A16_JOFOC_Under_250K_1.docx

JUSTIFICATION & APPROVAL FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

for SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITIONS OVER $10,000 ($2,000/$2500 for Construction/Services) AND UP TO $250,000 (See FAR 13.106-1)

Date: 03/24/2023 PR Number: 40612746

1. Nature and/or description of the item/service being procured and its intended use (include the anticipated cost):

The National Park Service Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs requires services for legislative research and tracking, and Congressional relations, in order to achieve the following objectives:

· To provide National Park Service congressional affairs staff the ability to monitor key legislation that has direct and indirect impacts on agency authorities and appropriations,

· To provide National Park Service congressional affairs staff with critical tools to track, report, and act on key Congressional actions that may have an impact on agency operations.

· To provide National Park Service access to continually updated information on past and present legislation, hearings, members and staff, to inform agency decision-making.

10 accounts:

Task 1 Account management Task 2 Federal Legislative Services Task 3 Congressional Relations Tools Task 4 Congressional Hearing Monitoring and Transcription Services IGE: [Redacted]

2. Sole Source Justification rationale (Check one and explain below):

X Only one responsible source.

13.106-1(b)(1)(i) For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. (i) Contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available. (See attached proprietary letter)

· Politico Pro has acquired E&E news, which is a critical news source used NPS-wide. As such, Politico Pro’s customized settings allows us to connect news from this critical source with their legislative tracking and research capabilities – something that no other service provides and would allow the office to provide legislative support for related late-breaking policy news items

Last updated 10/24/2022 from E&E.

· Politico Pro lets users search for legislation across both federal and state legislatures dating back ten years through a proprietary database, and no other software offers this functionality.

· Politico Pro utilizes a proprietary algorithm built by the POLITICO technology team, that allows users to “Track Changes” across different bill versions giving users the ability to see exact changes between bill versions in a format that is completely unique to the POLITICO Pro platform.

· Politico Pro has proprietary Legislative Outcomes functionality that was uniquely built in house, subscribers can see the effects that proposed federal legislation, as well as existing federal laws, have had or will have on other existing federal legislation or federal laws.

· Politico Pro has a proprietary, downloadable library of slides that distills complex policy issues and data into concise text and infographics. Our office can readily use this to provide legislative support in immediate fashion to NPS leadership.

· Politico Pro provides transcription services for all committee hearings. They provide transcripts within 2 hours of the hearing, and proofread versions within 5 hours. No other company provides this same-day service.

The Office has been using Politico Pro, but in a limited fashion (4 licenses). NPS has staffed up and now require 10 licenses. Remaining with Politico Pro would reduce the need for additional time for learning a new system, which would hamper our office’s current efforts in supporting NPS with an increased number of hearings, legislative technical assistance requests, and oversight.

2. Market Research. Please explain the results or why one was not performed. State whether any other offers were received or anyone expressed interest:

The office considered other similar providers, including Congressional Quarterly (CQ) and Bloomberg Government. Other services do not provide the services that Politico Pro provides that are proprietary and of critical value to the office’s legislative and congressional affairs function.

There are no found alternative actions by the government that will result in a more cost-effective solution. The government shall continue monitoring the market and evaluating the ongoing requirement for continuation of required restrictions via exclusion.

Price and/or Cost Analysis shall be conducted by the CO prior to award to determine fair and reasonable pricing.

4. If this is a determination for sole source, the contracting officer certifies:

a. Only one source is available, or urgent and compelling circumstances exist.

b. The anticipated price will be determined fair and reasonable using the price analysis techniques described in FAR Part 13.106-3(a).

(Signature) (Date) 03/24/23

Type or Print Name: Leo Marvin Lestino Title: Deputy Assistant Director, Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs

(Signature)

Digitally signed by CASEY WINTERS ) Da(tDe:a2te0)23.03.24 13:33:00 -06'00'

Type or Print Name:

Contracting Officer

JONATHAN

CURRENT

Digitally signed by JONATHAN

CURRENT

Date:

2023.03.28

09:32:19 06'00' )Over $25,000:(if applicable)

(Signature)

(Date)

Warranted Individual 1 Level Above Contracting Officer image3.jpeg image1.png image2.png