Attachment 2 - Justification and Approval.pdf

Reuters Complete

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JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND

OPEN COMPETITION (OTFAOC)

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 6 Justification & Approval (J&A), Supporting Procurements under FAR Part 12, and FAR Part 15

Purchase Request Number:

Contract Number: To be determined (TBD) Task/Delivery Order Number: TBD Procurement Title: Reuters Complete Newswire Estimated Value:

Statutory and Regulatory Authority: 10 U.S.C. 3406(c)(5) and FAR 16.505(a)(4)

Justification for OTFAOC Number:

Upon the basis of the following justification, I, as Procuring Activity Competition Advocate, hereby approve the use of other than full and open competition of the proposed contractual action pursuant to the authority of FAR 6.302-1.

Requiring Agency:

Contracting Activity:

DISA/Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization (DITCO) Contracting Organization (DITCO)/PL63 6914 Cooper Avenue Fort George G. Meade, Maryland 20755

2. NATURE/DESCRIPTION OF ACTION(S): This action is to procure brand name Reuters Complete Newswire as a new contract with a base year and four one-year option periods.

requires access to the over two million news stories posted by Reuters as soon as they are published to provide situational awareness as part of the situation awareness mission. The procurement will be awarded as a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) to Reuters or an authorized reseller. The resultant purchase for the base period will be funded with Fiscal Year 2025 Operation & Maintenance funding will be provided by Military Interdepartmental Purchase Request (MIPR) number .

The applicable North American Industrial Classification code is 516210 - Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers.

Controlled By: DISA Controlled By:

CUI Category: PROCURE Distribution/Dissemination Control: FEDCON

POC:

CUI

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3. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES: Reuters Complete Newswire provides comprehensive, real-time, global news coverage to support media monitoring and intelligence gathering. Reuters reporting is accurate and adheres to strict editorial standards. requires independent, comprehensive and up-to-the-minute real time/live coverage of the world’s main political, diplomatic, social, economic, business, health, science, technology, environment, and culture breaking news and local details. has to ensure comprehensive information is readily available in real time. Reuters has the expansive global coverage with near immediate updates through Reuters Connect. Failure to have access to this real-time news text wire service would put at a disadvantage requiring numerous manhours to scour the web for the same information or to wait until Reuters reporting is reposted through a separate new service.

The period of performance will include a base year and four one-year option periods. The estimated life cycle cost is . Reuters will provide user accounts to all active personnel for internal use within the organization for media monitoring.

4. IDENTIFICATION OF STATUTORY AUTHORITY:

(a) Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) (FAR 6.302-1/DFARS 206.302-1)

5. DEMONSTRATION OF CONTRACTOR’S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS:

The essential feature that is unique to the specific brand Reuters includes access to all Reuters text content in one place. The Reuters Complete Newswire platform provides fast and accurate global news coverage to support twenty-four seven situation awareness and intelligence gathering. Reuters publishes over 2 million unique news stories a year, many of which are only available directly via Reuters.

The news stories will be delivered via the Reuters Connect platform. Reuters Connect allows for to access Reuters content as soon as it is published along with the ability to easily search all of Reuters published reporting. Reuters Connect also provides tailored notifications for tracking new reporting related to specific events.

(a) Description of events.

(1) frequently utilizes Reuters news coverage as part of the situation awareness mission. In November. 2024, Reuters moved to a subscription model to access Reuters news content. The traditional subscription model does not provide the quantity of news content and speed required for to meet the situational awareness mission. then determined the need for Reuters Complete Newswire to ensure comprehensive, real-time coverage, for all Reuters news content.

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(2) In November 2024, Reuters was contacted to obtain market research for pricing and services.

(3) In November 2024, a Request for Information notice was sent via National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Solutions for Enterprise-wide Procurement (SEWP), which resulted in one reseller providing a quote with a 5% resale markup. The reseller will also provide only 50 accounts rather than an unset number of accounts for all personnel. The proposal also does not mention access to Reuters Connect.

(b) Justification.

(1) Minimum Government requirements.

(a) The government requires each member of the watch floor to have access, anytime and anywhere, to all of Reuters news coverage and to have access to the reporting immediately once available.

(2) Proposed brand name sole source contractor.

(a) Reuters.

(3) Discussion regarding cause of the sole source situation.

(a) This is a new requirement. Currently, no other competitor meets all the

Government’s needs. However, the Government will continue to search the marketplace, and alternative solutions will continually be researched to determine if alternative brand name or equivalent solutions exist.

(4) Impact.

(a) would have a gap and lack of intelligence should the resource not be procured. Without Reuters Complete Newswire, there is a risk that the and would be unable to access timely and critical reporting related to national security.

6. CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES ANNOUNCEMENT/POTENTIAL SOURCES:

The Government requested market research quotes in December of 2024 on NASA SEWP V for Reuters Complete Newswire to be delivered via the Reuters Connect platform. In addition, a combined synopsis solicitation for this requirement will be posted to the Government-wide Point of Entry also known as SAM.

7. DETERMINATION OF FAIR AND REASONABLE COST:

The contract will be competitively solicited amongst authorized resellers, and a price analysis will be conducted.

8. MARKET RESEARCH:

Based on current market research, dated December 2024 and January 2025 it has been determined that only Reuters Complete Newswire can fully meet the Government’s need. This

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CUI

requirement is for proprietary reporting, products and/or product support and no competitor functional replacement products exist in the market at this time to meet the Government's need.

The Government will continue to conduct market research to determine if there are changes in the marketplace that would enable future competitive actions; i.e., there are similar products and/or product support in the marketplace that provides the same functionality.

9. ANY OTHER SUPPORTING FACTS:

Other newswires exist, and does also contract with other newswires; however, Reuters is the only newswire delivering specified content at the appropriate speed to meet the situation awareness mission.

10. LISTING OF INTERESTED SOURCES:

11. ACTIONS THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE OR OVERCOME BARRIERS

THAT LED TO THE EXCEPTION TO FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

(a) Procurement History.

(1) None

(b) Only the aforementioned brand-name product and/or product support, Reuters Complete

Newswire, can fully support the Government’s need. No competitor functional replacement products exist in the market at this time to meet the Government's need.

Regardless, the Government will continue to search the marketplace, and alternative software solutions will continually be researched to determine if alternative solutions exist.

If the Government should determine that the previously acquired brand name products are no longer required, the Government will seek a competitive acquisition approach for the required functionality.