USAID to award short-term Institutional Support Services Contract (ISSC)

Notice ID:  AID-OAA-M-17-00003
Contract Award Date: Jul 01, 2017
Contract Award Number: AID-OAA-M-17-00003
Task/Delivery Order Number: GS-00F-133DA
Modification Number: 32

This is a limited sources justification for an acquisition, under the authority of Limited Sources, pursuant to 8.405-6(a)(1)(A) of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). This document sets forth the facts and rationale justifying the non-competitive extension of the Institutional Support Services Contract Support Order. AID-OAA- M-17-00003 (PLR ISSC Order), awarded to Highlight Technologies, LLC (Highlight) issued under the GSA schedule. The government intends to extend the current contract, AID-OAA-M-17-00003, by four (4) months from July 30, 2024 to November 30, 2024.

Description of Services.  The PLR ISSC Order is a Time and Materials (T&M) order awarded to Highlight in accordance with FAR 8.4052 ordering procedures under the GSA schedule for the period of July 1, 2017 to July 30, 2024. The PLR ISSC Order helps the agency fill critical skills gaps to meet staffing needs resulting from the advent of new priorities, specialized skill set requirements, and attrition of staff at various levels.

This contract provides USAID with 70 contract staff (over 35% of PLR Bureau staffing) providing technical, professional, operational, and administrative support, PLR-ISSC is a staffing mechanism for agency-wide priorities. The following is a summary of the essential services being provided under this contract:

• Provide administrative support to PLR, including activities such as scheduling, travel coordination, communications, knowledge management, and reporting;
• Work with PLR to enhance USAID leadership and program effectiveness by setting a coherent development policy agenda for the Agency and facilitating evidence-based programming that unites USAID and its partners around a common vision for achieving development goals;
• Work with PLR in support of U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives as the Bureau defines and coordinates U.S. development and humanitarian policy with our internal and external stakeholders, and shapes policy to support USAID’s elevated role at the National Security Council;
• Work with PLR in leading USAID engagement with bilateral donors and multilateral organizations to influence global international development policies, standards and best practices. The estimated cost is $6,000,000 for the extension to ensure continuity of essential critical agency services. Extending the PLR ISSC Order will ensure USAID can continue to maintain these expertise services necessary to perform essential core functions in support of established PLR and Agency priorities.

The Agency’s need for the supplies or services is so urgent that following ordering procedures would result in unacceptable delays. If the extension is not approved then, PLR would not be able to continue meeting its objectives including supporting the relationship with the National Security Council, coordinating bilateral and multilateral donors, managing learning and evaluation policy for the Agency, co-managing the COR/AOR function for the Agency with M/OAA, and supporting the development of Mission CDCS’s, among others …

The current follow-on requirement was competed; however, due to unforeseeable circumstances the requirement had a protest.  This extension of 4-months is to allow the Agency time to work through the protest, take corrections and sustain continuity of services without disruption.  No future extensions is anticipated for the order.

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