Sole Source Justification (SSJ) FAR 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The General Services Administration (GSA), specifically the FEDERAL ACQUISITION SERVICE, has published a Sole Source Justification (SSJ) to exercise a six-month option to extend services for Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Support for Halley's COMET Bridge. This extension, under FAR 52.217-8, covers the period from March 27, 2026, through September 26, 2026. The current Task Order, 47QFEA25F0004, was awarded to International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) under GSA MAS contract GS-35F-110DA.
Scope of Work
This justification supports the extension of existing O&M services for Halley's COMET Bridge, which is critical for the GSA Office of the Acquisition IT Services. The services ensure uninterrupted delivery of mission-critical IT operations.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Sole Source Justification for Option to Extend Services (FAR 52.217-8)
- Original Contract: Task Order 47QFEA25F0004, awarded to IBM (GSA MAS GS-35F-110DA)
- Extension Period: March 27, 2026 – September 26, 2026 (6 months)
- Contract Type (TO): Time and Materials (T&M)
- Value (Extension): Not-to-exceed $17,560,022.90 for the 6-month period
- Total TO Value: Not-to-exceed $52,680,068.71 (including extension)
- Set-Aside: Not Applicable (Sole Source)
- Published: March 3, 2026
Justification
The sole-source extension is deemed necessary to maintain uninterrupted delivery of mission-critical IT operations while the government completes a competitive recompete acquisition. The incumbent contractor, IBM, possesses unique institutional knowledge and system-specific experience with the Halley's COMET environment, which supports over fifty interconnected GSA IT applications. Switching vendors during this period would risk service disruption, introduce security vulnerabilities, and lead to a loss of critical institutional knowledge. This extension provides the necessary time for the government to finalize a consolidated and revamped Request for Quotation (RFQ), anticipated for award in August 2026. IBM has agreed to a 3.5% labor rate reduction for this extension period.
Place of Performance
New York, NY, United States.
Contact
Tiffany Johnson (Tiffany.S.Johnson@gsa.gov)