(redacted) Sole Source JA - Legal Entrepreneur and Business Plan.pdf

This is a Department of the Air Force Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition document approving a sole-source contract award to Cengage Learning, Inc. for comprehensive business, legal, and reference resources supporting the Department of Defense Libraries (DoDL).

The 772 Enterprise Sourcing Squadron (AFMC) seeks to procure a database integrating with the existing Gale platform to provide business plans handbooks, peer-reviewed journals, legal forms, and reference materials with features including saving, printing, downloading, annotating, citing, and seamless search access. The contract consists of a 12-month base period (30 September 2026 – 29 September 2027) and two optional 12-month periods, with specific dollar values redacted. The justification cites 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) as statutory authority, establishing that only one responsible source exists and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Cengage Learning, Inc. (CAGE: 72BG3, UEI: GVF9XNR1HF79) is identified as the sole contractor capable of fulfilling requirements, as it maintains proprietary rights to the required legal reference database and controls access to the Gale online platform. Compatibility with the existing Gale Entrepreneurship and Business database is critical to avoid establishing a separate, incompatible resource. Market research conducted via a Sources Sought Notice on SAM.gov (7–17 August 2026) yielded only one response from Cengage Learning, confirming no alternative sources can provide the integrated solution with required proprietary content and Gale platform compatibility. The Government will conduct periodic market research prior to subsequent acquisitions to reassess competition feasibility.