SAM #OS348484

HHS Sole Source Bridge Contract for Digital Communications Support Services

This opportunity involves a sole source bridge contract for digital communications support services for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), specifically for ASPA Digital. - Government Buyer: - Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) - Sub-agency: ASPA Digital - OEMs and Vendors: - Webfirst, Inc. (incumbent and sole vendor mentioned) - Products/Services Requested: - Digital Communications Support Services, including: - Service Desk operations - Drupal enterprise content publishing - Website and application modernization - Analytics and accessibility - Security and program management - Support for over 250 content owners - Management of approximately 120 requests per week and 300 operations/maintenance tickets per month - Support for 10 to 15 projects per month - Unique or Notable Requirements: - Continuity of service during transition to a new contract - Phase-in and transition activities included - Sensitive operational and security responsibilities - Compliance with HSPD-12/PIV, FISMA, ATO, FedRAMP, NIST, encryption, incident response, and audit logging - Rapid response and high-tempo support for mission-critical digital communications - No specific products or part numbers are listed; only services are requested - Estimated contract value for the six-month period is $4,721,667.00

Description

The purpose of this synopsis is to announce the Health and Human Services (HHS) intent to negotiate a Firm Fixed Price sole source contract with Webfirst, Inc. located at 9200 Corporate Boulevard Suite 375, Rockville, MD 20850-3886, to continue providing the HHS with Digital Communications Support for a six (6) month period.

Only one (1) source, Webfirst, Inc, is available to fulfill the Government’s requirement for these services in an interim period to provide the needed digital communications support. This action will support a short-term, six (6) month bridge to allow for adequate time to re-complete the existing order HHSN316201200189W/75N98122F00001 with a current expiration date of September 28th, 2026, maximize future competition, and prevent a lapse in critical services.

ASPA Digital manages HHS digital communications operations and public-facing digital services. The current SOW requires the contractor to support high-tempo, mission-facing services including Service Desk operations, Drupal enterprise content publishing, website and application modernization, analytics, accessibility, security, and program management. The current Service Desk supports more than 250 content owners across all ASPA Digital-managed websites, manages approximately 120 requests per week, processes approximately 300 operations and maintenance tickets per month, and supports approximately 10 to 15 projects per month. Some requests must be completed within half an hour. Disrupting these services during a six-month bridge would create avoidable operational risk.

The incumbent contractor has current knowledge of ASPA’s workflows, systems, governance documents, service queues, ongoing projects, content publishing processes, Drupal environment, AWS environment, analytics toolchain, security requirements, and stakeholder operating tempo. A new contractor would need to complete transition activities, onboarding, suitability and access processes, system familiarization, knowledge transfer, documentation review, and coordination with incumbent staff. The SOW itself contemplates transition and phase-in activities, including coordination with the incumbent, uninterrupted service delivery, knowledge transfer, access confirmation, and full performance no later than 60 days after the phase-in start date. For a six-month bridge, a 60-day phase-in followed by transition-out activities would consume a material portion of the performance period and would duplicate costs without a commensurate benefit to the Government.

The work also involves sensitive operational and security responsibilities. Contractor personnel require appropriate background investigations, HSPD-12/PIV compliance, roster management, and access to HHS information systems. The contractor must support security, privacy, FISMA, ATO, FedRAMP, NIST, encryption, incident response, audit logging, and related controls. Onboarding a different contractor for a six-month interval would increase transition risk, delay productive performance, and require duplicative system access and security coordination that would not improve the Government’s long-term competitive posture.

The bridge is a short-term continuity action while the Government completes the competitive BPA. The Government will compete for the follow-on BPA and use the bridge period to complete requirements validation, market engagement, solicitation, evaluation, award, and transition planning.

The Government considered whether a new contractor could reasonably assume the requirement for the six-month bridge. Although multiple firms may be capable of performing these services under a full competitive acquisition with adequate transition time, the short bridge period and continuity needs make award to a new contractor inefficient and operationally risky. The future BPA will be competed to allow adequate time for meaningful industry participation and transition.

For the reasons stated above, awarding the bridge contract to the proposed vendor is in the best interests of the Government for this intermediary period.

The total estimated cost of this service is $4,721,667.00 for a six (6) month period.

THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS, however, interested firms may submit a capability statement in response to the above requirement with pricing information by August 3, 2026 @ 2:00 PM Eastern Time to Thien Nguyen, Contracting Officer, Email: thien.nguyen@hhs.gov . A determination not to open competition based responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

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