1-Part 8 Exceptions Form - Certiport - (posting).pdf

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A CONTRACT WITHOUT ENGAGING IN A STANDARD

PROCUREMENT PROCESS

The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) is publishing this notice in accordance with the Utah Procurement Code and intends to award a contract without engaging in a standard procurement process if it is determined by the procurement official, in writing, that:

1. There is only one source for the procurement item;

2. Transitional costs are a significant consideration in selecting a procurement item and the transitional costs are unreasonable or cost-prohibitive; or

3. The award of a contract is under circumstances, described in rules adopted by the board, that make awarding the contract through a standard procurement process impractical and not in the best interest of USBE.

USBE’s justification for awarding a contract without engaging in standard procurement process is set forth below.

Determination of Other Interested Vendors

The intent of this notice is to determine if there are any other interested and qualified vendors that meet the specifications included in this notice. Any such vendors wishing to challenge the proposed award of a contract must submit to the purchasing agent identified in this notice the following information:

The name of the contesting person; and A detailed explanation of the challenge, including documentation showing that there are other competing sources for the procurement item.

In addition, a vendor should include, as applicable:

Documentation that your firm can provide a comparable or better procurement item that meets or exceeds the specifications;

Documentation that your firm can also provide the same proprietary procurement item or an equivalent procurement item; and If transitional costs are identified as the justification for this notice, a comparison of the transitional costs identified in this notice against your firm’s anticipated transitional costs.

Regardless of any prior communications with USBE, all vendors interested in responding to this notice must submit a response to this posting containing complete responses to all of the information requested above.

ALL CHALLENGES TO THE PROPOSED CONTRACT AWARD MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE UTAH

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PLACE SUPPLIER PORTAL, and any questions regarding this notice, including requests for additional information, must be submitted through the Supplier Portal during the public notice period. THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, INVITATION FOR BIDS, OR REQUEST FOR QUOTES. No action is required if you have no objections to the proposed award.

If, after the public notice period has passed, the procurement official determines that there are other interested and qualified vendors that meet the specifications of this notice, USBE will not award a contract pursuant to this notice;

otherwise, if no valid challenges are received, then USBE may award a contract to the identified vendor without engaging in a standard procurement process.

Please read the entire form very carefully before responding to this notice.

Scope of the Proposed Contract

It is anticipated that this procurement will result in a:

RESULT ACTION

USBE Contract The term of this contract (or extension) will be:

Renewal options:.

USBE may not make the procurement until the solicitation process is completed and a contract is written and signed by the vendor, and USBE.

Purchase Order One-time purchase or year USBE may not make the procurement until the solicitation process is completed, the purchase order is signed by USBE and delivered to the vendor.

Description of procurement item to be purchased:

Estimated value of the contract/purchase order/increase:

Freight Cost (F.O.B.

Destination, Freight Prepaid):

Vendor Name:

Detailed Description of Procurement Item (additional information included in attached Scope of Work):

Justification for Award (select ONE option):

Sole Source - There is only one source for the procurement item. Complete Section A Transitional Costs - Transitional costs are a significant consideration in selecting a procurement item and the results of a cost-benefit analysis demonstrate that transitional costs are unreasonable or cost-prohibitive, and that the award of a contract without engaging in a standard procurement process is in the best interest of the procurement unit.

Complete Section B

Impracticality - The award of a contract is under circumstances, described in rules adopted by the board, that make awarding the contract through a standard procurement process impractical and not in the best interest of USBE.

Complete Section C

Trial use contract for a new or innovative procurement item, or for a procurement item with a novel or unproven use or application.

Complete Section D

Extension of a contract without engaging in a standard procurement process. If extension will result in a request to increase the contract total, complete Section F below as well.

Complete Section E

Request to increase total contract amount. Complete Section F

Certification Vouchers

$500,000

CERTIPORT

Purchase of certification vouchers for CTE program in Utah. It will support an educational program on the use of information technology at Utah high schools. The program shall be made available to high school students, faculty and staff. The program shall provide instruction on skills and competencies essential for the workplace and those requested by employers. This purchase is only for resources and the certification portion of this program. Certiport is the sole source to academic organizations for MSi Management System learning products for Microsoft Office, Adobe Certified Professional and others listed in the documentation.

Certification options include, but not limited to: Microsoft Office Specialist, CertPREP Courseware, Adobe Certified Associate, etc, SECTION A: ONLY ONE SOURCE

. What is unique about this procurement item to justify an award of contract without engaging in a standard procurement process? (Explain in detail why the service or product is only available from a single supplier.)

2. Could the procurement item be reasonably modified to allow for competition? (Explain why or why not.)

3. Detailed description of the market research performed to identify similar or alternate procurement items.

List term(s) and results used in searching the Internet and other research conducted to complete market search.

4. Is the requested procurement item available on an existing state cooperative contract? List search term(s) and results of a state cooperative contract search (https://statecontracts.utah.gov/Home/Search).

5. If there is only one source for the procurement item, list the names of other similar vendors contacted, contact person, and a summary of their response, Certiport, a business of NCS Pearson, Inc., is the sole provider of the exam delivery system for the following industry certification and credential programs:

-Adobe Certified Professional Program -Apple App Development with Swift -Associate and Certified User Certifications; - Autodesk Certified User (ACU) Program; - Certiport Entrepreneurship and Small Business (ESB) program Certiport® IC3 Spark, Certiport IC3 Digital Literacy Certification, Skills for Business (CSB); Information Technology Specialist, Intuit QuickBooks Online Certified User, Intuit QuickBooks Desktop Certified User, Intuit Certified Bookkeeping Professional, Intuit Design for Delight Innovator, Microsoft Certified Educator Program, Microsoft Certified Fundamental, Microsoft Office Specialist Program.

