Notice of Intent to Sole Source.pdf

NOTICE OF INTENT TO NEGOTIATE A SOLE-SOURCE CONTRACT

This is a notice of intent to negotiate a sole-source contract pursuant to the authority of 41 U.S.C.

253(c)(1), only one responsible source, which applies when the supplies/services required by the agency are only available from one responsible source and no other type of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.501. The Government intends to negotiate a contract with Future Integrated Systems, LLC (FIS), for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Services (NOS), Office of Coast Survey (OCS) who has a requirement for annual maintenance of the Coast Pilot Production System (CPPS). Annual maintenance service includes fault analysis, system testing, debugging, system upgrades, implementation, operation and technical support. This requirement is intended to provide system maintenance to CPPS for five years (one base with four consecutive option years).

The CPPS software system is a desk top network based publishing system. This specially developed system forms the backbone of the Nautical Publications Branch (NPB) Coast Pilot, a series of nine nautical publications used to supplement nautical charts with information unable to document in chart form. The Coast Pilot is a companion document to the nautical chart and is required carriage for regulated vessels containing information such as channel descriptions, anchorages, pilotage, Federal regulations applicable to navigation and other navigationally significant information. CPPS is the sole method to create and maintain the nine volumes of the Coast Pilot. CPPS is in continual use by federal and contract employees to produce and maintain the Coast Pilot which is used to ensure the safety and efficiency of the maritime commerce.

CPPS software was developed by FIS and integrated with NOAA and OCS’s current software systems.

Seamless compatibility with software deployed across OCS is essential. The specially developed software, operating system, and related products together provide broad and deep functionalities, and form a seamless environment which enables NPB to publish the Coast Pilot.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this requirement is 541511, Custom Computer Programming Services, and the business size standard for this NAICS code is $30.0 million.

Responses to this notice must be provided within ten (10) business days from the date of this notice.

Vendors who believe they can meet this requirement are required to submit in writing an affirmative response demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the requirement. All written responses must include a written narrative statement of capability, including detailed technical information demonstrating their ability to meet the requirement. The response must be sufficient to permit agency analysis to establish a bona fide capability to meet the requirement. Failure to submit such documentation will result in the Government proceeding as previously stated. A determination by the Government not to open the requirement to competition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Affirmative written responses must be received no later than 12:00 P.M. EST, December 29, 2021. The responses must be submitted via e-mail to Carley Flaxman, Contract Specialist, at Carley.Flaxman@noaa.gov.