Intent to Award Sole Source Direct Mail Management.doc

Notice of Intent to Sole Source It is the intent of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to enter into a sole source, firm fixed price order with Direct Mail Management, Inc., 5540 Ketch Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678, the purchase of one refurbished Polar 92E Paper Cutter.

The proposed contract action will be conducted in accordance with FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures. The NAICS code is 333243, Sawmill, Woodworking, Paper Machinery Manufacturing. The anticipated award date is September 15, 2020. The proposed contract action is for a product for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i).

Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit proposals no later than 12:00 p.m. eastern time on August 28, 2020. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, all proposals received after the date of publication of this synopsis and prior to 12:00 p.m. eastern time on August 28, 2020 will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. The Government will not be responsible for any costs incurred in responding to this notice. Direct any questions regarding this announcement in writing to Ms. Cynthia Jones no later than 12:00 p.m. eastern time on August 19, 2020.

Points of Contact:

Cynthia Jones, Contract Specialist, cynthia.jones@nara.gov Santo E. Plater, Contracting Officer, santo.plater@nara.gov Attachment 1 – Sole Source Justification for Commercial Items

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) – Simplified Acquisitions Procedures

National Archives and Records Administration

Office of the Chief Acquisition Officer

8601 Adelphi Road

College Park, MD 20740-6001

DirectMail.com 92E Refurbished Industrial Paper Cutter

Technical Requirements Certification:

I hereby certify that this sole source justification for commercial items is made in good faith, that the supporting data and information are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief, and that I would not be making this request if it were feasible to fully compete this requirement. I further certify this request is not the result of lack of advanced planning or a desire to expend funds while those funds are still available.

I. IDENTIFICATION OF THE AGENCY AND THE CONTRACTING ACTIVITY, AND SPECIFIC IDENTIFICATION OF THE DOCUMENT AS A “SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS.”

See page 1.

II. NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION BEING APPROVED

NARA seeks to award a sole source purchase order to DirectMail.com for the purchase of a Polar model 92E used/refurbished industrial paper cutter.

III.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE AGENCY’S NEEDS (INCLUDING THE ESTIMATED VALUE)

The National Archives and Records Administration requires a reliable industrial paper cutter to efficiently, quickly and safely cut large quantities of conservation supplies to desired sizes. The equipment is also required – as it was this past year – to prep large volumes of records for high priority digitization projects like the VA Blue Water Project. The current cutter was in operation 5 days a week for more than 8 hours per day for over 5 months. This cutter was purchased in the 1990s for installation when AII was constructed. The manufacturer (Challenge) has deemed this cutter past its desirable life span. Challenge no longer supports this model or makes replacement parts for this cutter. Recent repairs and service to this cutter have been costly and were not guaranteed. The cutter is leaking hydraulic fluid in multiple places which poses a safety hazard to cutter operators. A new industrial paper cutter would cost NARA approximately $50,000. The replacement industrial paper cutter needs a 36” long gear box driven knife and should be completely programmable. The cutter should have hydraulic clamping, air on the main and side tables and safety eye beams. All parts should be in good working order and the cutter should be supported by the manufacturer for a minimum of 5 years. Replacement parts should be readily available on the market.

DirectMail.com owns and is selling a used/refurbished Polar model 9E2 cutter

(serial #7011332, year 2000). Purchasing a used/refurbished cutter in good working order will save NARA the cost of continued repairs to the existing cutter that is past its life span and no longer safe to operate. The used and available cutter at DirectMail.com was recently refurbished and has not been used extensively for at least one year. It is in good working order and located only 50 miles from AII. Local transport and set up of the cutter is readily available. It is estimated NARA could keep the Polar Model 92E running for at least 10 years.

The estimated cost of this requirement is $ .

III. AN IDENTIFICATION OF THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION.

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act, Public Law 103-355 in conjunction with the Competition in Contracting Act, 41 U.S.C § 3304(a)(1) as implemented by FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i), which states “ Contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name or industrial mobilization).”

V.

A DEMONSTRATION THAT THE PROPOSED CONTRACTOR’S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS OR THE NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION REQUIRES USE OF THE AUTHORITY CITED.

DirectMail.com owns and is selling a used/refurbished Polar model 9E2 cutter

(serial #7011332, year 2000). The used and available cutter at DirectMail.com was recently refurbished and has not been used extensively for at least one year. It is in good working order and located only 50 miles from AII. Local transport and set up of the cutter is readily available. It is estimated NARA could keep the Polar Model 92E running for at least 10 years.

VI.

A DESCRIPTION OF EFFORTS MADE TO ENSURE THAT OFFERS ARE SOLICITED FROM AS MANY POTENTIAL SOURCES AS IS PRACTICABLE, INCLUDING WHETHER A NOTICE WAS OR WILL BE PUBLICIZED AS REQUIRED BY SUBPART 5.2 AND, IF NOT, WHICH EXCEPTION UNDER 5.202 APPLIES.

Market research was conducted via internet searches for used/refurbished cutters and phone calls to equipment vendors [Prism (Colter&Peterson), Polar] were made to determine if other companies had a new or used machine for purchase. Options were limited and more expensive ($24,000-$60,000) than the cutter available through DirectMail. Used/refurbished equipment in good working order is not always readily available and/or available locally. Given the size and weight of this equipment, shipping costs can also be expensive.

A Notice of Intent to Sole Source will be posted on FBO for 15 days.

VII.

A DETERMINATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THE ANTICIPATED COST TO THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE FAIR AND REASONABLE.

The Contracting Officer determines that the anticipated price will be fair and reasonable.

Polar paper cutters are manufactured by Polar-Mohr and sold via Heidelberg worldwide. The Polar cutter is a superior brand machine and the value of a refurbished cutter for the asking price is solid based on market research.

VIII.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED (SEE PART 10) AND THE RESULTS OR A STATEMENT OF THE REASON MARKET RESEARCH WAS NOT CONDUCTED.

Market research was conducted via internet searches for used/refurbished cutters and phone calls to equipment vendors [Prism (Colter&Peterson), Polar] were made to determine if other companies had a new or used machine for purchase. Options were limited and more expensive ($24,000-$60,000) than the cutter available through DirectMail. Used/refurbished equipment in good working order is not always readily available and/or available locally. Given the size and weight of this equipment, shipping costs can also be expensive.

IX.

ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION.

N/A

X.

A LISTING OF THE SOURCES, IF ANY, THAT EXPRESSED, IN WRITING, AN INTEREST IN THE ACQUISITION N/A

XI.

A STATEMENT OF THE ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS TO COMPETITION BEFORE ANY SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITION FOR THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED

Industrial paper cutters are complex pieces of equipment requiring knowledgeable and regular service to ensure the safety of NARA staff operators. The cutters are also very expensive to acquire brand new. Used/refurbished equipment in good working order is not always readily available and/or available locally. Given the size and weight of this equipment, shipping costs can also be expensive.

NARA will continue to monitor the market to determine if other products become available that can fulfill our requirements.

XII.

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION THAT THE JUSTIFICATION IS ACCURATE AND COMPLETE TO THE BEST OF THE CONTRACTING OFFICER’S KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF

See Page 1.