JUSTIFICATION_FOR_OTHER_THAN_FULL_AND_OPEN-updated-XPP-_REDACTED.pdf

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL & OPEN COMPETITION

1. IDENTIFICATION OF THE AGENCY AND CONTRACTING AGENCY:

Contracting Activity: Customer Agency

BLS/OA/BAM BLS/OTSP

2 Massachusetts Ave, NE 2 Massachusetts Ave., NE

Washington, DC 20212 Washington, DC 20212

2. NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION BEING APPROVED:

This is a justification to issue a sole source firm-fixed-price Purchase Order to SDL XyEnterprise

LLC for XPP Software support and maintenance. This Order includes a Base Year plus potentially one to four one-year Option Periods. The base Period of Performance is 02/01/2019 – 01/31/2020, with a potential end date of 01/31/2024 if all options are exercised.

3. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE AGENCY’S

NEEDS (Including the Estimated Value):

XML Professional Publisher (XPP) from SDL is a mission critical software for BLS News

Release Publication system that is used to release U.S. Economy data for the Principal Federal

Economic Indicators. The software converts data from a database into PDF Tables for publication. The software is installed on BLS’s Linux platforms. This order will be for one base year and four twelve-month option periods totaling $127,885.00.

4. AN IDENTIFICATION OF THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING

OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

As described in FAR 13.106-1(b), contracting officers may solicit from a single source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available.

For the reasons cited below in Section 5 and Section 6, SDL is uniquely positioned to provide this support to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Additionally, SDL only sells direct so competition amongst resellers is not a possibility.

5. A DEMONSTRATION THAT THE PROPOSED CONTRACTOR’S UNIQUE

QUALIFICATIONS OR THE NATURE OF THE ACQUSITION REQUIRES USE OF

THE AUTHORITY CITED:

XPP (from SDL) is the BLS standard software used in LABSTAT for creating and maintaining highly complex data tables in PDF that meet the requirements from OPUBSS and Program office.

XPP is unique in that it provides fine granular control over PDF documents display, formatting and styles found in other publishing software.

6. A DESCRIPTION OF EFFORTS TO OBTAIN COMPETITION 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 SUBPART 5.2 AND IF NOT, WHICH EXCEPTION

UNDER 5.202 APPLIES:

In accordance with FAR 5.2, the Contract Specialist will post a a combined synopsis/solicitation to FedBizOpps along with the justification to sole source. Efforts will be made each year to determine whether other vendors exist that are capable of providing the support that is needed by BLS.

7. A DETERMINATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THE

ANTICIPATED COST TO THE GOVERNEMENT WILL BE FAIR AND

REASONABLE:

The Contracting Officer will consider prior BLS purchases and the manufacturer’s market pricing to determine price fair and reasonableness. IAW 13.106-3 it is anticipated that the cost will be fair and reasonable based on previous purchases of similar scope.

8. A DESCRIPTION OF MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED (PART 10) AND THE

RESULTS OR A STATEMENT OF THE REASON MARKET RESEARCH WAS NOT

CONDUCTED:

In November 2015 we concluded a study of XPP use for other BLS publications. But due to its complexity and need for non-transferable customization based on different publications criteria— continued need for consulting hours, we looked at other options. Based on staff research, PDF

Reactor was selected for its capability and flexibility that could meet publication requirements so it was put to the test for PDF tables.. When comparing the outputs from PDF Reactor and XPP side to side, PDF Reactor did not meet the established requirements, so we have continued with XPP.

The contract specialist on January of 2019 also conducted additional market research by trying to find vendors that can provide software that converst data from databases into PDF format tables. A

Google Search turned up no vendors that could perform the type of support and maintenance that meet the requirements that we need other than SDL XyEnterprise LLC .

E-mails were exchanged with the manufacturer who provided the contract specialist with a letter citing that they were the sole source provider of the XPP software.

9. ANY OTHER SUPPORTING FACTS SUPPORTING THE USE OF OTHER THAN

FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

XPP is a COTS product and BLS has built templates and configurations to automate the generation of PDF tables in the desired styles and formatting to meet BLS offices publication requirements using this tool. The investment made in the custom formatting is only applicable to XPP, not transferable to another COTS software.

10. A LISTING OF SOURCES, IF ANY, THAT EXPRESSED, IN WRITING, AN

INTEREST IN THE ACQUISITION:

N/A

11. A STATEMENT OF THE ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO

REMOVE OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS TO COMPETITION BEFORE ANY

SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITION FOR THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED:

OPUBSS and Program offices may in the future reduce the need for complex PDF tables or accept lower quality tables where the requirements could potentially be met with other PDF generating software.

12. SIGNATURE BLOCKS:

The program/technical official further certifies that no conflict of interest exists in awarding a sole source contract to the contractor identified herein.

TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION:

I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in the justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signature: _________________________ Date: _______________________

Type Name: Amrit Kohli

Title: Division Chief –Division of Enterprise Websystems

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION:

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signature: _________________________ Date: _______________________

Type Name: Ida Ryan

Title: IT Team Chief

01/11/2019