inc. and the other response was from EC America, Inc. No other sources responded to this notice. A synopsis will be accomplished in accordance with FAR 5.201. Additional research on the System for Award Management, www.sam.gov, for the applicable NAICS Code 811219, was conducted and EC America, Incorporated was identified as a provider. Contacted the Nuance Communications, Inc. sales division and received confirmation that EC America, Inc., is the sole authorized federal distributor of Nuance Communications, Inc. and is currently the holder of a General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Service (FSS) contract number GS-35F-0511T. A query of the Small Business Administration, Quick Market Search Listing ( http://dsbs.sba.gov ) using NAICS code 811219 and keywords "Dictaphone" and "Powerscribe" was conducted. No Small Businesses were identified. A search for similar products via GSA e-Library was completed to determine availability, capabilities and specifications necessary to meet mission requirements. Despite reasonable efforts to identify additional vendors to meet the mission requirements, there were no additional vendors that were identified that can fulfill the requirements. Consistent with Market Research findings, it was determined that, due to the unique nature of proprietary elements, maintenance services and support, there is a bona fide need to conduct a limited source acquisition for the Dictaphone Speech Recognition Reporting System Hardware and Software with EC America, Inc. This acquisition will be a direct acquisition. VII. Other Facts Supporting the Justification : A lapse in service would be harmful to the health and human safety of military and civilian personnel. The services currently provided to medical professionals and specialized medical providers will be significantly impacted, compromising the support provided to military commanders. WHASC staff currently relies on the access and productivity of the Dictaphone Speech Recognition Reporting System. EC America, Inc. possesses the experience, in-place technical infrastructure, and the particular accreditations required to provide continuous service. Fair market pricing for this requirement was determined by comparing previous contracts for the Dictaphone Hardware, Software and Maintenance Service. In reviewing this requirement and discussing the details surrounding the equipment, it is rational to conclude that it would do more harm than good to the patients of WHASC and the Government, not to conduct a limit source initiative to establish this award with EC America, Inc. This acquisition will be a direct acquisition. In accordance with DFARS 217.78, Contracts or Delivery Orders issued by a non DoD Agency, this acquisition is in the best interest of DoD for the following reasons: this acquisition will satisfy customer requirements; GSA Schedule; cost effectiveness; and contract administration. VIII. Actions the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome Any Barriers that Led to the Restricted Consideration before Any Subsequent Acquisition for the Supplies/Services is made: The contracting activity will continue to advocate brand name or equivalent specifications. WHASC will continue to monitor and seek to identify other vendors that may meet the specialized requirement. The customer, WHASC and the Contracting Specialist, have thoroughly researched the industry in an attempt to identify vendors that could provide this requirement in support of the mission. The research indicated that other than Nuance Communications, Inc. and EC America, Inc., there are no other vendors or prices with which to compare this requirement. Therefore, this acquisition is for continued performance of a unique service. IX. Contracting Officer's Certification: The Contracting Officer's signature on the Coordination and Approval Document is evidence that she has determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of her knowledge and belief. X. Technical/Requirements Personnel's Certification: As evidenced by their signatures on the Coordination and Approval Document, the technical and/or requirements personnel have certified that any supporting data contained herein for other than full and open competition, which form a basis of the justification have been certified as both accurate and complete. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract is based on and is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for informational purposes. This procurement was not set-aside for small business. The North American Industry Classification System Code is 811219, Other Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance. EC America, Inc. is a large business. The award date was 21 January 2015. Points of Contact: Parie D. Reynolds Contract Specialist COMM: 210-671-1739 DSN: 473-1739 Fax: 210-671-0674 parie.reynolds@us.af.mil Socorro C. Apodaca Contracting Officer COMM: 210-671-5904 DSN: 473-5904 Fax: 210-671-0674 socorro.apodaca@us.af.mil 502 nd Contracting Squadron Address: 1655 Selfridge Avenue JBSA Lackland, Texas 78236-5253 United States Place of Performance: Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center (WHASC) 2200 Bergquist Drive JBSA Lackland, Texas 78236 United States
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