B05 Sole Source Justification 13.5 Bloomberg 1_Redacted.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES

1155 DEFENSE PENTAGON

WASHINGTON, DC 20301

ACQUISITION DIRECTORATE

Control No. 1634-JA

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION UNDER SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES

FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS

UNDER FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR) 13.5

1. AGENCY AND CONTRACTING ACTIVITY: The Contracting Activity is the Department of Defense (DoD), Washington Headquarters Services (WHS), Acquisition Directorate (AD), Enterprise Services and Innovation Division (ESID). The Requiring Agency is the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU).

2. DESCRIPTION OF ACTION: WHS/AD intends to issue a follow-on contract to Bloomberg

Finance, LP for Bloomberg Terminal® Subscriptions Bloomberg Anywhere. The Bloomberg Terminal® is the world’s leading interactive financial information network, seamlessly integrating the very best in real-time data, news, research, and analytics. Bloomberg Terminal provides on-demand multi-media content, extensive electronic-trading capabilities, Microsoft Office® integration and a superior communications system that combines email and instant messaging. Bloomberg Anywhere enables individual subscribers to experience the power of the Bloomberg Terminal anytime, anywhere on any Internet-ready PC or mobile device. To support DIU, the requirement is to purchase a total of 11 Bloomberg Anywhere Subscriptions and 1 Bloomberg Open Terminals. The award will be a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract using O&M for one base and four option years

3. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES: The DIU accelerates commercial innovation for national defense. DIU takes mission-critical problems from the DoD and finds solutions from the private sector, focusing on U.S. innovation ecosystems (i.e. Silicon Valley, Boston/Cambridge, and Austin, Texas). To meet the mission, DIU requires subscription services that provide market/business analysis, financial risk analytical, and extensive real-time financial data in order to incentivize private investors to put money into companies working on technologies vital to national defense. DIU personnel requires simultaneous access required and continuous technical support for access to the subscribed services provided by Bloomberg. The subscription requires the following capabilities:

Real-time macro/micro research & forecasts Flagship summits & executive briefings

Proprietary energy transition publications Integrated policy and financial data (Bloomberg Gov)

Cross-sector tools & models (e.g., EV, fuels, storage)

On-demand analyst access

1155 DEFENSE PENTAGON

cost if competed, the Government will not have obtained their full requirement as the Bloomberg Integrated policy and Energy Transition Publication is proprietary and not available via any other source. Bloomberg Finance, LP is the sole provider of the Bloomberg Terminal and do not have any resellers.

Failure to support this requirement would adversely affect daily operations for DIU. If the Justification is not approved and the services are not provided, DIU visibility into innovation technology companies and relevant market trends as well as understanding of and anticipating emerging trends will be hampered resulting in the inability to meet mission goals.

6. EFFORTS TO OBTAIN COMPETITION: Bloomberg Terminal Subscription is the only unclassified capability of this nature that can meet both DIU’s market/business analysis and financial risk analytical needs at this time. On February 27, 2025, the Government released a “Notice of Intent to Sole Source” on SAM.gov for seven (7) days in accordance with FAR 13.501(a), Sole source acquisitions. The Government received only one response from one vendor, BHPE, which did not provide additional information or oppose the sole source. (BHPE responded via email that they were an “interested vendor”, they were “working on the requested information” and “this is not an auto generated response.” BHPE did not respond further.)

7. FAIR AND REASONABLE COST DETERMINATION: The anticipated price for this order will be fair and reasonable. The techniques identified at FAR 13.106-3(a)(2) will be used to ensure award will be at fair and reasonable prices. Certified Cost and Pricing Data is not required for this action.

8. MARKET RESEARCH: Market research was conducted by the Defense Innovation Unit and the Washington Headquarters Services - Acquisition Directorate’s (WHS/AD). It included a review of vendors in the financial industry. In addition, FPDS-NG was reviewed for contract actions awarded for Bloomberg licenses and revealed 96% of contracts were awarded to Bloomberg Finance, LP on a sole source basis and 4% competed with 1 vendor, Bloomberg responding. On February 27, 2025, WHS/AD issued a "Notice of Intent to Sole Source" on SAM.gov for seven (7) days IAW FAR 13.501(a), Sole source acquisitions. On March 06, 2025, the notice closed. The Government received only one inquiry from one vendor, BHPE, which did not provide additional information or oppose the sole source. As a result, WHS/AD will solicit this requirement as a sole source to Bloomberg Finance, LP because they are the only ones that can provide Bloomberg Terminal Subscription.

9. ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE JUSTIFICAITON: Not applicable.

10. INTERESTED SOURCES: BHPE

1155 DEFENSE PENTAGON

APPROVAL

I, hereby, certify that the supporting data under my cognizance included in this justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

This justification is approved.