Simplified Sole Source Template_2_02_21_Final.pdf

SOLE SOURCE - SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITIONS

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

RECOMMENDATION AND DETERMINATION TO SOLICIT FROM ONE SOURCE

I recommend that NSF negotiate with __ Computing Research Association (CRA) ___ only for __ CISE Undergraduate Research Opportunities Evaluation ________________.

I have reviewed other products/services to identify other vendors which might meet NSF’s requirements through one of the following methods:

� GSA Schedule � Open Market Price Lists � Previous requirements × Other _Evaluators for REU Sites_

FAR 19.502-2 requires award to Small Business for supplies or services with an anticipated dollar value exceeding $3,000. If applicable specify why award is being recommended to other than a Small Business.

� No other Small Company can supply the equipment or service � The Company does not have a small business distributor that can supply the equipment or service � GSA schedule does not provide the equipment or service from small business × Other __CRA is a not-for-profit organization and it has specific expertise in evaluation of CISE higher education___

The total estimated cost, including shipping and handling (if applicable), of this effort is $753,323 and the period of performance is February 15th, 2021- August 2024. This start date will provide sufficient time for the evaluation team to prepare to present their evaluation plan to the CISE REU community at the February 22nd PI meeting.

This recommendation is made pursuant to FAR 13.106, for the acquisition of supplies or services determined to be reasonably available from only one source. Competition is impractical for the following reasons:

1. Compatibility – CRA is uniquely positioned to conduct this evaluation. They have access to years of past data on undergraduate research experiences in CISE including information on student and faculty demographics, success, persistence in computing, perceptions of CISE departments, intrinsic interest in computing, sense of belonging in computing, confidence in one’s skills in computing, and past experiences in computing. CRA also has partnered the CISE REU Toolkit to provide evaluation services to REU Sites. These resources will reduce the time CRA needs to complete this evaluation, thereby keeping the cost of the evaluation down.

2. Past performance – CRA has evaluated the CISE undergraduate community in the past, including NSF funded REUs, and has developed relationships with the CISE departments, faculty, and students (https://cra.org/cerp/data-buddies/).

3. Urgency – This evaluation will be used in tandem with the NSF Education and Training Application (ETAP) for evaluating CISE REU Sites, and its success relies on interactions between the evaluators and the CISE community. As such, it is critical that the evaluation be in place in time for the upcoming CISE REU PI meeting being held on February 22, 2021.

4. Other Vendors – Other evaluation organizations were considered (e.g. Mathematica, Horizon Research Inc, & C-STEM) however, none of these programs have the extent of expertise in CISE higher education as CRA, nor do that have access to the type of historical data available to CRA.

[OR]

Pursuant to FAR 5.201, this proposed contract action will be synopsized in FedBizOps. The results received in writing will be added to this document by addendum.

Pursuant to FAR 5.202 (a)(2), this proposed contract action is exempt from publication because the government would be seriously injured if the Agency complies with the time periods specified in 5.203.

Rebecca M. Shearman Program Director

CISE/CNS 2/2/21

Date

Pursuant to FAR 5.201, the proposed contract action was synopsized. No other firms requested consideration under this procurement.

I hereby accept the above stated recommendation and determine that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available.

Contracting Officer Date

02/11/2021