DOCUMENT
70 -- Psychological Testing - Justification and Approval (J&A)
- Notice Date
- 9/29/2017
- Notice Type
- Justification and Approval (J&A)
- NAICS
- 511210
— Software Publishers
- Contracting Office
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs;Office of Acquisition Operations;Strategic Acquisition Center;10300 Spotsylvania Ave | STE 400;Fredericksburg VA 22408-2697
- ZIP Code
- 22408-2697
- Solicitation Number
- VA11917Q0314
- Archive Date
- 11/25/2017
- Point of Contact
- Clifford Snipe
- E-Mail Address
-
1-6997<br
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Award Number
- VA119-17-D-0076
- Award Date
- 9/26/2017
- Description
- JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Acquisition Operations Strategic Acquisition Center 10300 Spotsylvania Avenue Suite 400 Fredericksburg, VA 22408 Nature and/ or Description of Action Being Processed: The proposed sole source action is for a Firm-Fixed Price Indefinite Quantity (IDQ) contract for procurement of psychological tests. The estimated maximum cumulative dollar value for this requirement is $3,200,000. The contract ordering period for this IDQ contract will include a 12-month base period and four (4) 12-month option periods. Individual delivery orders may be issued at any time during the five-year contract term (September 30, 2017 through September 29, 2022). This effort is proposed to be awarded to NCS Pearson, Inc., 5601 Green Valley Drive, Bloomington, MN 55437. Description of the Supplies or Services Required to Meet the Agency's Needs: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical staff approved certain psychological tests for use by clinical practitioners when exercising their medical judgment in treating patients. The Agency seeks permission to utilize the necessary intellectual property to program the tests and updates into its database for VHA psychological testing program. Battery for Health Improvement 2 (BHI2) Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) Beck Depression Inventory 2 (BDI2) Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) Beck Scale of Suicidal Ideation (BSSI) Brief Battery for Health Improvement (BBHI2) Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI-18) Million Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic (MBMD) includes Bariatric and Pain Norms Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory III (MCMI3) Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory IV (MCMI4) Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI2) Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory 2 RF (MMPI2 RF) Quality of Life Inventory (QOLI) Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL9R) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) needs psychological tests for the purpose of conducting diagnostic assessments and symptom monitoring for Veterans receiving behavioral health care throughout VHA. These psychological tests were determined by carefully following the National Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing to ensure they meet the highest standards of test construction, validity, and reliability. VHA (regularly) consults with the American Psychological Association, National Council on Measurement in Education, the National Quality Forum, and other agencies to ensure that these tests are current and meet the highest standards of psychological testing and program evaluation. The estimated maximum cumulative dollar value for this requirement is $3,200,000. Authority: The statutory authority for this justification is 41 U.S.C. 3304(a) (1), and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1. The authority permitting this sole source action is Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1 - Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. Rationale for Authority NCS Pearson Inc. is the only vendor that can provide the necessary psychological tests to conduct diagnostic assessments and symptom monitoring for Veterans throughout VHA. The copyrighted psychological assessment tests published by NCS Pearson have been vetted by VA medical staff and determined necessary for VHA clinicians to exercise medical judgment. Accordingly, the NCS Pearson psychological tests have been approved by the VHA Mental Health Services Program Office for use and it is sound medical practice to include these tests in the VA's MHA library. NCS Pearson Inc. is the only entity that can grant the right for VA to utilize their copyrighted tests, scoring algorithms, and norms and place these tests on VA's own electronic psychological assessment software package, the Mental Health Assistant (MHA), which is part of the overall VistA system. Placing these tests into the MHA allows the Government to pay a fraction of the usual per test cost since NCS Pearson, Inc sells their copyrighted materials commercially as a complete software suite which is not necessary if we use our internal system for administering the test. As stated above, NCS Pearson, Inc. is the sole provider/publisher for these tests as determined by the market research and verified by NCS Pearson Inc. There are no other commercial sources in the marketplace for these tests, which are used in multiple mental health programs for diagnosing clinical symptoms and periodically monitoring those diagnoses/symptoms. Efforts to Obtain Competition: This requirement will be synopsized on Federal Business Opportunities in accordance with FAR 5.201. Any outside submissions received will be reviewed and evaluated to see if the capabilities that are provided can fulfill the Governments requirement. An Intent to Sole Source was posted to Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) with no responses received. The Government also used a Sources Sought to determine further market capabilities however no responses were received. Additionally, this Justification and Approval document will be posted, post-award, to FBO for 30 days in accordance with FAR 6.305. Contracting Officer Determination: The contracting officer has determined that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. Market Research: A Sources Sought (VA119-17-N-0272) was posted on FBO March 15, 2017 and closed on March 24, 2017 detailing the psychological tests currently integrated into the VA's electronic medical record system, Veterans Integrated System Technology Architect (VISTA) along with the functional basis or salient characteristics for each test. These psychological tests are commercial in nature, so an internet search was conducted in concert with the Sources Sought. A Google search was done using the names of the required tests. A search was also done on other potential sources for psychological tests, including a search on GSA eBuy and Veteran Information Page (VIP). This market research resulted in no other potential sources for these tests. For more detailed search information, please see below: Google search on each individual test name. Was able to pull up multiple research information but all the references to obtain the tests were either for the former owner (older references) or for Pearson, Inc. (newer references) American Psychological Association Same as Google search. GSA Advantage nothing found. GSA eLibrary nothing found. GSA eBuy nothing found. NCS Pearson is considered to be the sole publisher, and the only source to provide psychological test to meet the Government s need. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition. Intent to Sole Source was published to FBO on April 17, 2017 and closed on May 19, 2017. There were no responses to the Intent to Sole Source notice. A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the procurement. No prospective contractors have expressed, in writing, an interest in this requirement. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required. The Government will continue to conduct market research to ascertain if there are changes in the market place that would enable future actions to be competed. All future requirements will be handled on a case by case basis to determine acquisition strategy. Certifications: Technical and Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. Signature: ____________________ Date:____________________ Karen DeVolder Department of Veterans Affairs Procuring Contracting Officer Certification: In accordance with FAR subpart 6.303-2(b)(12), I hereby certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. IAW FAR subpart 6.303-2(b)(7) I determine that the anticipated cost to the government will be fair and reasonable. Signature: ______________________ Date: ________________ Brian Love Procuring Contracting Officer Department of Veterans Affairs Approval In my role as the Local Competition Advocate, based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the acquisition of NCS Pearson Psychological Testing, on an other than full and open competition basis pursuant to the statutory authority cited in paragraph 4 above, subject to availability of funds, and provided that the property and services herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition. Signature: __________________________ Date:________________________ Elegear Primus Local Competition Advocate Department of Veterans Affairs
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- Document(s)
- Justification and Approval (J&A)
- File Name: VA119-17-Q-0314 VA119-17-Q-0314_2.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=3826838&FileName=VA119-17-Q-0314-001.docx)
- Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=3826838&FileName=VA119-17-Q-0314-001.docx
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- SN04701187-W 20171001/170929231756-2def3537b519992235b7a5a95b730558 (fbodaily.com)
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