JUSTIFICATION -Redacted.pdf

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

41 U.S.C. 253(c), 10 U.S.C. 2304(c) and FAR 6.302

Pursuant to the requirements of the Competition in Contracting Act (CICA) as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) in accordance with the requirements of FAR 6.303-1. The justification for the use of the statutory authority under FAR Subpart 6.3 is based on the following facts and rationale required under FAR 6.303-2 as follows:

1. Agency and Contracting Activity.

This requirement is in support of GSA, Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, 1800 F Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20405. The contracting activity is Office of Internal Acquisition (OIA), 1800 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20405.

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

a. The anticipated action will be a firm-fixed-price, purchase order under FAR Part 12, awarded to Bloomberg via the open market for access to their proprietary subscription service, Bloomberg Government.

b. A notice of intent to award sole source will be issued via SAM.gov, Contract Opportunities for this requirement.

3. A complete description of the supplies and/or services required to meet the agency’s needs.

The Government requires a comprehensive, subscription-based, online tool that collects best-in-class data on legislation and congressional actions, regulations and federal spending, provides high end analysis and analytic tools providing timely congressional reporting. This action will include a one (1) year base period for 12 subscriptions with four (4) 12- month option periods.

The estimated value of this order, for the base and all option periods, is

DocuSign Envelope ID: 1437022C-5FD8-4D1F-BE7F-1ABF9034D738

Period of Performance Quantity Yearly Subscription

Price

Total

Base Period 03/15/2023 to 03/14/2024 12 Option Period 1 03/15/2024 to 03/14/2025 12 Option Period 2 03/15/2025 to 03/14/2026 12 Option Period 3 03/15/2026 to 03/14/2027 12 Option Period 4 03/15/2027 to 03/14/2028 12 Total Estimated Value

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

X FAR Subsection 6.302-1: Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

In accordance with 41 U.S.C. 253(c) and/or 10 U.S.C. 2304(c), GSA has determined that the procurement requires a sole source in order to satisfy the Agency's need. Specifically, the basis for other than full and open competition is that Bloomberg Subscriptions is only available via Bloomberg Government.

The Bureau of National Affairs (DBA Bloomberg Government) 1801 S Bell Street Arlington, VA 22202

Bloomberg Government is the only available source to provide the requested subscriptions, which provides access to congressional and governmental data available in one location to help government officials achieve efficiency when searching for information vital to completing OCIA’s core mission.

Bloomberg Government gives government officials immediate access to congressional and legislative data that is vital to OCIA. Verbal hearings are transcribed and ready for review via their web portal in under 24 hours.

Bloomberg Government also brings access to the FPDS-NG with many of the other data systems that GSA relies on to create the necessary and required details. This symbiotic relationship with GSA data systems allows the OCIA to be in sync with various OMB initiatives. Bloomberg Government provided a more effective process for GSA to monitor and review acquisition data and create opportunities to inform Federal acquisition methods.

This company and its services are not available through any other third party reseller, nor are they available through GSA eBuy or NASA SEWP. Thus, this action only has one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

5. Demonstration that the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited.

The Bloomberg Government subscription provides access to congressional and governmental data available in one location to help government officials achieve efficiency when searching for information vital in the day to day decision making. This proprietary subscription service is only available from direct contract with Bloomberg Government.

Bloomberg Government brings the access to FPDS-NG together with many of the various data streams that GSA relies on to create the necessary detailed reports and overviews to ensure GSA is complying with the various aspects of OMB initiatives. GSA foresees significant efficiencies in having access to the Bloomberg Government subscription service to assist in continuing to provide comprehensive and accurate acquisition data. A Bloomberg Government subscription will provide a more effective process FSA to monitor and review acquisition data and create opportunities to improve the Federal Acquisition methods.

6. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable.

GSA intends to publicize this requirement, prior to award, as required by subpart 5.2 by posting a notice on SAM.gov, Contract Opportunities on February 24, 2023.

7. Determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

The contracting officer has determined that the anticipated price(s) will be fair and reasonable based on comparison of the Government’s IGCE, historical pricing, commercial price lists, etc. The compared prices are within 1% of historical pricing for similar requirements/Government’s IGCE, commercial price lists. Market research indicates that the proposed price is within 1% of industry standards for a similar requirement.

Combined with the vendor’s technical capabilities as cited in Section 3 of this document and the proposed price, the Government has determined in accordance with the requirements as stated in the Bill of Materials.

8. Description of market research.

In order to conduct the appropriate market research for this procurement of , which is dictated and mandated by 41 U.S.C. 3306(a)(1),41 U.S.C 3307, 10 U.S.C. 2377, and 6 U.S.C. 796 a Request for Information, RFI, was listed to better understand industry capabilities by the vendors.

The RFI sought sources for legislative and congressional queries. The contracts listed have been previously utilized by the OCIA. Staff has also reviewed and assessed the most cost effective method of procurement. OCIA requires services that allow it to fulfill its mission.

A Sources Sought Announcement was done by a FAS contracting office, Kimberly Hampel. The RFI was posted to sam.gov. and closed on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, at 10:00 AM Central Time to respond to the announcement. Each respondent was limited to a total of three pages. Only three (3) responses were received at the close of the RFI.

The results of the RFI confirmed that only one vendor, Bloomberg Government, had the required subscriptions. It further evidenced the subscriptions are a proprietary product only available from

Bloomberg Government and no similar products are available in the marketplace to meet the needs of this requirement.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition.

None

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

Three responses were received from three different vendors. Of the three vendors, only one had the appropriate understanding of the Government’s needs. The three vendor’s were as follows:

Bloomberg Government, Fiscal Note, and Delteck, Inc. All three vendors responded, but only one had addressed all the requirements within the sources sought announcement.

11. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for supplies or services required.

GSA, Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, will conduct an annual assessment of the current technology in place as well as other viable technologies in the marketplace before any subsequent acquisition is made.

Program/Technical Certification and Approval

I hereby certify and accept the responsibility that any and all supporting data provided above or used to justify the above requested for a sole source procurement (e.g., verifying the Government’s minimum needs, schedule requirements, and/or other rationale for other than full and open competition) is accurate an complete to the best of my personal knowledge and belief:

Date

Contracting Officer Representative

Project Manager Date

DocuSign Envelope ID: 1437022C-5FD8-4D1F-BE7F-1ABF9034D738

2/24/2023

2/27/2023

Contracting Officer’s Certification

I hereby certify that the information contained in this Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition, is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge.

Date

Contracting Officer

In accordance with Office of Internal Acquisition policy, One Level Above Contracting Officer’s Review and Approval (required for all actions over $250,000)

I hereby certify that the information contained in this Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition, is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge.

Date

One Level Above Contracting Officer/Division Director

DocuSign Envelope ID: 1437022C-5FD8-4D1F-BE7F-1ABF9034D738

2/27/2023

2/24/2023