Sole_source_InsideEPA_2016_redacted.pdf

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6. Describe the efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable In an effort to solicit offers from as many potential sources as possible, the Contract Specialist will post a notice of intent to award a sole source procurement on the Office of Acquisition Management (OAM) website, as well as a sources sought notification in FedBizOpps. Both of these notifications will be posted to inform the public of EPA’s need for the on-line services and to determine if there were any other vendors who could provide this service to the Agency.

7. The contracting officer determines that the anticipated cost to the

Government will be fair and reasonable due to the vendor’s published rates, or other available price information. IWP publications are commercial publication subscriptions with a commercial market price list. However, IWP discounts its commercial price list by 27% for government and non-profit entities.

The vendor has not increased costs in several years. Therefore the Contracting Officer anticipates that the price for this service will be fair and reasonable.

8. Description of the market research conducted (see FAR Part 10). If no market research was conducted, state the reasons: The Contract Specialist did a web search to look for competitors and none were found. IWP is the only vendor that holds the exclusive rights to the data and information provided in the on-line reports.

9. Other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition.

The Contract Specialist will post a Sources Sought notification on approximately

February 22, 2016 in FedBizOpps and a Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source notification on FedConnect on the same date. If, upon the closing date of both notices, no vendors responded or notified the Contract Specialist regarding interest in competing for this requirement a Sole Source procurement will be processed.

10. List sources that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition. If no sources expressed an interest in writing, indicate such.

No other sources have expressed interest in this requirement.

11. Include a statement of the actions, if any, the Agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required.

In order to remove and overcome any barriers to competition, the Agency intends to continue to post notices on the FedBizOpps and FedConnect website to seek additional viable vendors for supplies and services, along with doing more extensive market research to determine if products or services are available both in the commercial open market and on GSA Schedules.