Contract extension for scientific, forensic, and administrative support to AFMES
The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, 820 Chandler St., Fort Detrick, Maryland, 21702, intends to extend a contract on a sole source basis to the American Registry of Pathology (ARP) for scientific, forensic, and administrative support to the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES). The proposed contract action is for services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority at FAR 6.302-1.
The services provided by ARP under its current contract (W81XWH-15-C-0154) augment the AFMES' mission. The current contract's period of performance ends as of 30 March 2017, with no further options available. A contract extension is required to allow for continued, uninterrupted services while the competitively-issued follow-on Indefinite Delivery Contract (IDC) is being processed utilizing small business set-aside procedures. The follow-on IDC will contain a hybrid contract type, allowing for the resultant task orders to be issued either on a Firm-Fixed-Price or Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee basis, based on whether the services to be provided are deemed commercial or non-commercial.
In order to avoid a break in service due to the length of time it will take to process a competitively-issued follow-on IDC and resultant task order(s), a contract extension must be issued. The authority cited is FAR 6.302-1(a)(2) as the services are only immediately available from the original source and award to any other source would result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency's requirements. A break in services would lead to catastrophic mission failure for the AFMES.
ARP is the only contractor that can continue performance on 31 March 2017 with fully certified and fully proficient personnel. Sufficient overlap between the extension contract and a succeeding competitively awarded contract is mandatory and required in order to allow adequate lead time for phased transition in and overlap without jeopardizing the AFMES' elite laboratory accreditation designations. It is critical to award a contract extension by March 2017 to ensure continuity of the AFMES' highly specialized services and to ensure retention of the highly skilled scientific and technical staff currently working under the ARP contract.
Any sources that believe they are eligible to provide these services must respond to this notice in writing. Responses must be supported with clear and convincing evidence which articulates the ability to perform the services outlined above. A request for documentation will not be considered an affirmative response. Information received will be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether a competitive procurement is in the best interest of the Government. If no written responses are received by the date listed below, which reflects fifteen (15) days after the publication of this notice, the modification will be executed without further remark.
All questions and responses concerning this notice shall be emailed to Ms. Tonya Kreps at tonya.r.kreps.civ@mail.mil. Interested concerns must identify their capability to the above email address no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time, 03 March 2017.
Tonya R. Kreps, Email tonya.r.kreps.civ@mail.mil
