JA Sole Source - OPAIR - TXF Survey 2020 Redacted 1v_Redacted.pdf

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN

COMPETITION

Commercial Services Acquisition under FAR 13.106-1(b) and FAR 13.501(a)

1. Contracting Activity:

The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), 811 Vermont Avenue, N.W.

Washington, DC 20571, proposes to enter into a contract on other than a full and open competition basis.

2. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Processed:

This Justification and Approval authorizes the award of a new firm fixed price purchase order 83310120P0027 in the amount of $75,000 to Trade and Export Finance Limited located at 1-3 Brixton Road, London, UK, SW9 6DE. The base period is $15,000 and each additional option period will be for $15,000, for a total of five years for the purchase of the 2020 Exporter and Borrower Survey (“TXF Review”).

3. Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet the Agency’s Needs:

TXF Limited publishes an annual survey on the state of the export finance market, based on interviews with more than 150 relevant stakeholders. TXF has the necessary expertise and experience to conduct a relevant third-party survey of exporters and lenders that have used products from multiple export credit agencies allowing for comparison between export credit policies and programs. The TXF Review will allow EXIM to meet its Congressional mandate to assess and report on the competitiveness of EXIM relative to the major export credit agency programs as set for in Section 2. B (1) a of the EXIM Charter.

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other than Full and Open Competition:

By the authority of 41 U.S.C.253 (c) (I), this action is approved as a sole source procurement to Trade & Export Finance Limited.

5. Demonstration that the Contractor’s Unique Qualifications or Nature of the Acquisition Requires the Use of the Authority Cited Above (applicability of authority):

The TXF Review is unique due to TXF’s broad engagement with and focus on the export finance industry, particularly with regards to export credit agencies. TXF is able to draw on a global sample of exporters and borrowers that have experience working with a variety of export credit agencies making it valuable for conducting a competitive analysis per EXIM’s Charter. TXF regularly hosts export credit agency-related conferences around the world and as such, has access to a wide-range of knowledgeable, well-versed users of export finance.

To the best of EXIM’s knowledge, no organization other than TXF conducts a comparative review of export credit agencies. Therefore, using other entities will risk EXIM’s ability to meet its mandated responsibility to conduct a comparative assessment given the narrow and not germane data available from other sources.

6. Description of Efforts Made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as deemed practicable:

EXIM has made efforts to engage with other entities, such as the British Exporters Association, Project Finance International, and National Small Business Association.

These organizations conduct one-off studies that are focused on subsets of the global export credit market and not the market as a whole. Such narrow studies of a subset of exporters do not meet the scope requirements of the Competitiveness Report to Congress as set forth in the EXIM Charter.

7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable:

The requirement of this purchase order is the use of the 2020 Exporter and Borrower Review for $15,000.00 per year for the base and each option year. The cost covers the use of the report and its data.

8. Description of the Market Research Conducted and the Results, or a Statement of the Reasons Market Research Was Not Conducted:

The Export Import Bank of the United States is the only export credit agency mandated to conduct an annual survey of exporters and lenders on the relative competitiveness of EXIM programs and policies to those of the major ECAs. This role has placed EXIM as a leading source of knowledge and expertise in export credit trends. EXIM staff widely researches, and reviews published academic and industry publications in order to stay abreast of current trends in the market. This work and research has led EIM to identify

TXF media as the sole entity that conducts a broad survey of global lenders, buyers, exporters and financial institutions on export credit agency trends that is directly relevant to EXIM competitiveness survey and mandate to report to Congress. TXF media survey is unique in its breadth of respondents and scope of relevance to EXIM.

9. Any 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 Acquisition:

No sources expressed an interest in writing.

11. A Statement of the Actions, if any, the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome any Barriers to Competition before Making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required:

EXIM staff will continue to engage with academic and industry experts in the field of official export credit competition and monitor developments pertaining to benchmarking studies and survey tools aimed at canvassing the views of a wide and diverse set of export credit stakeholders in subsequent acquisitions to determine whether other reports are conducted that address the mandate to conduct a comparative assessment of EXIM relative to the major export credit providers.

12. Requirements Certification:

I certify that the requirement outlined in this justification is a Bona Fide Need of the Export-Import Bank of the US and that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in the justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Technical and Requirements Cognizance:

I hereby certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance (including but not limited to, verified government minimum needs or schedule requirements, or other rationale for other than full and open competition) which are included in, or which form a basis for, this justification are complete and accurate. This justification is an accurate and bona fide need for the item or services supporting acquisition of the end item.

Requirements/Personnel Certification: We hereby certify that the technical requirements and certifications are accurate.

13. Contracting Officer Certification: I hereby certify to the best of my knowledge this justification is accurate and complete.

Kevin Alexander Date Contracting Officer, Office of Contracting Services

05/14/2020