BETA SAM - Brand Name Justification FY21.pdf

BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION

1. Contracting Activity The Ordering Activity is USDA/ARS/AFM/APD/ Contracting Operations Branch (COB). Located at 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Beltsville, MD, 20705

2. Nature/Description of Action The USDA, AFM, APD, Acquisition Branch intends to award a sole source contract with the American Association for the Advancement of Science for USDA-wide perpetual access to their publications: Science (1997 – Current Issue), Science Classic (1980 – 1996), Science Translational Medicine and Science Immunology.

3. Description of Services The National Agricultural Library (NAL) has a requirement for continuous perpetual electronic access via the Internet to electronic products published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) including Science (1997 – Current Issue), Science Classic (1980

– 1996), Science Translational Medicine and Science Immunology.

The requirement will be used by USDA employees and contractors, volunteers and cooperators performing work on behalf of USDA at locations worldwide, and onsite visitors of the National Agricultural Library. All of these are considered as authorized premises and users of the journals. The publisher, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), will make content available for delivery via the Internet. The publisher shall make AAAS electronic products content accessible 24 hours per day. Authorized users will be granted access to AAAS journal content through the IP recognition authentication process without any impediments, with rights to use content during the term of subscription, and post-cancellation perpetual access to subscribed content.

4. Statutory Authority The rationale is conducted under the authority of FAR part 13.106-1 - Soliciting Competition.

5. Justification Rationale The contents are unique and not available from any other publisher. The publisher holds the copyright to the contents. This journal is published for scientists, in order to meet the needs of scientists who generate research, offer educational services to educators and student researchers, and provide highly respected outlets for publication. No other source, such as electronic resource providers (aggregators) may deliver contents without a direct license from the publisher. The above publisher is the only source determined capable of supplying NAL’s requirements for electronic access via the Internet for all USDA users to Science (1997 – Current Issue), Science Classic (1980 – 1996), Science Translational Medicine and Science Immunology.

6. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost A fair and reasonable cost will be determined based on published catalog prices, previous purchases of similar items and negotiation of price awarded. Because of pricing changes at AAAS, including a new multi-title discount, the price quoted for 2020 reflects a 3% increase over 2019 pricing for the same content. This is below the industry standard for subscription price increases for scientific journals as determined by Library Journal’s Periodicals Price Survey 20201 and EBSCO’s 2020 Serials Price Projection Report2. Both of these resources are updated annually.

7. Market Survey The American Association for the Advancement of Science’s website provided no other product vendors licensed to provide access to AAAS publications.

8. Additional Support There is no additional support to add at this time.

9. Actions Taken to Remove Barriers to Competition There are currently no actions that the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to the restricted consideration before any subsequent acquisition for services is made.

1 https://www.libraryjournal.com/?detailStory=Costs-Outstrip-Library-Budgets-Periodicals-Price-Survey-2020#:~:text=The%202020%2 0average%20cost%20was,are%20not%20in%20the%20mix.

2 https://www.ebscohost.com/promoMaterials/2020_EBSCO_Serials_Price_Projections.pdf?_ga=2.164285183.1521600147.1592328183- 1425873224.1592328183

10. Certifications Requirements/Program Office:

I hereby certify that the information provided above is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Vicky Crone, Technical Representative Licensing and Procurement Librarian

Date

Team Lead Review

Marcos Ocadiz, ARS/AFM/APD/COB Date

CO Certification:

I hereby determine that the circumstances of this procurement action deem only one source reasonably available. Also, the quoted price is determined to be fair and reasonable as documented on the SAP e-File Checklist and Award Summary. I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Date