2-Newsela SS-27-022.docx

Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind

DESCRIPTION OF INTENDED SINGLE SOURCE PURCHASE (PUR 7776)

Single Source Advertisement Sole Source Verification for: Newsela Advertisement Number: SS-27-022

Advertisement Begin Date/Time: July 8, 2026 – 4:00 PM Advertisement End Date/Time: July 29, 2026 – 4:00 PM

Commodities:

Re: Single Source provider for proprietary software licenses from Newsela

NOTE: THIS IS NOT A COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION OR REQUEST FOR BIDS. IT IS A "NOTICE OF INTENDED DECISION TO ENTER INTO A SINGLE SOURCE CONTRACT" WHICH IS POSTED PURSUANT TO §287.057(3)(c), F.S. §120.57(3), F.S., AND RULE 60A-1.045, F.A.C. BE SURE TO READ THE ENTIRE ADVERTISEMENT BEFORE CONTACTING THE AGENCY WITH BID RELATED QUESTIONS.

Performance and/or Design Requirements:

Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB) is in need of purchasing proprietary software licenses for 3 years from Newsela for the All Access PD Pass, ELA, Science, Social Studies, and Writing products from Newsela for FY 2026-2029.

Estimated Dollar Amount Not-to-Exceed: $47,000.00 Intended source:

Newsela 169 Madison Ave. #2770 New York, NY 10016

Justification for single source acquisition:

Newsela is the sole source provider of their proprietary instructional content platform from this unique group of content partners. Partners include the Associated Press, the Washington Post, National Geographic, Scientific American, the Smithsonian Instruction and other listed on the Newsela website. The unique set of content and instructional resources can only be accessed on the Newsela platform. Newsela’s offering are protected by copyrights, trademarks, and service marks.

No other education SaaS solution provides content from this unique group of content partners, at differentiated reading levels, along with embedded formative assessments and close reading tools, that can be customized to your specific curricular goals. There are no other services or products available that offer the same content, service, and functionality as Newsela. Newsela is the sole source and proprietary owner of Newsela programs and services.

Approved by: Kim Whitwam

Primary Contact: Please submit all questions by e-mail to: Kim Whitwam, Director of Purchasing, whitwamk@fsdk12.org.

This is the statutorily mandated fifteen-business day advertisement of an intended single source procurement. The Agency believes this is a single source procurement; however, vendors that feel they can fulfill this procurement should provide information regarding their ability to supply the commodities or contractual services described within the fifteen-business day advertising period by contacting the listed Primary Contact. A determination by the Agency not to complete this procurement based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Agency. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in §120.57(3), Florida Statutes, or failure to file a bond or other security within the time allowed for filing a bond, shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes. Questions submitted to FSDB shall not constitute formal protest. Prospective vendors are requested to provide information regarding their ability to supply the commodities or contractual services described. If it is determined in writing by the agency, after reviewing any information received from prospective vendors, that the commodities or contractual services are available only from a single source, the agency shall provide notice of its intended decision to enter a single-source purchase contract in the manner specified in §120.57(3), FS.

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