Brand Name Justification-METC Textbooks Redacted.pdf

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION

March 2023 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 1 of 4

NOTE: If a Justification was approved for the preceding acquisition, a copy of the approved Justification for the predecessor action must be included in the staff package for approval of the instant Justification. This applies to Justification staff packages that are submitted for review and approval at a level above the contracting officer. The predecessor Justification will be used as a reference document by the approving official.

Is this a new or amended J&A Document? New Amended ( Prior to Award Only! )

Is this a Bridge Action as defined in the AF Bridge Action Reduction Plan? Yes No

Funding level for this acquisition:

Contracting Activity:

United States Air Force, Air Education and Training Command, 502d Contracting Squadron (CONS)/ JBKBB, 395 B. Street West, Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA)-Randolph, TX 78150

Purchase Request / Local ID Number:

Program / Project (and PE, if applicable): Medical Education Training Campus(METC) Pearson Emergency Care Textbook & Workbook Package (14th Edition)

Program Type (PEO or Other Contracting): Other Contracting

Authority: AFFARS 5313.501 - 10 U.S.C. 3572, Implementation of Simplified Acquisition Procedures (41 U.S.C. 1901)

AFFARS 5313.501 - 10 U.S.C. 3403, Special Emergency Procurement Authority (41 U.S.C. 1903)

Estimated Contract Cost (including options): Justification Type: Class Individual

COORDINATION ( AFFARS 5306.304(a))

Date

9 May 2025

Project Lead / Program Mgr / Requiring Activity Ryan Hoff METC Logistics / 210-808-3334

Signature

Date

12 May 2025

Contracting Officer Gary Beck

JBKBB / 210-652-8548

Signature

APPROVAL (AFFARS 5306.304(a) )

Date

12 May 2025

Flight Chief Audra Navatnak

JBKBB / 210-652-8809

Signature

HOFF.RYAN.JOSEPH.12

56914014

Digitally signed by

HOFF.RYAN.JOSEPH.1256914014

Date: 2025.05.09 06:19:39 -05'00'

BECK.GARY.D.11281356

Digitally signed by

BECK.GARY.D.1128135681

Date: 2025.05.12 06:38:17 -05'00'

NOVATNAK.AUDRA.L.1

097781083

Digitally signed by

NOVATNAK.AUDRA.L.1097781083

Date: 2025.05.12 15:13:56 -05'00'

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

March 2023 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 2 of 4

I. Contracting Activity.

United States Air Force, Air Education and Training Command, 502d Contracting Squadron (CONS)/ JBKBB, 395 B. Street West, Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA)-Randolph, TX 78150

II. Nature and/or description of the action being processed.

The Medical Education and Training Campus (METC) at Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA)/Fort Sam Houston, Texas has a requirement in support of the Air Force Aerospace Medical Service Apprentice (AMSA) course to provide a textbook, and access to on line learning content for FY 2025 training. Each student in the AMSA course will require a textbook and on-line learning access in FY 2025. METC requires a total of 1500 textbook packages which includes the Emergency Care Textbook + MyLab BRADY (on-line access) + EMT Review Plus Application 14th Edition authored by Daniel Limmer & Michael F. O'Keefe. The ISBN for this requirement is:

9780136994015. This requirement will be awarded as a new firm fixed price purchase order. Delivery is NLT 5 June 2025.

III. Description of supplies/services required to meet agency needs.

The Medical Education and Training Campus (METC) at Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA)/Fort Sam Houston, Texas has a requirement in support of the Air Force Aerospace Medical Service Apprentice (AMSA) course to provide a textbook, and access to online learning content for FY 2025 training. Each student in the AMSA course will require a textbook and online learning access in FY 2025. Funding for this requirement will be appropriated from METC's main account number: 0130. The customer requires a total of 1500 textbook packages which includes:

• Title: Emergency Care Textbook

• Edition: 14th

• Publisher: Pearson Education Brady Publishing*

• Authors: Daniel Limmer & Michael F. O'Keefe

• ISBN: 9780136994015

• Package Contents

• Emergency Care Textbook (14th Edition)

• MyLab BRADY Online Access

• EMT Review Plus App Online Access

*Pearson is the sole publisher of these textbooks.

