JOFOC_Solicitation_68HERW26R0090_REDACTED_1.pdf

TEMPLATE

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION (JOFOC) FOR COMMERCIAL

PRODUCTS/SERVICES UNDER THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD (SAT) USING

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES (REVOLUTIONARY FAR OVERHAUL (RFO))

REFERENCE: Solicitation 68HERW26R0090

1. The Environmental Protection Agency Water, Tribal and Science Division proposes to restrict competition for this commercial acquisition as authorized by RFO 12.102(a).

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

One-year subscriptions to the Chemical Economics Handbook (CEH) and the Specialty

Chemicals Update Program (SCUP) chemical market encyclopedias from S&P Global.

CEH and SCUP are proprietary databases, and are not available through EPA’s Desktop

Library.

The contemplated contract type is Firm-Fixed-Price.

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

Subscriptions to the Chemical Economics Handbook (CEH) and the Specialty Chemicals Update Program (SCUP) which provides in-depth and updated chemical market information on a broad array of chemicals and markets including the basic chemistry of the commercial manufacturing processes, the manufacturers and their production capacities, the volume of the chemical produced domestically, the volumes imported and exported and the origins and destinations, sales prices, capacity utilization, growth rates, the uses of chemicals, the volume of chemicals used in different applications, the competing materials and substitutes for the chemical, and the long-term industry trends.

The information provided by these chemical market encyclopedias meets the agency’s needs by helping EPA conduct economic analyses to support the decision-making process within the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT).

Estimated Total Amount: $[REDACTED] Estimated Period of Performance:

Base Period: 9/13/2026 – 9/12/2027 Option Period 1: 9/13/2027 – 9/12/2028

4. Identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

This noncompetitive action is conducted pursuant to the authority of 41 USC 1901.

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

S&P Global offers the Chemical Economics Handbook and Specialty Chemicals Update Program chemical market encyclopedias, which is a proprietary data source that provides information about many chemical markets that cannot be found in any other single source, and could not be compiled from multiple sources at a comparable price.

6. Description of efforts made to ensure offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by RFO 5 and, if not, which exception applies:

This requirement will be solicited to only one source. The market research showed that no other source could meet the agency’s requirements. To further evaluate the availability of additional sources, a notice of intent to sole source was published by the agency offering “any party who believes they can perform this requirement” the opportunity to submit a capability statement for review.

No capability statements were received in response to the agency’s announcement, thereby further evidencing the sole source nature of these requirements.

7. Determination by the CO that the anticipated cost to the government will be fair and reasonable:

The CO determines that the anticipated cost to the government will be fair and reasonable based on market research and pricing history from the previous contract. Market research also determined that obtaining subscriptions to the Chemical Economics Handbook and Specialty Chemicals Update Program chemical market encyclopedias through S&P Global will be more cost effective than attempting to obtain information from multiple sources.

The pricing efficiencies gained from the combined subscriptions through a single vendor, when compared to multiple subscriptions through multiple vendors, renders the price proposed fair and reasonable.

8. A description of the market research conducted and results, or the reason market research was not conducted.

Market research was conducted using multiple techniques including: the program office’s personal knowledge of this type of supplies/services, use of historical information such as reviewing market research done from previous acquisitions, and reviewing supply/service information online, in a catalog, or other published literature.

The mandatory sources reviewed were UNICOR, AbilityOne, and USDA Biobased Products.

Optional sources were also reviewed including GSA Federal Supply Schedules, GSA Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative, GWAC, and other active EPA contracts.

Pricing from alternative publishers was also reviewed.

9. Any other facts supporting using other than full and open competition:

The wide range and deep coverage of chemical market information needed is offered through a proprietary data source from one vendor. Additionally, the cost of obtaining chemical market information from multiple sources is not cost effective, and does not provide the same level of depth and variety as the potential sole-source vendor.

10. A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed in writing an interest in the acquisition:

[REDACTED] were identified as a potential vendor. However, their services do not provide the level of chemical information that is required by this acquisition.

11. A statement of any actions the agency will take to remove or overcome any future barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required: For future acquisitions, market research will continue to be properly and thoroughly conducted to ensure that potential vendors capable of offering their services at a fair and reasonable price are identified and given the opportunity to compete for future requirements.

12. CO certification: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. Since this effort does not exceed $900,000 this certification serves as approval.

CO’s name/title: Keith Pfeffer, Section Manager/Contracting Officer

Signature:

Date: 9/11/2026

KEITH PFEFFER

Digitally signed by KEITH

PFEFFER

Date: 2026.09.11 08:57:05 -04'00'