Single Source Determination- Dun and Bradstreet Subscription_Redacted.pdf

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Control Number: 24-052

SINGLE SOURCE DETERMINATION

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

FAR Subpart 13.106-1(b)

1. CONTRACTING AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Directorate of Contracting, Walla Walla, District (CECT-NWW).

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, has a firm-fixed price, commercial requirement for access to Finance Analytics from Dun and Bradstreet, Inc (D&B). The Finance Analytics subscription will be for use at USACE, Walla Walla District, Walla Walla, WA 99362.

3. DESCRIPTION OF THE SERVICES/SUPPLIES: D&B provides an on-going subscription to

USACE, Walla Walla District. D&B enables USACE to access online reports (domestic & international) from D&B Finance Analytics. The USACE-NWW Contracting Division uses Dun and Bradstreet services to perform market research, and to gain a better understanding into the financial security of potential contractors. The required services cannot be obtained through any other subscription, and without these services certain information required for government procurement actions could not be obtained accurately from other sources. The contractor will provide ongoing subscription access for online business reports to USACE, Walla Walla District under subscription No 263-733269.

The estimated cost of this purchase is contained in the contract file and is and is below the simplified acquisition threshold.

4. AUTHORITY CITED:

a. FAR 13.106-1 (b) (1), Soliciting from a single source. (1) For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand name, or industrial mobilization).

5. REASON FOR AUTHORITY CITED:

A. JUSTIFICATION: Contracting Division needs to renew subscription No. 263-733269 with D&B. Usage of D&B Finance Analytics is a part of the standard operating procedures of Walla Walla District�s Contracting Division to determine contractor responsibility. D&B trade data network is one of the largest in the word, and the D&B Data Cloud contains the broadest and deepest set of commercial data and analytical insights available. D&B has exclusive licensing rights to gather the information mentioned above, and therefore no other vendor can provide the same access or details on online business reports.

B. IMPACT: The use of any other web search service would not provide the same amount of information with the same level of efficiency to a Contracting Officer in order to determine contractor responsibility. According to FAR 9.103(b), no purchase or award shall be made unless the contracting officer makes an affirmative determination of responsibility. In the absence of information clearly indicating that the prospective contractor is responsible, the contracting officer shall make a determination of nonresponsibility. FAR 9.104-1(a) states

- 2 -that to be determined responsible, a prospective contractor must �have adequate financial resources to perform the contract, or the ability to obtain them.� Without D&B Finance Analytics, Contracting Officers would have more difficulty in making an affirmative determination of responsibility.

D&B Finance Analytics reduces Contracting labor by allowing contract specialists to do market research more quickly and find contractor responsibility information all in one localized report. On average, D&B Finance Analytics improves the speed of research by two hours per contract. In FY 23, Walla Walla District�s Contracting Division awarded 566 contracts, which roughly accounts for

C. ALTERNATIVES: No other search service contains sufficient commercial data and analytical insights available in one localized report. The only alternative, in this case, would be to use multiple search services and request additional information from each contractor prior to award in order to determine contractor responsibility. This approach would still have more limited information than the business reports from D&B. The limited market research information would further result in a higher level of contract terminations in the Walla Walla district as the limited information may cause an incorrect supply risk assessment.

6. EFFORTS TO OBTAIN COMPETITION: D&B is the sole owner and provider of D&B Finance Analytics; therefore, there is no other competing entity.

7. DETERMINATION OF FAIR AND REASONBLE COSTS: A price analysis will be conducted by comparing prices paid for use of the web search service under previous contracts.

This requirement will also be awarded through U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). A GSA Schedule Contracting Officer (CO) determines this pricing to be fair and reasonable prior to the award of a GSA Schedule contract. No award will be made unless prices may be determined fair and reasonable.

8. MARKET RESEARCH: Dun & Bradstreet�s Finance Analytics has the most comprehensive global database of standardized business information available. Due to the exclusive Licensing rights on accessing the required data for these reports, Dun and Bradstreet is the only vendor who is able to provide the comprehensive reports required by the Government during their market research efforts.

9. OTHER FACTS: None.

10. TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION: I certify that the information supporting this Single Source

Determination is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge based on the supporting data provided by technical or requirements personnel and my research.

Prepared by:

Title: Contract Specialist Signature: