Sole Source Form-Redacted.pdf

SOLE SOURCE - SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITIONS

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

RECOMMENDATION AND DETERMINATION TO SOLICIT FROM ONE SOURCE

I recommend that NSF negotiate with Cindy Zook Associates only for EPSCoR Strategic Planning Meetings.

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

X Previous requirements X Other Discussion with NSF Program Officers

The total estimated cost, including shipping and handling (if applicable), of this effort is approximately $14,500 per meeting (5 max.) and the period of performance or lead-time for delivery or start date is July 15 - October 15, 2021.

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:

Cindy Zook Associates is uniquely qualified to understand both the strategic planning process and the strict requirements that NSF EPSCoR places on the design of the Strategic Plan product, due to extensive experience working with both NSF EPSCoR and the external evaluation community. The vendor is uniquely placed to ensure that a common language is found between a jurisdiction's Strategic Plan and their External Evaluation Plan, documents that are required to be submitted for NSF approval in the first year of a new project. Lastly, with ongoing COVID-19 converting in-person meetings to virtual, it is impractical to seek new vendors who would face a steep learning curve to gain the knowledge above to meet these requirements.

Date

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

I I? ~17 I