IEEE EFO-2025 FE_Redacted.pdf

Rev.:3/2025

Additional 1,500 document downloads to view other journal articles or conference papers outside of core subscription, including content from IET, MIT Press, IBM, VDE, Nokia, American Geophysical Union, and Oxford University Press, as well as full-text documents from several eBooks collection.

Standards are not included

• IEEE Conference Library Plus (CLP)

• Unlimited Access to any current year IEEE conference paper published in the last two years, along with flexibility to view a limited number of documents outside the current subscription. It provides the latest research in a wide range of tenolgoies including Aerospace and Defense, Artificial Intelligence, Biometrics, Computer Hardward and Software, Cyber Security, Electronics, Interest of Things (IoT), Medical Devices, Nanotechnology, Optics, Power Engineering, Robotics, Semiconductors, Smart Grid, Telecommunications, Wireless Technology.

204 IEEE online-society-sponsored journals, transactions, and magazines.

More than 44,000 documents, many of them available iin HTML as well as original PDF format Backfile to 2017

The total Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) for this requirement is and is inclusive of all Option Periods. This encompasses unlimited access for all NASA Civil Servants (approximately 18,000) and Contractors (excluding JPL). The market research quote is customized to include discounted pricing for all centers rather than a single-site price.The cost estimate is provided below:

Identification of Exception to Fair Opportunity:

FAR 16.507-6(b)(1), The agency need for the supplies or services is so urgent that providing a fair opportunity would result in unacceptable delays.

FAR 16.507-6(b)(2), Only one awardee is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services ordered are unique or highly specialized.

FAR 16.507-6(b)(3), The order must be issued on a sole-source basis in the interest of economy and efficiency because it is a logical follow-on to an order already issued under the contract, provided that all awardees were given a fair opportunity to be considered for the original order.

FAR 16.507-6(b)(4), It is necessary to place an order to satisfy a minimum guarantee.

FAR 16.507-6(b)(5), For orders exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold a statute expressly authorizes or requires that the purchase be made from a specified source.

FAR 16.507-6(b)(6), For DoD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, the order satisfies one of the exceptions permitting the use of other than full and open competition listed in part

6.103 (10 U.S.C. 3406(c)(5)). The public interest exception must not be used unless Congress is notified in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(7).

Supporting Rationale:

Per the Sole Source letter provided by IEEE on September 11, 2025, IEEE Xplore is the exclusive, proprietary platform of the IEEE, and IEEE is the sole source provider of all content that is published on IEEE Xplore, including IEEE ASPP and IEEE Conference Library Plus..

Section 103 of Public Law 106-481 (2 U.S.C. 182c) authorizes FEDLINK to provide services to federal agencies entitled to use federal sources of supply. NSSC Procurement intends to utilize FEDLINK’s Direct Express option to place its order for IEEE services for the period of 12/15/2025 to 12/14/2028 (assuming the exercise of all Option Period 1 and Option Period 2). Under the Direct Express option, agencies are permitted to cite the FEDLINK contract number on the order and send the order directly to the vendor. The FEDLINK IDIQ has already established each vendor as the sole source of its individual products and services. Consequently, the authority at FAR 5.101(b)(1)(iv) permits the subject services to be renewed with FEDLINK without being synopsized.

The NASA Library community requires full-text access to IEEE Society-sponsored journals, transactions and magazines, as well as full-text access to 440,000+ articles and unlimited access to any current year IEEE conference paper published in the last two years. Online access will be for IEEE (ASPP) and IEEE CLP to NASA specified locations through the IEEE Explore Digital Library, http://ieeexplore.ieee.org. NASA requires compliance to IEEE standards for various projects such as engineering, electrical, technology, etc. These standards guarantee that parts used in NASA missions meet performance criteria and are reliable. For example, some of NASA’s Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical (EEE) Instructions outline the quality assurance requirements for selecting, testing, and drafting EEE parts for spaceflight projects. IEEE standards set specifications and best practices based on current scientific and technical knowledge. The NASA Online Directives Information System (NODIS) Library contains numerous NASA Procedural Requirements (NPRs) sourced by

IEEE.

IEEE allows scientists and engineers to access high quality research and development resources that enable innovation and improve productivity. Utilizing the IEEE platform allows engineers to stay aware of the most up to date technology and locate reliable, high-quality materials that can expedite projects. The platform has tools available that allows collaboration among research professionals as well as the option to save key documents related to projects. Costs are reduced by eliminating the need to purchase content individually and potentially performing research on topics that have already been cited. Loss of access to IEEE would adversely impact NASA’s scientists’ and engineers’ ability to stay current with new standards, findings, and trends worldwide.

Determination that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable:

The Contracting Officer will ensure that the resulting contract award cost/price is fair and reasonable by comparing the contractor’s quote to the IGCE, by reviewing historical pricing, and by reviewing the FEDLINK IDIQ pricing. Additionally, NASA will request that any discounts be provided by the vendor. With all of these factors combined, the Government can be assured that it will be receiving fair and reasonable pricing for this requirement.

Other Facts:

The NSSC performed market research of General Services Administration (GSA) and a targeted internet search for the required subscription services. Results indicate IEEE is a single-source vendor and there are no value-added resellers for the IEEE ASPP and IEEE CLP. The vendor provided a letter on September 11, 2025, stating that IEEE has rights to the material contained within the IEEE Electronic Library and is the only vendor with the legal rights to publish and distribute the material worldwide.

A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to the restricted consideration before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services is made:

NASA will continue to examine the market in the future for alternative solutions before executing any subsequent contract actions for the requirement herein. However, due to the specialized nature of this requirement, there are no known actions which the Agency may take to consider other manufacturers for the requirements described herein at this time.