4.03 Redacted Justification for Sole Source.pdf

This is a Justification for Sole Source document for simplified procedures under the micropurchase threshold ($1 to $5,000), issued by the United States Naval Academy and processed by NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center, Norfolk.

The procurement involves one-year continuing resource hosting fees for eight primary source databases from Cengage Learning/Gale, effective September 26, 2026 through September 25, 2027. The specific databases are: Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints, Gale Literature Resource Center, Nineteenth Century U.S. Newspapers Hosting Fee, Punch Historical Archive (1841-1992), Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Burney Newspapers Collection, The Times Literary Supplement Historical Archive (1902-2014), Times Digital Archive (1785-1985), and U.S. Declassified Documents. The justification for sole sourcing is based on three factors: compatibility requirements with existing Nimitz Library systems (Ex Libris Alma and Primo platforms), patent and proprietary data restrictions limiting competition exclusively to Cengage Learning as the sole copyright holder, and the characterization of these subscriptions as direct replacement parts for previously licensed content with no suitable alternatives. The contracting officer has determined that circumstances justifying only one source are reasonably available and applicable to this contract action.