A17_JA_Redacted_Sole_Source_Justification_DAM-Canto_Redacted_1.pdf

United States Department of the Interior

INTERIOR BUSINESS CENTER

Washington, DC 20240

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS

AUTHORITY: FAR 13.501(a), 41 U.S.C. 1901

Solicitation 140D0425Q0637

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a “Sole Source Justification.”

This document is a sole source justification for the Department of the Interior, Interior Business Center, Acquisition Services Directorate, on behalf of the Peace Corps, Office of External Affairs Office of Communication (COMMS).

2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

This is a follow-on requirement for Digital Asset Management (DAM) Solution with Canto, Inc. The contractor shall implement and support online Software as a Service (SaaS) solution.

The specific vendor considered for award is:

Canto, Inc.

UEI LTN7HMYA5M85

Physical Address:

455 Burbury Close Fayetteville, Georgia

3. A description of supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value).

The Peace Corps requires a centralized system for print, digital, and multi-media brand assets essential to coordinate and oversee the materials. Their national and regional recruitment and outreach materials must be consistent, up-to-date and accessible to our multiple users throughout the Peace Corps and to our University Program partners. The system must also house a media library accessible to the public.

This system is the DAM system that currently services the agency website, staff, Volunteers and the public by hosting and providing access to digital assets. This is a follow-on award from the original software award, which was fully competed.

The estimate for an order with a base period of one year, and four one-year option periods is

Base Period: 11/20/2025 through 11/19/2026 Option Period 1: 11/20/2026 through 11/19/2027 Option Period 2: 11/20/2027 through 11/19/2028 Option Period 3: 11/20/2028 through 11/19/2029 Option Period 4: 11/20/2029 through 11/19/2030

4. An identification of the statutory authority permitting sole source acquisition.

This is an acquisition conducted under the authority of the Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items. The statutory authority permitting sole source acquisition is 41 U.S.C 1901 as implemented by FAR 13.501(a)(1)(ii).

5. A demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited.

The contractor provides a DAM platform, and all the services associated with its implementation, execution and maintenance. This centralized DAM serves as a brand repository for multiple stakeholders to access and use in different capacities. At a minimum, Canto, Inc. provides digital asset management services that include templates design, cloud hosting, multi-platform integration, and technical account services required to continue services of a SaaS brand central management Web application. The following requirements are met:

• Software Integration: Meets the Peace Corps’ requirements of integrating with Peace

Corps’ existing systems for hosted solutions.

• Performance and Level of Service: Meets the requirements for users in the field with latency and poor bandwidth conditions.

• Implementation: The system supports up to 750 permission-based end-users, 10 administrative users, and public access. The system supports a minimum of 500 GB of storage and allows end-users to upload assets with limitations on viewership/access. The system also enables digital asset management, complex and customizable metadata options and search capabilities, provides a front-end web portal that is branded and customized and provide template composition via Adobe InDesign. The system permits complex workflows, collaboration and version controls. The system allows end-users to access, share, create, edit, download or upload assets to different degrees via desktop or mobile. The system provides a dashboard and other capabilities to customize reporting.

• Training and Support Services: The contractor provides training for new users and support services for business hours, communicates system and software updates or interruptions.

• Scalability/Options: The system scales for additional users, including international locations, and allows it to adjust to the dynamic needs of the Peace Corps.

• Cloud Information systems – IT security and privacy requirements: the system implements controls to align with the Peace Corps’ security requirements.

The Peace Corps has successfully implemented their DAM system to host the agency’s media library and Brand Central, and relied on Canto, Inc., the contractor providing all related services since 2019. During this time, the software has been deployed, integrated, and used across Peace Corps and externally. It has been customized to meet the specific goals and critical requirements to support the Peace Corps both through the website and Brand Central.

The existing configuration is integrated into the Peace Corps website thereby serving as the platform for digital assets for key users such as the American public, the media and Congress. The software integration also supports and enables key recruitment activities.

Canto, Inc. distinguishes itself by being able to scale to meet our requirements to support both the functionality for the media library and house Brand Central ‘portals’. This contactor allows us to set up complex user permissions which is necessary to help manage the ‘portals’ with granular user controls. Canto, Inc. offers a wide range of customization and highly curated branding options plus collaboration tools. It also offers the ability for internal or public users to upload directly to Canto, Inc.

6. A description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies.

Two Sole Source Notices of Intent were posted to System for Award Management website (SAM.gov) notifying potential offerors of the Government’s intent to award a sole source action to Canto, Inc. The notice invited interested businesses to submit a response that demonstrated their ability to fulfill the requirements. The notice stated that the government would consider information received to determine whether to conduct a competitive procurement. The notices stated that if no affirmative responses were received by 2:00 PM ET, July 31, 2025, and 3:00 PM ET, August 18, 2025, an RFQ would be provided to Canto, Inc. as the only source, and a Purchase Order would be issued without any additional notices being posted. This post did not result in any companies showing interest in providing the required services. In accordance with FAR 13.501(a)(1)(iii), this justification will be publicly made available within 14 days after contract award.

7. A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the

Government will be fair and reasonable.

The Contracting Officer determines the anticipated estimated Purchase Order value of will be determined fair and reasonable using price analysis techniques described at FAR 13.106-3 (2)(ii), comparison to historical prices paid and FAR 13.106-3(2)(vi), comparison to the Independent Government Estimate.

8. A description of the market research conducted (see Part 10) and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

A Request for Information (RFI) posted on March 24, 2025. The COMMS hoped to use information from the RFI to help further shape the statement of work and gauge the marketplace. The RFI included questions and a draft statement of work to help identify areas that may need clarification and also obtain information from the industry related to technological advancements and capabilities.

Peace Corps received 13 responses, including the incumbent, Canto, Inc.

Most of the vendors that responded did not follow the instructions, would not be able to meet Peace Corps requirements, or were IT solution providers and not developers/providers of DAM systems (cloud-based repository) to host rich media assets.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition, such as:

Awarding this follow-on Purchase Order as a sole source to Canto, Inc. avoids substantial duplication costs to the government that is not expected to be recovered through competition. Transitioning to a new vendor would require significant additional time and cost expenditures, including:

• The results of the RFI were somewhat inconclusive since not all potential vendors provided detailed pricing, based on those that did provide pricing, the first-year transition and training costs alone could range from $160,000 to $370,000. That would need to be added to base and option year prices that ranged from $230,000 to over $415,000 per year. In addition, the costs to overlap or ‘bridge’ with Canto, Inc.

(estimated at approximately $50,000 for a one-year bridge) would be required to maintain the existing hosting platform until the transition is completed.

• Data migration and integration to the Peace Corps website would take up to 12 months, and training/full staff implementation would take an additional 6 months.

This time estimate is based on historical migration when introducing Canto, Inc.

originally and staffing reductions from then to now. Peace Corps staff required to implement a transition would not be available due to ongoing Peace Corps downsizing efforts.

10. A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

No responses were received to the two Sole Source Notices of Intent posted to the SAM.gov.