R--Technical Support for Assessment and Watershed Protection-3

Sole Source Justification for Support for the EPAs Restoration and Protection Screening Tool and Healthy Watersheds Program Award

The purpose of this justification is to notify the public of the sole source award to Cadmus Group for the Water and OITA Branch /Water Tribal Science Division BPA Contract (Award # 68HERC22A0019/68HERW26F0034).

Authority Cited:
The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 41 U.S.C. 253(c) (2) in accordance with FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(B), Services are Unique or Highly Specialized and FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(C), Logical Follow-on.

Need & Justification:

Under FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(B) and FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(C) this Call Order has been issued on a sole-source basis because the services being supplied under the new call order are unique and highly specialized and logical follow-on. The work under this call order involves highly specialized expertise with the RPS Tool and processing watershed indicators specifically for that tool. Cadmus worked with EPA staff to conceive of and build the RPS Tool and has provided primary contract support for the Tool for nearly the entirety of its existence (nearly 20 years). Over this time period, Cadmus has provided invaluable and specialized expertise to oversee revisions to the Tool to better support the national community of Tool users. As a result of this work, Cadmus staff currently serve as national leading experts on the Tool and regularly provide EPA, state and partners with trainings and custom support. Over the duration of their support to EPA in this work area, Cadmus has processed and refined thousands of ecological, stressor, and social indicators, developed a modernized web-based version of the tool, rebranded the Tool (including webpage redesign and update), and updated the excel version of the Tool.

Cadmus is uniquely qualified to continue supporting this complex and evolving work as a result of its direct experience supporting the EPA in this work area over multiple years through specialized programming, data processing, indicator management, and Tool development. EPA has heavily relied on Cadmus’ technical expertise and experience, and if the sole source follow-on Call Order is not initiated and awarded, it would be extremely costly, time-intensive and inefficient. The Agency’s cost savings achieved through continuing work with Cadmus will be critical as the EPA anticipates a decreased operating budget in FY2026 and future years.

EPA would likely need to educate and train the new contractor on the Tool and the support we provide, resulting in a significant amount of additional work for EPA. Also, costs and time for contractor support of current ongoing projects would increase as the new contractor were to take over in the middle of these complex projects, which involve specialized programming and a deep familiarity with the Tool-specific data, information and methods, and customer needs. It would also not be feasible to expect the same level of expertise and quality of work from a new contractor in the near term, particularly when there is an ongoing need to use the tool to support projects, such as updating states nonpoint source management program plans and training users of the tool.

Risk:

To date, the RPS Tool has supported dozens of state and territorial agencies in prioritizing watersheds for Clean Water Act 303(d)/TMDL and 319 program planning. In federal fiscal years 2025 and 2026, under Clean Water Act Section 319 the majority of state Nonpoint Source Management Programs will be updating their 5-year program plans for which the RPS Tool will again provide critical support. Similarly, the RPS Tool will provide critical support to state 303(d)/TMDL programs working to advance efforts under the 2022 – 2032 Vision for the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) Program. The EPA’s ability to provide support to states and other partners to advance statutory goals will rely on the ability to stand up a new Call Order in a timely manner that leverages the expertise provided by Cadmus. Therefore, it is most effective and efficient for the Cadmus Group to be awarded this follow-on call order.