JA Project Blue - Sole Source SP800026Q0002 - Final_Redacted.pdf

CUI

SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION, SEE FAR 2.101 AND FAR 3.104

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

CONTRACTING SERVICES OFFICE - COLUMBUS DIVISION 3

3990 EAST BROAD STREET

COLUMBUS, OHIO 43218-3990

Sole Source Justification

SP8000-26-Q-0002

Project Blue Market Service Reports

Includes the following reports: Aluminium, Antimony, Boron, Chromium, Gallium, Germanium, Indium, Magnesium, Molybdenum, Niobium, Rhenium, Scandium, Silicon, Tantalum, Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, and Vanadium

1) Identification of the agency and contracting activity:

Requiring Activity: Defense Logistics Agency, (DLA) Strategic Materials, 8725 John J Kingman Road, Ft Belvoir, VA 22060, Point of Contact:

Contracting Activity: DLA Contracting Services Office – Columbus Division # 3, 3990 East Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43218, Point of Contact: , Contracting Officer.

2) Nature and/or description of the action being approved:

This is a sole source approval for an acquisition resulting in a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) award for the Project Blue Market Service Reports product, which includes the following data for the following materials: Aluminium, Antimony, Boron, Chromium, Gallium, Germanium, Indium, Magnesium, Molybdenum, Niobium, Rhenium, Scandium, Silicon, Tantalum, Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, and Vanadium. DLA Strategic Materials proposes to procure the products mentioned above by other than full and open competition. The nature of this contractual action will be a new sole source, one-year firm-fixed price contract.

3) Description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value):

DLA Strategic Materials (SM) intends to issue a sole source, fixed price one-time purchase contract to obtain the listed Project Blue Market Service Reports over a one-year period from The Project Blue Group Limited (CAGE: U1WZ4). The Project Blue Group Limited products, reports, and datasets listed in this package have varying applications to the Department of Defense (DoD), and essential civilian sector of the U.S economy. The market service reports will provide granular datasets to model material shortfall estimates in support of the National Defense Stockpile (NDS) program and its congressionally mandated biennial stockpiling requirements report. The requested 18 Project Blue Market Service Reports have an estimated value of

Controlled by: DCSO-C3 CUI Category: General Procurement and Acquisition / Source Selection Information see FAR 2.101 & 3.104 Applicable Distribution: DLA/Strategic Materials/DCSO

Contracting Officer

SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION, SEE FAR 2.101 AND 3.104

4) Identification of statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition:

The statutory authority for this non-competitive action is 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), “Only one responsible source and no other Supplies or Services will satisfy agency requirements”, as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106-1(b)(1).

5) Demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited:

The Project Blue Group Limited is the only source who can provide access for the required market service reports. The data supplied by Project Blue is uniquely developed by Project Blue through direct industry contacts via certified price discovery methods, analyst research, and proprietary modeling techniques. Project Blue provides unique market analyses based on their compiled data sets, analyst research, and discussions with industry experts. The data supplied in the Market Service Reports is uniquely developed by Project Blue through direct industry contacts via certified price discovery methods, analyst research, and proprietary modeling techniques. This information is required to determine future research and development requirements in the different critical and strategic material supply chains that DLA Strategic Materials covers under their work for the National Defense Stockpile. No other provider is able to provide combined datasets at the required technical level necessary for DLA Strategic Materials to fulfill its mission.

6) 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:

As this proposed action will be executed as a Request for Proposals (RFP) under FAR Part 12 and Part 15 procedures utilizing the combined synopsis and solicitation procedure under FAR 12.603, it will be synopsized/solicited on SAM.gov for approximately one week which will afford potential offerors a reasonable opportunity to respond.

7) A determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable:

The Contracting Officer anticipates that the final price for the Project Blue Market Service Reports in this justification for other than full and open competition will be determined fair and reasonable based on either a comparison of proposed prices with the independent government cost estimate (IGCE) or other means outlined in FAR 15.404-1(b)(2). An IGCE was provided that sufficiently demonstrates the market research that was conducted, the basis of estimates, cost calculations, and the appropriate validations. In addition, the materials being purchased provided by Project Blue are considered “commercial” and the terms and conditions found at FAR 52.212- 4 contain the same and/or similar language found in most commercial agreements used within the industry and defined as “commercial” in accordance with FAR 2.101. The Contracting Officer will only proceed with the planned action after evaluating and confirming that the

SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION, SEE FAR 2.101 AND 3.104

resulting price is fair and reasonable in accordance with FAR 15.404. The government may require other than certified cost / price data if deemed appropriate.

8) Description of market research conducted and results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted:

Market research was conducted via a combination of efforts including discussions within the U.S. Government, including Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), the DLA Small Business Innovation Research Office (SBIR) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), as well as discussions at defense conferences, and with The Project Blue Group Limited. Project Blue is the only intelligence provider with complete visibility from mine to end-use for the requested materials, which would provide DLA Strategic Materials with critical supply, demand, and processing data.

Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, another data provider, was also contacted regarding the above materials and reports. However, they were not able to provide similar technical data or market analyses for the required materials of interest for this acquisition.

Based on previous contracts, the only way for other potential vendors to provide the 18 requested Project Blue Market Service Reports would be through subcontracting The Project Blue Group Limited.

The Project Blue Group Limited is the only supplier capable of providing its brand name data.

This is consistent with our market research.

9) Other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition:

None.

10) Listing of sources that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisitions:

The Project Blue Group Limited

11) Actions, if any, the agency will take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required:

DLA Strategic Materials has a Broad Agency Announcement to provide interested companies an opportunity to seek funding to perform supply chain analyses of Strategic and Critical Materials as authorized under the Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. § 98 et seq.).

No companies were able to submit proposals for developing supply chain studies at the technical level that is required by DLA Strategic Material and its mission requirements.

12) Certifications and approval

Requirements / Technical Certification I hereby certify that the supporting data for which I am responsible, and which form a basis for this justification are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.