JA_Consumer_Reports_Redacted_Redacted_Final.pdf

Single Source Justification (Simplified Acquisition)

SOURCE SELECTION SENSITIVE

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Due to circumstances described herein, the activity requests authority to purchase electronic access to Consumer Reports from EBSCO using Other Than Full and Open Competition as prescribed by FAR 13.106-1(b)(soliciting from a single source), and 13.501(a)(Sole source acquisitions). This individual action will result in the award of a new Firm Fixed Price Contract. This sole source requirement will be acquired from the following organization:

EBSCO Industries, Inc., The mission of DoD MWR Libraries is outlined in DoDI 1015.10 stating DoD Libraries will provide information resources and services required to accomplish the mission. The libraries support military personnel assigned to contingency operations, remote sites, and military missions IAW DoDI 1015.10, Military Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Programs.

The program provides professional military and voluntary education programs materials and services. Libraries also provide facilities, resources, and services to enhance the quality of life, regeneration, and resiliency for authorized customers. The DoD Library Consortium exists to create partnerships among the libraries within the various services of the DoD. They cooperatively acquire materials that are made available to military and civilian employees across the DoD. These resources relate to various overarching goals of the DoD such as recreation, physical wellness, emotional resiliency, and educational pursuits.

To meet these needs, the DoD libraries must procure resources that can be accessed globally, including in areas with low or no internet access, and provide the below stated requirements. These resources need to include access to quality of life resources. The Consumer Reports database is a vital leisure tool for DoD personnel. EBSCO is important to service personnel and library staff for having the ability to provide instantly accessible digital information in multiple platforms that can be streamed or downloading with no waiting. This subscription must be firm-fixed pricing so there is no increase when new titles are accessed. It should also not limit the number of titles or electronic checkouts per title.

This database collection provides information that supports education and enhances quality of life for DoD personnel.

The DoD Libraries also require a resource that provides research for personnel development that meet the quality of life, regeneration, and resiliency as stipulated by DoDI 1015.10. To meet those needs, the DoD Libraries require a resource that provides quality of life information.

Information should be updated at least weekly, providing reliable data, unbiased information, and more than 9,000 ratings, reviews, product comparisons and video clips. Contents should have buying advice, product reviews, product ratings, product recommendations, money-saving advice and tips, and product videos. Database subjects should cover appliances, automobiles, babies and kids, electronics, food, health information, and money/personal finance. The database needs to have Keyword search, product search, A-Z product list, and the ability to limit by major category.

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. Customer convenience services should include online help, option to save, print, email, save search histories and results, and one-on-one trusted advice straight from a consumer research specialist. Access to information should be seamless, minimal response time between query initiation and query results, and search results within 5-10 seconds. EBSCO is the only known source capable of providing the item described above for the Department of Defense to accomplish the libraries' mission.

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The Consumer Reports database meets both the AF and DoD base library mission requirements. Consumer Reports accomplishes mission requirements based upon its proven, traceable and known capability to provide timely, unvarnished product and service industry reviews. Reviews are authoritative, measured, and vetted by official government and industry approving governing bodies, for example, the Underwriters Laboratories (UL), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to list only a few.

Base offices frequently reference Consumer Reports for its accurate, unbiased research as part of the overarching procurement strategy. Return on Investment (ROI) Consumer Reports provides in terms of product reviews, known recalls, and product safety are immeasurable. No other known resource provides the sweeping breadth and depth or product and service scalability Consumer Reports is available at a comparable or competitive cost. EBSCO is the only known source capable of providing the item described above for the Department of Defense to accomplish the libraries' mission. Moreover, EBSCO is the exclusive provider of Consumer Reports so this database content cannot be obtained anywhere else. This is a "must order direct" company. Consumer Reports from EBSCO is a unique resource / database for the DoD Library Program. It supplies access to product ratings and reviews and in-depth advice, tips, and trends written by research experts for consumers that allows the DoD Libraries to complete their program mission as outlined in DoDI 1015.10, Section B. Without this acquisition, the DoD mission would be compromised as there is no other available resource on the market able to achieve the mission of the libraries.

In accordance with FAR Part 10, market research was conducted by synopsis of the proposed acquisition, advising industry of the pending acquisition and soliciting inquiries from interested parties. Moreover, the AFSVA/SVPL surveyed the market in order to determine if competition was obtainable. The library reviewed advertisements, new publications, and available conferences to ensure the course of action for a sole source acquisition was the most appropriate moving forward. Library staff reviewed relevant professional journals and publications to acquire information on the capabilities of the resources on the market. The products of other service providers were also compared and reviewed at library technology conferences. The libraries are in contact with other agency librarians to confirm the competitive environment for this supply, and seek out additional solutions for this requirement. Market research confirms that EBSCO Consumer Reports is the only known source that can satisfy the Government's requirements and is intended to to support the DoD Library Consortium Program quality of life efforts.

An intent to award on a sole source basis notice was posted on Federal Business Opportunity Net and no qualified responses that could meet the requirement were received. The proposed sole source is the only known source able to satisfy the Government's requirements.

AFSVC/SVPL will keep an open dialog with the users/patrons and evaluate statistics to determine the necessity to use this resource to supplement its collection of research databases. AFSVC/SVPL will continue to survey the market for vendors to obtain competition in databases. The library uses publishers' advertisements, professional conferences, vendor demonstrations, customer suggestions and new publication reviews in conducting its surveys.

AFSVC/SVPL will attempt to obtain competition whenever possible by use of professional journals and trade exhibits. The AFSVC/SVPL personnel will continue to keep up-to-date and review new research databases to determine if another source will meet the needs of the students, faculty, and staff. We will also keep an open dialog with our patrons and usage statistics to determine the necessity for future purposes.

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