Redacted SSJ LeadsOnline Subscription Services.pdf

Sole Source Justification (SSJ)

SSJ No.: 2

4. Identification of the authority.

FAR 13.501(a), Sole Source (including brand name) acquisitions.

5. Demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited.

The LeadsOnline system functionality designed specifically for criminal investigations using transaction data from pawnshops, scrap yards, eBay, OfferUp, gold buyers and other secondhand stores is the exclusive proprietary property of Leads Online and is protected under the United States Copyright Act (17 U.S.C.), as well as by all applicable state and international copyright laws, and by the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. §§1051-1141n). No other supplier has access to this technology which has been developed over 24 years. LeadsOnline is also the sole source for over 1.8 billion transaction records from more than 21,000 businesses in all 50 states.

LeadsOnline provides law enforcement with investigative access across jurisdictional boundaries

– borders previously used to the advantage of criminals to escape detection by local authorities.

LeadsOnline is the sole source for information of this kind for investigations. LeadsOnline meets the requirements of DHS. DHS Law Enforcement Special Agents and Intelligence Analysts protect America through criminal investigations, mitigating transnational threats and safeguarding our nation, communities, lawful immigration, trade, travel, and financial systems.

This mission requires access to the highest quality data that contains geographical coverage of all 50 US States with transaction data from pawnshops, scrap yards, eBay, OfferUp, gold buyers, US second hand stores, citizen property crime inventory data, National Crime Information Center (NCIC) stolen property data, crime mapping and phone forensic data to aid (DHS) Law Enforcement Special Agents and Intelligence Analysts to provide a complete picture of criminal activity engaged in by criminal organizations targeting retail.

With this data, DHS Law Enforcement Special Agents and Intelligence Analysts will be better enabled to provide a complete picture of criminal activity engaged in by criminal organizations targeting retail. If DHS does not purchase access to all the requirements, DHS will not be able to support criminal investigations for organized crime and prosecution of organized crime networks targeting retail.

A subscription to LeadsOnline will provide access to transaction data from pawnshops, scrap yards, eBay, OfferUp, gold buyers and other secondhand stores. This data will be evaluated for connection with criminal activity. Access to this data supports ICE’s response to Organized Retail Crime (ORC) by providing access to data that is analyzed by intelligence analyst for connection to criminal activity from retail organizations involving large-scale theft of merchandise typically resold by criminal groups through means of e-commerce resale websites or pawn shops.

SSJ No.: 3

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

The RLIS program will continue to review Government and Commercial databases and professional journals as well as attend conferences. Should another in-depth single source database become available, DHS will pursue a competitive award. DHS intends to post this requirement on System for Award Management (SAM.gov) pursuant to FAR 5.301 and FAR 6.305(a).

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

Prices have been determined to be fair and reasonable based on previous one-year subscriptions for the same codes.

Currently for additional users there is a 1.7% increase when typical the increase is 3.5%.

This is fair and reasonable based on prices remaining the same as previous years and discounts at 1.7% increase for additional user.

8. Description of market research.

Market research was conducted in accordance with FAR Part 10 and revealed that only LeadsOnline has the capability to satisfy all the following DHS minimum requirements.

Minimum Requirement Searchable database of transaction data from pawnshops with geographical coverage for all 50 US States

Searchable database of transaction data from scrap yards with geographical coverage for all 50 US States

Searchable database of transaction data from eBay with geographical coverage for all 50 US States

Searchable database of transaction data from OfferUp with geographical coverage for all 50 US States

Searchable database of transaction data from gold buyers with geographical coverage for all 50 US States

Searchable database of transaction data from US secondhand stores with geographical coverage for all 50 US States

Searchable database of citizen property crime inventory data with geographical coverage for all 50 US States

SSJ No.: 4

Searchable database of National Crime Information Center (NCIC) stolen property data with geographical coverage for all 50 US States

Searchable database of crime mapping and phone forensic data with geographical coverage for all 50 US States

Must be IPv6 compliant and provide IP authentication or Single Sign On SAML authentication via the DHS Auth App to authorize user access.

9. Any other facts supporting the justification.

LeadsOnline is the only publisher that has system functionality designed specifically for criminal investigations. No other supplier has access to this technology. Thus, the requirement cannot be modified to increase competition and DHS will not be able to support criminal investigations for organized crime and prosecution of organized crime networks targeting retail.

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

No sources have expressed an interest in this acquisition.

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.

(Include a statement of actions taken or will be taken to increase competition for future acquisitions of the same item/service).

As per the above, the RLIS program office will continue to perform ongoing market research such as reviewing Government and Commercial databases and professional journals as well as attending conferences to remove or overcome any barriers that led to limiting sources before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services is made. Should another database containing the same/similar quality law enforcement specific database that contains geographical coverage of all 50 US States with transaction data from pawnshops, scrap yards, eBay, OfferUp, gold buyers, US secondhand stores, citizen property crime inventory data, National Crime Information Center (NCIC) stolen property data, crime mapping and phone forensic data becomes available, DHS will pursue a competitive award.

12. DHS intends to post the requirement pursuant to FAR 13.501(a)(1)(iii) and 6.305(a).