Sole Source Justification 1305M320FNRMA0138.pdf

Version 2.0

LIMITED SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

FOR AN ORDER EXCEEDING MICRO-PURCHASE THRESHOLD

AND UP TO THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD

(AUTHORITY: FAR 8.405-6)

Purchase Request: NRMA0000-20-00744

1. Agency and contracting activity. Department of Commerce, NOAA Acquisition and Grants Office

(AGO), Western Acquisition Division (WAD), and the NOAA Central and Regional Libraries.

2. Description of supplies or services required to meet agency needs (including the estimated value).

NOAA requires serial subscriptions for scientific journals, databases, and scholarly periodicals in order to further its research mission. These subscriptions provide crucial research information to scientists throughout NOAA. Without this vital information, the NOAA mission could not be fulfilled.

Access to these subscriptions is valid from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021. The total estimated value of the non-schedule portion of the requirement is $19,950.79.

3. Identification of the single source or the brand name to be solicited.

Cox Subscriptions, Inc.

201 Village Road Shallotte, NC 28470

4. Supporting rationale. Only one source or brand name is reasonably available as detailed below:

Only one source is capable - FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B) - Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized.

The required subscriptions are from multiple publishers and Cox Subscriptions, Inc. is the only known vendor that can provide all of the required titles.

Logical follow-on - FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(C) – in the interest of economy and efficiency, the requirement is a logical follow-on to an original FSS BPA No. 1305M219ANRMA0010 awarded to Cox Subscriptions, Inc. The original BPA was placed in accordance with the applicable FSS ordering procedures and was not previously issued under sole-source or limited sources procedures.

The Government expects significant benefits from awarding this requirement under the current BPA, including administrative convenience, cost savings from duplicate procurement and administrative effort, and continuity of customer service and performance.

5. Market Research.

Market research and procurement history has shown only one source capable of providing all of the subscriptions required.

The BPA was competed in 2013 and again in 2019 in order to provide maximum competition for the requirement. In each instance only Cox Subscriptions, Inc. submitted a quote.

Purchase Request: NRMA0000-20-00744

Further, additional market research shows that there are no other sources that can provide the same breadth of titles from multiple publishers and can service the distinct subscription needs of a research agency like NOAA. The program office had previously identified four other vendors that provide a similar type of subscription service but it determined that these vendors only provide certain types of literature from specific sources and/or geographic regions or are geared towards the distinct needs of specific types of libraries, such as public and school libraries.

6. Technical/Requirements Representative Certification

I certify that this requirement constitutes the Government’s minimum needs and the supporting data provided herein is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Joan Segal Date Management & Program Analyst, NOAA Central Library

7. Determination

I hereby determine that the circumstances of this action deem only one source is reasonably available. This determination is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Darrin Moore Date Contracting Officer