Certiport is also the exclusive distributor of CCI Learning Solutions' e-books and courseware (including JasperactiveTM), GMetrix Practice Tests, LearnKey, Coding in Minecraft and MeasureUp® Practice Tests for all the above programs in North America. In addition, Certiport is the sole source to academic organizations for MSiManagement System learning products for Microsoft Office, Adobe Certified Professional, Entrepreneurship & Small Business (ESB), andIC3DigitalLiteracy.All products listed on the documentation are copyrighted and are the property of their respective owners, including in some instances Certiport.

No, this procurement is for specific purchase of licenses that are owned by Certiport.

USBE staff have researched potential certification options that align with the Microsoft and other technology tools and have identified that Certiport has industry validated Certifications for this program. Microsoft and other technology companies partners with Certiport in the development of the certifications and does not do so in the same way with any other vendor.

Many certifications are available and can be created by anyone. For these types of certification the only validation is industry partnership. Industry validates these certifications and has identified Certiport as the sole provider. The partnership of these industry leading software companies and Certiport provides a validated exam and certification.

This is the best option for our students and their potential employers

SECTION B: SIGNIFICANT TRANSITIONAL COSTS

. Describe the existing equipment, technology, software, accessories, replacement parts, or service, hereafter referred to as equipment; include the original purchase price and date of purchase for the existing equipment.

Method of procuring the existing procurement item:

Solicitation number: Existing contract number:

Original purchase date: Original purchase price: $

2. Attach the cost-benefit analysis, as required by Utah Code Section 63G-6a-802, that demonstrates that transitional costs are unreasonable or cost-prohibitive.

SECTION C: STANDARD PROCUREMENT PROCESS IMPRACTICAL

. Circumstances that make awarding a contract through a standard procurement process impractical and not in the best interest of USBE. Choose ONE that best describes the circumstances:

A contract award to a specific supplier, service provider, or contractor is a condition of a donation or grant that will fund the full cost of the supply, service, or construction item

Public utility services, when only one public utility service is available in an area An item where compatibility is the overriding consideration A used procurement item that presents a unique, specialized, or time-limited buying opportunity Other circumstances determined by the procurement official to make awarding a contract through a standard procurement process impractical and not in the best interest of USBE

2. Review R33- 08- 0 c and provide supporting justification why awarding the contract through a standard procurement process is impractical and not in the best interest of USBE under the circumstances;

including any supporting documentation.

3. Supply the following, if applicable:

Method of procuring the existing procurement item:

Solicitation number: Existing contract number:

Original purchase date: Original purchase price: $

SECTION D: TRIAL USE CONTRACT

. Describe how this trial use contract for the new or novel procurement item will benefit USBE.

2. Describe how the procurement item is new or innovative, or how the procurement item has a proposed use/application that is novel or unproven.

3. Describe why a trial use contract exception is necessary for this procurement item at this time as opposed to conducting a standard procurement process to procure the procurement item.

4. What research have you conducted to ensure the requested procurement item is not available on an existing state cooperative contract?

5. How long does the agency need to test the procurement item and what quantities of the procurement item (if applicable) will be necessary to test this procurement item? Note trial use contracts generally cannot exceed a period of 24 months.

SECTION E: EXTENSION OF CONTRACT WITHOUT ENGAGING IN A STANDARD

PROCUREMENT PROCESS

The procurement official may extend a contract up to 120 days. For extensions beyond 120 days, the procurement official may extend the contract after consulting with legal counsel.

Contract Start Date: Current End Date:

Proposed End Date: Contract Number:

. Has this contract previously been extended?

No Yes, this contract was previously extended for ________ days.

2. Is this request for a contract extension the result of a protest, appeal, or court action? If yes, items 3-5 below do not need to be completed. Provide the solicitation number that resulted in a protest and date of the protest, appeal, or court action.

3. Is USBE currently engaged in a standard procurement process for the procurement item that is the subject of the contract extension request?

Yes No, USBE is letting the contract expire and will not be re-soliciting for a procurement item that is the subject of the contract extension request.

4. Describe why extending this contract without engaging in a standard procurement process is necessary to avoid a lapse in a critical government service, OR to mitigate a circumstance that is likely to have a negative impact on public health, safety, welfare, or property.

5. Justification for Extension (check all that apply):

The standard procurement process is delayed due to an unintentional error.

A change in an industry standard requires one or more significant changes to specifications for the procurement item.

To prevent the loss of federal funds To mitigate the effects of a delay of a state or federal appropriation.

To enable the procurement unit to continue to receive a procurement item during a delay in the implementation of a contract awarded pursuant to a procurement that has already been conducted.

To enable the procurement unit to continue to receive a procurement item during a period of time during which negotiations with a vendor under a new contract for the procurement item are being conducted.

5. For the selection(s) above, provide any additional details regarding the circumstances justifying a contract extension.

SECTION F: REQUEST TO INCREASE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT

Public notice not normally required, UNLESS: If the original solicitation type was an ACWESPP (e.g., sole source) and the additional amount will make the contract total go above $50,000, then a public notice is required to increase the contract total. This public notice is not necessary if the procurement official waives the public notice requirement in accordance with R33- 8-101e.

Contractor Name: Contract Number:

Original Contract Total: Current Contract Total:

Proposed Contract Total: % Increase from Original:

Solicitation Number: Solicitation Type:

Product or Service Description:

. Why is the contract total being increased? Check all that apply.

The term of the contract is being extended (also complete Section E above if extending).

The quantity of products or services needed has increased.

The price, rate, or fee for a product or service has increased.

A new or upgraded product or service is needed.

2. Provide details for the answer that was selected in the previous question that justify an increase in the total contract amount.