IV. Statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

AFFARS 5313.501 - 10 U.S.C. 3572, Implementation of Simplified Acquisition Procedures (41 U.S.C. 1901)

V. Demonstration that the contractor's unique qualifications or nature of the acquisition requires the use of the authority cited above (applicability of authority).

The Emergency Care Textbook Workbook, 14th Edition, Limmer and O'Keefe is the gold standard in training programs by

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

March 2023 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 3 of 4 offering exceptional content and instructional resources which meet the diverse needs of today's educators and students.

Application to Real-World EMS through evolving patient case studies in each chapter, the 14th Edition gives students real-world context to apply the knowledge gained in the chapter, clarifying how the information is used to care for patients in the field, and pushing students to engage in critical thinking and discussion. The Emergency Care Review Plus App, 14th Edition will provide the student with additional NREMT review material along with educational videos of EMTs in a field environment. This application also allows for the student to pursue additional study time outside of the classroom.

VI. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable.

Market research revealed three (3) potential vendors that could meet this requirement. One (1) large business (Pearson Education Inc-the publisher) and two (2) small business resellers (DURA BRANDS, INC. and Therapeutic Response Inc).

The Governments original intent was to award a sole source procurement to Pearson Education Inc., based on historical procurements, however; since there are two or more small business vendors (now identified) that can potentially provide the requested books, an UNRESTRICTED procurement should be considered to allow all vendors (both large and small) a fair opportunity to compete on this requirement.

VII. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

In addition, market research was conducted i.e. UNICOR, AbilityOne, and GSA, which confirmed the textbook package was also available through one GSA SB vendor i.e. Therapeutic Response Inc (UEI: J1CUL1J26F63) for a GSA price of

(Note: GSA being our historical source for textbook procurements). Analyses of this small business pricing revealed that if awarded to Inc the Government would incur a

Awarding to Therapeutic Response Inc would incur an additional cost to the government of for the entire order. To ensure fiscal responsibility, a Notice of Intent (NOI) to award the contract to Pearson Education Inc. (Sole Source) was posted on March 11, 2025 for contract FA301625P0114. Data was used from this contract as it is recent and relevant. This NOI sought to identify any additional vendors capable of providing the required materials. On March 18, 2025, Dura Brands Inc.,(UEI LA92ZDYWZMV3), a small business authorized reseller to distribute Pearson Publications, responded to the NOI with an interest notification. Note: The rationale for NOT setting this aside for small business is that the potential textbook package costs may exceed available funding--since any small business vendors may increase their unit cost per package to cover their overhead and processing fees. This would NOT be in the best interest of the government and the Contracting Officer is confident that the anticipated cost will be fair and reasonable on the basis of market research and comparison of proposed price with prices found reasonable on previous purchases IAW FAR 13.106-3(a)(2)(i) and (ii).

VIII. Description of the market research conducted and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted.

Market research and historical contracts for the same or similar textbooks contracts supports the final decision that this contract be issued as a UNRESTRICTED Firm Fixed Priced (FFP), Purchase Order. This approach will foster competition between both large and small businesses, ensuring the government receives the best possible value. The Contracting Officer is confident that this strategy will generate at least two competitive quotes.

IX. Any other facts supporting the use of Other Than Full and Open Competition.

This requirement will be a brand name requirement for these Emergency Care Textbook packages because the customers curriculum needs to have evidenced based references at least 5 years or newer. Other brands do not support this requirement for evidence based material.

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

March 2023 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 4 of 4

X. List of any sources that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

Initially a Notice of Intent (NOI) to award the contract to Pearson Education Inc. (Sole Source) was posted on March 11, 2025 for for previous purchase FA301625P0114. This information was used for the current requirement due to recency and relevancy of the requirements. The NOI sought to identify any additional vendors capable of providing the required materials. On March 18, 2025, Dura Brands Inc.,(UEI LA92ZDYWZMV3), a small business authorized reseller to distribute Pearson Publications, responded to the NOI with an interest notification.

XI. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required.

502 CONS will continue to conduct market research and converse with the customer regarding other branded curriculum that can fulfill the customers mission in training students in Emergency Care.

XII. Certification by the Contracting Officer.

As evidenced by my signature above, I have determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

XIII. Certification by the technical/requirements personnel.

As evidenced by my (our) signature(s) above, I (we) certify that any supporting data contained herein, which is my (our) responsibility, is both accurate and complete.