Pre-Solicitation_Documentation_GSA_(Justification_ _Approval_for_Limiting_Sources).doc

LIMITED-SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

PROJECT NAME:

SAS items & services

1. ORGANIZATION:

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Ryan Kirkwood (Room 41-26) 888 1st Street, NE Washington, DC 20426

2. NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF ACTION BEING APPROVED:

The Commission seeks to make a single award Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) with Executive Information Systems, LLC (EIS). The Commission has been using various SAS products to enhance Commission analysts' ability to monitor market behaviors. SAS EM is fully developed by SAS and integrates directly with Base SAS. DAS analysts are familiar and comfortable using SAS. Additionally, all of the automated market surveillance screens that the Division uses are SAS based. DAS has a need to systematic data mine market data it is receiving; only SAS EM provides a robust data mining toolset which integrates so flawlessly into the Commission's current analytics platform. Using SAS EM instead of other data mining tools will greatly enhance analyst's work product, and there will be considerable development time savings. EIS is the sole source for all of the SAS items required by the Commission. See attached Market Research Memorandum and sole source document provided by SAS Institute the developer of SAS.

3. DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT & VALUE:

DESCRIPTION: SAS Items & Services The Commission has been using various SAS products to enhance Commission analysts' ability to monitor market behaviors. Over the years the number of users has grown requiring the acquisition of additional licenses and new products. We need a vehicle on which we can quickly and easily 1) procure additional licenses of existing software; 2) procure new software and licenses; 3) renew maintenance of existing software and 4) procure professional services. Commission staff need access to the software immediately so that they can perform their job duties. Without a blanket purchase agreement in place, each time a request is approved for purchase it will require a solicitation adding additional time to the customer getting their software. The BPA will add efficiency to this process.

ANTICIPATED DOLLAR VALUE: BPA ceiling $2,372,500.00 Call/Task Order ceiling $474,500.00

4. STATUTORY AUTHORITY:

The statutory authority permitting limiting sources in accordance with:

FAR 8.405-6 Limiting Sources

FAR 8.405-6 (a)(1)(B) Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized.

5. DETERMINATION OF BEST VALUE FAR 8.404(d):

GSA has already determined the prices of supplies and fixed-priced services under schedule contracts to be fair and reasonable. The total price will be compared to the IGCE and the previous contract.

6. DESCRIPTION OF MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED & RESULTS:

The Contracting Officer (CO) for this procurement performed market research and found that SAS items are available on GSA Schedule from EIS and on NASA SEWP V from Afigent (Groups C & D), GC Micro (Group C), M2 Technology (Group C), and AccessAgility (Group D). The CO contacted the SAS Institute, Inc. and obtained the sole source document referenced above. A similar letter was submitted the last time a Task Order was awarded for SAS items so the CO included a request for an updated document in his market research for the new BPA.

8. ACTIONS TAKEN TO REMOVE BARRIERS LEADING TO RESTRICTED CONSIDERATION:

Prior to the exercise of each option further market research will be performed and an updated sole source document from SAS will be requested.

9. CERTIFICATIONS & APPROVALS: (Signatures are required) Contracting Officer Certification:

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Ryan Kirkwood

Date

Contracting Officer

Acquisition Services Division

Marc G. MacKeigan

Date

Competition Advocate Acquisition Services Division