Sole Source Memo Maryland Hospital Association for 2025 - 2026.pdf

Date: June 23, 2025

From: Sarah Polanco, Office of Administrative Management, NIH Clinical Center

Subject: SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

To: CONTRACTING OFFICER, NIH CLINICAL CENTER

1. AGENCY IDENTIFICATION AND CONTRACTING ACTIVITY

Requiring Activity:

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center 10 Center Drive Bethesda, MD 20892 COR or AO's Name, contact information: Sarah Polanco, 301-594-8505

Contracting Activity:

NIH Clinical Center Office of Purchasing and Contracts 6707 Democracy Blvd Bethesda, MD 20892

2. NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF THE ACQUISITION BEING APPROVED

Membership Dues for the NIH Clinical Center

3. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES AND SERVICES REQUIRED. INCLUDING THE

DELIVERY SCHEDULE AND/OR THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE and DOLLAR

VALUE OF THE ACQUISITION

The Membership is estimated to cost $47,147 and is required to be July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026.

The Membership is required to allow the NIH Clinical Center to benefit from Maryland Hospital Association’s services. The Maryland Hospital Association’s membership is composed of community hospital and teaching hospitals, health systems, specialty hospitals, veteran’s hospitals, and long-term care facilities. It serves Maryland’s hospitals and health systems through collective action to shape policies, practices, financing and performance to advance health care and health of all Marylanders. The NIH Clinical Center needs this membership to benefit from the services provided by the organization.

Other information to support a sole-source buy:

The Maryland Hospital Association (MHA) is the advocate for Maryland’s hospital, health systems, communities, and patients before legislative and regulatory bodies. MHA’s membership is comprised of community and teaching hospitals, health systems, specialty hospitals, veteran’s hospitals and long-term care facilities. Its mission is to help Maryland hospitals and health systems serve their communities by providing them leadership, advocacy, education and innovative programs and services. The NIH Clinical

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Public Health Service

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH CLINICAL CENTER Bethesda, Maryland 20892 clinicalcenter.nih.gov

Page 2 – NIH CC Contracting Officer re: Sole Source Justification, MHA benefits from all of its resources. This is the only organization that provides these services. It was formed specifically to provide these services.

4. IDENTIFICATION OF STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING OTHER THAN

FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION Check the applicable block below

FAR 13.106-l(b) (1): For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstance of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g. urgency, inclusive licensing agreements, brand name, or industrial mobilization).

5. DEMONSTRATION THAT THE PROPOSED CONTRACTOR'S UNIQUE

QUALIFICATIONS OR THE NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION REQUIRES USE OF THE

AUTHORITY CITED

The Maryland Hospital Association is allied with the American Hospital Association. As a result hospitals in Maryland are able to benefit from the resources and services provided by both organizations.

MHA is an effective advocate for improving health care across Maryland. The NIH Clinical Center’s membership in this organization provides tremendous benefit to patient care and the organizations leadership.

6. A DESCRIPTION OF EFFORTS MADE TO ENSURE THAT OFFERS ARE SOLICITED

FROM AS MANY POTENTIAL SOURCES AS PRACTICABLE

The Maryland Hospital Association is the only vendor that provides the required service.

7. DEMONSTRATION THAT THE ANTICIPATED COST WILL BE FAIR AND

REASONABLE

The price of the service is deemed to be fair and reasonable based on similar services given at the NIH Clinical Center.

8. DESCRIPTION OF MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED AND THE RESULTS OR

STATEMENT OF THE REASON MARKET RESEARCH WAS NOT CONDUCTED

The Maryland Hospital Association is the only organization that provides the services requested. The association was formed specifically to provide these exclusive services.

9. ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN

COMPETITION

The Maryland Hospital Association was formed specifically to provide these services. There is no other organization that provides these services.

10. LISTING OF SOURCES, IF ANY, THAT EXPRESSED, IN WRITING, AN INTEREST IN

THE ACQUISITION

N/A

11. STATEMENT OF THE ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE

OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS TO COMPETITION BEFORE ANY SUBSEQUENT

ACQUISISION FOR THE REQUIRED SUPLIES OR SERVICES

Page 3 – NIH CC Contracting Officer re: Sole Source Justification, MHA

Membership in the Maryland Hospital Association is annual. It is the only organization that provides the required service. The NIH Clinical Center needs to maintain membership in this organization.

12. ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER/PROGRAM OFFICIAL CERTIFICATION

"I hereby certify that the information contained in this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief."

Sarah Polanco, Administrative Officer

13. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S CERTIFICATION

"l hereby certify that the information contained in this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief."

Contracting Officer