[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 228 (Friday, November 27, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74087-74088]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-30145]
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COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR SEVERELY DISABLED
Procurement List, Additions
AGENCY: Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely
Disabled.
ACTION: Additions to the Procurement List.
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SUMMARY: This action adds services to the Procurement List that will be
provided by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have
other severe disabilities.
DATES: Effective Date: 12/27/2015.
ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely
Disabled, 1401 S. Clark Street, Suite 715, Arlington, Virginia 22202-
4149.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barry S. Lineback, Telephone: (703)
603-7740, Fax: (703) 603-0655, or email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Additions
On 8/4/2015 (80 FR 46250); 8/21/2015 (80 FR 50825-50826) and 9/25/
2015 (80 FR 57792), the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are
Blind or Severely Disabled published notices of proposed additions to
the Procurement List.
After consideration of the material presented to it concerning
capability of qualified nonprofit agencies to provide the services and
impact of the additions on the current or most recent contractors, the
Committee has determined that the services listed below are suitable
for procurement by the Federal Government under 41 U.S.C. 8501-8506 and
41 CFR 51-2.4.
Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification
I certify that the following action will not have a significant
impact on a substantial number of small entities. The major factors
considered for this certification were:
1. The action will not result in any additional reporting,
recordkeeping or other compliance requirements for small entities other
than the small organizations that will provide the services to the
Government.
2. The action will result in authorizing small entities to provide
the services to the Government.
3. There are no known regulatory alternatives which would
accomplish the objectives of the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act (41 U.S.C.
8501-8506) in connection with the services proposed for addition to the
Procurement List.
End of Certification
Accordingly, the following services are added to the Procurement
List:
Services
Service Type: Contractor Operated Parts Store (COPARS) Service
Service Is Mandatory For: US Marine Corps Garrison Mobile Equipment
Branch, Marine Corps Logistics Base, Building 5400, Albany, GA
Mandatory Source(s) of Supply: Training, Rehabilitation, &
Development Institute, Inc., San Antonio, TX
Contracting Activity: Dept of the Navy, Commanding General, Camp
Lejeune, NC
The Commission was copied on a letter to the contracting officer
from an incumbent contractor's law firm. While not received in response
to the initial Federal Register notice, the Commission will,
nevertheless, address the comments noted in the letter.
On behalf of the incumbent contractor, the law firm noted that the
contractor has held the contract for three years and has retained
experienced employees who have established a positive working
relationship in providing the required services. The firm submitted
that the contractor was the most capable and efficient provider of the
required
[[Page 74088]]
services and could continue to perform with the best stewardship of the
taxpayers' money. The firm questioned whether the proposed nonprofit
agency could perform the required services within the restraints of the
AbilityOne Program's requirement to employ people with severe
disabilities and noted that some of its employees were contacted by the
nonprofit agency and offered employment. Finally, while noting that the
contract was not a major portion of the contractor's business
portfolio, the loss of the contract would have a significant financial
impact since it would result in the loss of a major profit margin
contract without providing specific information to substantiate the
impact or how the impact would be measured.
The U.S. AbilityOne Commission (statutorily identified as the
Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled)
(Commission) administers the AbilityOne[supreg] program under the
authority of the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act. Commission responsibilities
include identifying products and services produced or provided by
qualified nonprofit agencies employing people who are blind or severely
disabled that the Commission determines are suitable for procurement by
the Government. Prior to adding any project to the Procurement List
(PL), the Commission reviews each project for suitability including,
employment potential, nonprofit agency qualifications, capability, and
level of impact on the current contractor. If the Commission is
satisfied that each of these four criteria are met, then the service
can be added to the PL and it becomes a mandatory requirement for the
government agency to obtain the service from the designated nonprofit
agency if available within the required time frame.
The Commission does not dispute that the contractor is effectively
performing the required services; however, that does not mean that it
is the only contractor that can effectively perform the services or
that the AbilityOne Commission cannot add the work to the Procurement
List for performance by a nonprofit agency in the AbilityOne Program.
The Commission has reviewed and determined that the project will result
in employment for people with severe disabilities and the designated
nonprofit agency is qualified under the Commission's 75% ratio
requirement and otherwise and capable of performing the services.
Additionally, the Commission reviews financial information provided by
current contractors to determine whether severe adverse impact will
occur if a project is added to the PL. The Commission did so in this
instance and disagrees with the contractor's assertion that the
addition of this project to the PL will result in severe adverse impact
to the contractor company. The Commission has reviewed the specific
requirements of this project and determined that this project is
suitable for performance by a nonprofit agency employing people who are
blind or severely disabled. Placing this project on the PL will result
in employment and training opportunities for people with severe
disabilities.
Accordingly, following a deliberative review of the facts of this
project, the Commission determines that this project is appropriate for
the AbilityOne Program and will be added to the Procurement List.
Service Type: Removal/Clean-up Bird Dropping Service
Service Is Mandatory For: Defense Logistics Agency, Defense
Supply Center, 8000 Jefferson Davis Highway, Richmond, VA
Mandatory Source(s) of Supply: Richmond Area Association for
Retarded Citizens, Richmond, VA
Contracting Activity: Defense Logistics Agency Contracting
Services Office, Richmond, VA
Service Type: Custodial and Related Service
Service Is Mandatory For: GSA PBS Region 4, Benjamin P. Grogan
and Jerry L. Dove Federal Building, 2030 SW. 145th Avenue, Miramar,
FL
Mandatory Source(s) of Supply: CW Resources, Inc., New Britain,
CT
Contracting Activity: Public Buildings Service, Acquisition
Division/Services Branch, Atlanta, GA
Barry S. Lineback,
Director, Business Operations.
[FR Doc. 2015-30145 Filed 11-25-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6353-01-P