Science_6-8_Digital-JA-FBO_Redacted.pdf

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR

OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

07 Apr 15 1

6-8 Science Digital Curriculum Resources

1. Contracting Agency: Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), 4800 Mark Center Drive, Alexandria, VA 22350-1400

2. Authority Cited: FAR 13.501(a), a sole source acquisition under the authority of the test program for commercial items at 41 U.S.C. 1901.

3. Description of Supplies and/or Services: Expired Contract# HE1254-04-D-0009 was awarded competitively to McGraw-Hill for Science grades 6-8 curriculum materials including access to the web-based student and teacher resources that supported the print materials. The Government requires the purchase of these Science 6-8 digital curriculum resources produced by one manufacturer (McGraw-Hill) and that are not sold by any other reseller. The digital curriculum provides instructional and assessment resources required for grade 6-8 science courses.

4. Description of Action: DoDEA plans to solicit and award a 3-year firm, fixed-price requirements contract using Operation and Maintenance (O&M) funds in order to purchase digital curriculum resources for grades 6-8 science students and teachers.

5. Reason for the Authority Cited: DoDEA currently uses McGraw-Hill print materials as the basis for the science curriculum in grades 6-8. The current DoDEA science standards will be in use for the next four years and McGraw-Hill for Science grades 6-8 curriculum materials align to those standards. The procurement of a new 6-8 science curriculum has been delayed for the following two reasons:

i. Introduction of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for mathematics and English Language Arts have taken precedence.

ii. Therefore, additional time is required for DoDEA to embed CCSS into science courses.

Until the abovementioned issues are resolved, DoDEA intends to use the McGraw-Hill print curriculum that it currently owns. In order to keep this curriculum updated, DoDEA needs to supplement its print curriculum with the proposed digital curriculum. DoDEA must purchase the digital supplemental curriculum from McGraw-Hill, because it is the only one of its kind that aligns with the current McGraw-Hill print curriculum. Without the continuity the digital curriculum will provide, DoDEA will be unable to standardize instruction systemwide.

6. Effort to Obtain Competition: DoDEA plans to competitively award a new contract for this requirement after DoDEA has embedded CCSS into its science courses and funding becomes available. DoDEA anticipates these conditions will occur fiscal year 2017 or fiscal year 2018. In the interim, the subscriptions for the digital curriculum will provide continuity for the 6-8 science curriculum systemwide. The proprietary McGraw-Hill digital curriculum is the only one that aligns with DoDEA’s current print curriculum.

7. Action to Increase Competition: The Education Directorate shall continue to investigate whether other alternatives to the above-mentioned digital material are available to meet its requirements.

If the curriculum requirements for the program change or if other products come on the market

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR

OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

that have all of these features, DoDEA shall ensure that all interested parties shall be given an opportunity to compete.

8. Market Research: DoDEA conducted internet research and found that McGraw-Hill is the only source available for digital subscriptions supporting DoDEA’s current McGraw-Hill 6-8 print curriculum.

9. Interested Sources: To date, no other sources have expressed an interest in this requirement;

however, this requirement shall be synopsized in Federal Business Opportunities for two weeks. If any other source expresses an interest and has the same capabilities as the above-mentioned digital resource, this requirement shall be competed.