20190617_redacted_2019_67V4_002_signed_CAFC_Redacted.pdf

Control No: MICC 2019-67 Contractor: Educational Testing Service (ETS)

Program/Equipment: Graduate Record Examination

Version – September 2018 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

FAR Part 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items- Sole Source Justification and Approval

1. Contracting Activity: Mission and Installation Contracting Command-Fort Leavenworth, 535 Kearny Ave, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 66027.

2. Description of Action: The Combined Arms Center (CAC) requests afirm-fixed-price Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) to be established with Educational Testing Service (660 Rosedale Rd. Princeton, NJ, 08540-2218). The BPA will consist of up to a 60 month ordering period with the option to extend it an additional 6 months. Individual calls issued will be firm-fixed-price. The Government projects award for June 2019 and fiscal year 2019, Operations and Maintenance funds will be used for calls issued in FY2019.

Calls issued in subsequent fiscal years will use the corresponding Operations and Maintenance funds for the fiscal year in which the call is issued. An acquisition plan is not required because this procurement does not meet the threshold at Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement 207.103(d)(i)(B).

3. Description of Supplies/Services: This is a services BPA to provide and administer the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) to Captains attending the Captain’s Career Course at six Army locations. The GRE will be administered at testing centers located near the Army Center of Excellence (COE) locations.

Ordering Period: 15 Jun 2019 to 14 Jun 2024 Value: $3,800,000.00 FAR Clause

52.217-8 option: 15 Jun 2024 to 14 Dec 2024 Value: $380,000.00 Total: $4,180,000.00

4. Authority Cited: Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items, 41 U.S.C.

1901 as implemented by FAR Subpart 13.5: Exclusive licensing agreement.

5. Reason for Authority Cited:

a. Background: At the direction of the Secretary of the Army, Army University

(ArmyU) is implementing an initiative to administer the GRE to all students attending the Captains Career Course. This will provide the Army additional information in determining which officers would be most successful during the first year of a graduate level academic program. The GRE is a widely accepted measure of potential success in first- year, American graduate education programs. Access to the GRE and the resulting scores is only available through the copyright owner of the exam, Educational Testing Service (ETS).

b. ETS is the sole provider of the GRE, the world’s most widely used admission test for graduate and professional schools. The GRE is ideal for the military education reasoning, critical thinking, quantitative reasoning and analytical skills of the tested candidate.

Control No: MICC 2019-67 Contractor: Educational Testing Service (ETS)

Program/Equipment: Graduate Record Examination

Version – September 2018 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: A Sources Sought Synopsis was posted to Federal Business Opportunities on April 5, 2019 and zero responses were received by the closing date of April 22, 2019. Competition is not available for this requirement due to Educational Testing Service owning the copyright to all GRE and GRE related materials.

a. Effective Competition: Because this is a sole source action, effective competition is not applicable.

b. Subcontracting Competition: Subcontracting is not available due to the requirement being a sole source action.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: In order to increase competition, a Sources Sought Synopsis was posted to Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) on April 5, 2019 and zero responses were received by the closing date of April 22,2019.

8. Market Research: In accordance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 205.205-71, DFARS 206.302-1(d), and DFARS Procedures, Guidance and Information (PGI) 206.302-1(d), a sources sought was posted Federal Business Opportunities on 5 April 2019 for 17 days. No vendors other than, Educational Testing Service, showed interest or the capability to provide this type of testing. The following databases were searched: FPDS-NG, PPIRS, CPARS, GSA, FedBizOpps, SBA databases, e-Portals in Commerce (e-PIC), and Contract Management Research Tool in ASFI. Search results and websites indicated that ETS is the only registered trademark and provider for this type of evaluation.

9. Interested Sources: Educational Testing Service is the copyright holder for the GRE and the only interested vendor. All notices required by FAR 5.201 have been published and any responses will be considered.

10. Other Facts: This is a new requirement and there is no previous procurement history.