Galle MS Collection Sources Sought.pdf

This is a Sources Sought Synopsis published by the United States Air Force (the Government or USAF). There is no solicitation available at this time. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response. The purpose of this sources sought notice is to conduct market research to determine whether there are businesses available capable of providing an alternative product that meets the characteristics below. The Air Force anticipates procuring this product as a FY26 base effort with a projected period of performance of 30 September 2026 – 29 September 2027. This effort will have three – one year option periods: Option year 1 - 30 September 2027 – 29 September 2028, Option year 2 – 30 September 2028 – 29 September 2029, and Option year 3 – 30 September 2029 – 29 September 2030.

Responses to this sources sought notice will assist in a determination of whether it is in the best interest of the Government to proceed with a competition.

FSC: 7630

NAICS: 516210

Size Standard: $47M

Subscription name: Gale In Context: Middle School.

1. Description: The Department of the Air Force (DAF) Library Program requires DoD Libraries requires a database that combines the best of Gale's reference content with age-appropriate videos, newspapers, magazines, primary sources, and much more.

2. Product characteristics or an equal item must meet to be considered:

1. Must provide over 300 topic pages provide content that supports national and state curriculum standards for grades 6 to 8 in English language arts, social studies, and science.

2. Must provide content that is written explicitly for middle school students on a variety of topics, including government, U.S. and world history, geography, literature, science, and social issues.

3. Must be able to accommodate different learning styles and provide feature a variety of nonfiction, informational text, and formats, including books, images, audio, video, newspapers, primary sources, and more to support learning.

4. Must provide authoritative information/content that is provided from proprietary Gale, UXL, and Lucent Books® titles and from leading sources, such as National Geographic, NPR, NASA, AP Video news, and more.

5. Must have a database has a discovery layer, the ability to sort by source types and publication date, subject thesaurus, and viewed in HTML or PDF.

6. Search functionality should be by keyword, Boolean/phrase, options to limit by keyword or phrase, capability to cite, export, and Permalink functionality sustainable URL to return to original article.

7. Must be able to provide customer convenience services that should include online help, search and browse, option to save, print, and email information, and save search histories and results.

Access to information should be seamless, minimal response time between query initiation and query results, and search results within 5-10 seconds.

8. Must be able to interface with all 4 service branch libraries using industry standard authentication methods to ensure only eligible patrons can access resources from any internet connected computer browsers and mobile devices.

9. Must work with contract POC to establish authentication methods to provide optimal accessibility for all eligible patrons.

10. Must be able to interface with all 4 service branch library using industry standard authentication methods to ensure only eligible patrons can access resources from any internet connected computer browsers and mobile devices.

11. Must provide free staff training and complimentary marketing resources.

12. Must work with contract POC to establish authentication methods to provide optimal accessibility for all eligible patrons.

13. DoD Libraries is looking for an established vendor in the library commercial marketplace and not a custom-built product/platform/subscription.

14. Must provide a single sign on login for all registered DoWL users - SSo methodology – SAML attributes are required for authentication

15. Security between the Website and server must be Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.3

16. Must be able to supply or allow retrieval of database usage statistics by Branch of Service (Air

Force, Army, Marine Corps, Military OneSource/Other, and Navy)

17. Must have HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) with long duration deployed on the servers to mitigate/prevent man-in-the-middle attacks

18. Website certificates should be RSA 2048-bits (SHA256withRSA)

19. VCL must be able to provide a trial of resources that is commercial off the shelf product that exists in the library marketplace.

The Government will consider responses received within 10 days of issuance of this notice.

Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct a full and open competitive procurement or a small business set aside competitive procurement. The Government will not pay for any information received in response to this announcement. If the Government competes this requirement, a synopsis shall be issued utilizing the combined synopsis/solicitation procedure identified in FAR 12.603. If this effort becomes a Small Business Set-Aside, FAR 52.219-14, Limitation on Subcontracting, will apply. Therefore, small businesses that want to be considered for a small business set-aside should demonstrate how they intend to comply. A determination not to compete this requirement based upon responses to this notice is an administrative decision by the Government that is solely within its discretion.

Contractors should be aware of the following information:

1. Contractors must include the following information:

a. Points of contact, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers.

b. Identification as a large U.S. business, a small U.S. business, or a foreign business. Please note that size indicated should be based on the NAICS code for this effort listed above.

c. Identification of any other socioeconomic status including: Women-Owned Small Business, Economically Disadvantaged Small Business, 8(a), Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, Veteran Owned Small Business or HUBZone.

d. Company CAGE Code or UEI.

e. Capabilities Statement

2. This requirement is not intended for specific brand name products. Offerors are encouraged to suggest products other than those that may be specifically referenced by brand name. Responses must address how alternate product meet the product characteristics specified above.

3. Submitted information shall be UNCLASSIFIED.

Any information submitted by respondents to this sources sought synopsis is strictly voluntary. The Government will not reimburse the respondents for any costs associated with their response. This synopsis does not constitute a Request for Proposals nor does its issuance restrict the Government as to its ultimate acquisition approach. The Government reserves the right to contact the submitting parties, on an as required basis, for further clarification on material provided.

Respondents should not construe this notice as a commitment by the Air Force for any purpose.

Responses should be emailed to Contracting Specialist: Mary Cobb, Mary.Cobb.7@us.af.mil and Contracting Officer: Gustavo Guadron, Gustavo.Guadron@us.af.mil no later than 17 August 2026, 4:00 PM CDT. Any questions should be directed to both Mary Cobb and Gustavo Guadron through email.