4.04-Justification for Sole Source-Redacted.pdf

Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104

Describe in detail why only this source can furnish the requirements to the exclusion of other sources. (what specific characteristics of the supplies or services limit the availability to a sole source (e.g., unique features, function of the item, etc.)?)

Rane STRATFOR is a unique geopolitical intelligence platform that provides integrated current awareness and forecasts.

Such information is required for the national security strategy curriculum at the National Defense University.

STRATFOR provides IP-authenticated searchable access to proprietary open-source analysis of global events, focusing on events shaping nations, regions, and the global environment especially relevant to the topics of economics and finance, energy, military issues, politics, national security, and terrorism - all being matters heavily studied at NDU. Rane helps organizations such as NDU proactively identify, manage, and mitigate operational risks, with network insights that ensure business continuity and resiliency.

Unlike other content providers who package and disseminate secondary sources and aggregate content published elsewhere, or who produce web content from the perspective of an organization with political motivations or an issue-based agenda, STRATFOR provides unbiased, non-partisan, original published desk research, using recognized subject matter experts to produce strategic analysis crafted using the tools of intelligence analysis. STRATFOR analysts consume open-source intelligence on issues and events around the world and present their assessments and forecasts in the form of articles, maps, graphics, forecasts, and reports that are keyword searchable, browsable findable, and readable via the STRATFOR online service, which provides enterprise-level unrestricted IP-authenticated access to the NDU Community for both current and archival content. STRATFOR’s open-source analysis of major geopolitical events and issues is considered an essential tool for research and current awareness for the NDU Community, with added value found in the high-quality proprietary multimedia maps and graphics. The current unclassified versions of this material would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to find using another source at the provided level of breadth and variety, and in the email subscriptions made available for NDU users, which provide daily and weekly news and analysis on topics, issues, and regions frequently studied at NDU. Therefore, the content and the quality of the STRATFOR online service product have caused NDU faculty and administrators to consider it to be essential to supporting the curriculum and mission of the National Defense University.

2. What feature or features of this sole source item make it unique to the exclusion of all other items that do similar things?

Rane STRATFOR specializes in strategic forecasting given geopolitical intelligence, militaries around the world, and regional and country studies to provide and facilitate strategic planning, situational awareness, operational intelligence across defense, intelligence, and international development missions.

STRATFOR is for military strategic forecasting given militaries around the world, country and regional studies, and geopolitics, providing strategic planning and operations in the military application. Therefore, STRATFOR is the only source that can provide the required support for NDU as a military service school.

3. What part of your mission requires having this feature or features, and why can’t the mission be performed without this feature or features?

Students, faculty, staff, and contractors, through IP access, require geopolitical intelligence and strategic forecasting for their schools, centers, institutes, and programs. As part of their academic program, students at the National Defense University must complete in-depth studies of the geopolitical forces and events shaping the global environment, and must be prepared to search for, locate, discern, analyze, and report on the trends impacting global security and global affairs. In addition to being a well-established source of open-source geopolitical analysis, STRATFOR is the only known source that provides the breadth and depth of coverage of unclassified analysis products required, including the availability of multimedia maps, graphics, email subscriptions and alerts, and the ability for NDU users to search across current and archived analysis using keyword searches.

The materials provided by STRATFOR are of high interest to the Department of Defense and the National Defense University and the availability of STRATFOR provides the NDU with a trusted and reliable source of robust and high-level open-source geopolitical analysis to meet the minimum needs and requirements of the faculty, staff, and students and of the NDU curriculum.

4. How do we know that only the sole source item has this feature or features and that only there’s only one maker/manufacturer of the item? (Market Research)

Market research was conducted on the internet, trade publications were accessed, and discussions took place with subject matter experts (NDU faculty). All known sources and points of contact within the open-source intelligence analysis publishing market were canvassed for names of firms that are potentially qualified for the required support.

It was determined that no other vendor available can provide National Defense University with the level of non-partisan and objective open-source geopolitical analysis and graphical products required by NDU, as only STRATFOR can fulfill the breadth and depth of searchable and consumable analysis reports and forecasts on the topics key to meeting NDU’s curriculum and mission requirements. STRATFOR is the only online vendor that provides robust geopolitical analysis completed using an open-source intelligence framework and featuring the required breadth of global and regional coverage appropriate for, and prescribed by, the NDU environment.

Market Research conducted by NDU assessed alternate options to STRATFOR:

1) Specializes in "geopolitics platform, analysis of political military, security, economic, social events with international geopolitics relevance." is analytical but does not claim to do strategic forecasting which is required to provide NDU with integrated awareness of global affairs.

2) Specializes in "enterprise SaaS intelligence platform to identify and mitigate cyber, geopolitical and physical risks." is formatted for the Cyber/IT field and would not translate into information that can be readily accessible or suited for NDU.

3) : Specializes in "actionable intelligence on corporate security, risk analysis, and crisis risk management." is for corporate interests and would not integrate into NDU’s current support.

Market Research has revealed that there is no other strategic forecasting service for military and defense industry at this time.

Rane is the owner of STRATFOR Worldview platform and STRATFOR Worldview is a proprietary Sole Source geopolitical intelligence platform and strategic forecasting platform that is only available through Rane. Third party vendors are not allowed to sell access to the platform.

I CERTIFY THAT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED ABOVE IS COMPLETE AND ACCURATE TO THE BEST OF

MY KNOWLEDGE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PROCESSING OF THIS SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

PRECLUDES THE USE OF FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION.

I HEREBY DETERMINE THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CONTRACT ACTION DEEM ONLY ONE

SOURCE REASONABLY AVAILABLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i).