Justification Review Document Summary

This is a Justification and Approval document for Other Than Full and Open Competition for a federal contract. The U.S. Army Contracting Command – New Jersey (ACC-NJ) seeks to procure the CAS SciFinder Discovery Platform, an online database of chemical and bibliographic information, from the sole authorized provider under 41 U.S.C. 1901(e)(2) authority. The estimated total contract value is $451,530, covering a base period from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, with four one-year options extending through September 30, 2031.

The justification establishes that CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society located in Columbus, Ohio, is the sole organization worldwide authorized and capable of producing the CAS SciFinder Discovery Platform, as it holds exclusive proprietary rights to the product. The platform is recognized as the premier search engine software for scientific discovery, providing comprehensive technical information from CAS-owned publications, worldwide patents, and scientific literature that no competing search engine matches in depth and breadth. The requirement supports the mission of DEVCOM Armament Center using Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) funds. The Government conducted market research prior to this procurement and will continue annual market research to monitor for competitive alternatives. The contract will include RFO FAR clause 52.244-5 requiring the contractor to pursue subcontracting competition to the maximum practicable extent. A sources sought notice was posted on SAM.gov for three days on July 21, 2026, which confirmed no other viable sources exist.