191N6026P0349 - PR16168290 - Updated JOFOC - US Booth Hire at Bengaluru Space Expo.pdf

This is a Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition (J&A) for a sole-source contract award by the U.S. Department of State.

The Department of State's Overseas Post at the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai seeks to acquire booth space at the 9th Bengaluru Space Expo (BSX) 2026, scheduled for September 5-10, 2026, at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC). The requirement is for 100 square meters of raw indoor exhibition booth space in Hall 1, plus mandatory organizer access and basic utilities (passes, floor access, electrical allotment), valued at $20,000 for the entire performance period. The space will serve as the official U.S. Space Industry Pavilion to foster government-to-government and business-to-business commercial engagements and facilitate strategic matchmaking. The acquisition is structured as a firm-fixed-price contract with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the sole event organizer and proprietor of BSX 2026.

The sole-source justification is based on FAR 6.103-1 (only one responsible source), as CII holds exclusive proprietary ownership, administrative licensing rights, and host jurisdiction over all floor space allocations and exhibitor entry permissions within BIEC for this event. Market research conducted in July 2026 confirmed that CII is the sole owner and organizer of BSX 2026 and that booth space can only be contracted directly through CII's event secretariat. No other vendor can offer equivalent access or space at this specific event. The contracting officer determined the $20,000 cost to be fair and reasonable based on CII's pricing applicable to all participants. No other sources expressed written interest in the acquisition.