SoleSourceJustification.pdf

SOLE SOURCE - SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITIONS

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

RECOMMENDATION AND DETERMINATION TO SOLICIT FROM ONE SOURCE

I recommend that NSF negotiate with American Astronomical Society (AAS) only for exhibit booth space, Furniture, Electrical and AV.

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

� GSA Schedule � Open Market Price Lists � Previous requirements X Other ______________________

FAR 19.502-2 requires award to Small Business for supplies or services with an anticipated dollar value exceeding $2,500. If applicable specify why award is being recommended to other than a Small Business.

X 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 ______________________________________

The total estimated cost, including shipping and handling (if applicable), of this effort is $60,000 and the period of performance or lead-time for delivery or start date is January 12, 2025.

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:

AAS Justification - AAS 245th Meeting, National Harbor, Maryland at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, January 12-16, 2025.

NSF is the primary agency responsible for federal funding of ground-based astronomy in the United States. The American Astronomical Society is the primary professional society for U.S.

astronomers, and their meetings are the primary forum for community discussions about astronomy priorities, and for communication with the federal funding agencies who support their research. At the AAS meetings, NSF Division of Astronomical Sciences management staff conduct a Town Hall meeting at which the community is informed of NSF activities, and at which a dialog with the community is conducted. Over the course of the five-day meeting, NSF staff use the exhibit booth to meet with awardees, potential proposers, job candidates, scientists, other federal agencies, and representatives of the managing organizations of NSF-funded facilities; these meetings cover a variety of topics and issues, including further interaction regarding the NSF Town Hall meeting and all NSF opportunities. There is no other equivalent opportunity during the year for this form of communication with the U.S ground-based astronomy community.

NSF plays a critical role in supporting and stimulating the advances that are needed for making numerous fundamental discoveries in the astronomical sciences. NSF is the only federal agency dedicated to the support of basic research and education in all fields of science and engineering.

Our Division Director will discuss some of the ways that NSF empowers discoveries across a broad spectrum of scientific inquiry at the NSF Town Hall talk, which will be followed by a question and answer session.

The convergence of emerging advances in astronomical instruments, computational capabilities, and talented practitioners (both professional and civilian) is creating an extraordinary new environment for making numerous fundamental discoveries in astronomy, ranging from the nature of exoplanets to understanding the evolution of solar systems and galaxies. NSF plays a critical role in supporting, stimulating, and shaping these advances. NSF is more than an agency of the US government or a funding mechanism for the infrastructure of science. The work of NSF is a trust that every generation of Americans makes to those of the next generation, that we will build on the body of knowledge we inherit and continue to push forward the frontiers of science.

All of us never lose sight of NSF’s obligation to "explore the unexplored" and inspire all humanity with the wonders of discovery. As the only federal agency dedicated to the support of basic research and education in all fields of science and engineering, NSF has empowered discoveries across a broad spectrum of scientific inquiry for more than seven decades. The result is fundamental scientific research that has had a profound impact on our nation's innovative ecosystem and kept our nation at the very forefront of the world's science-and-engineering enterprise.

The American Astronomical Society (AAS), established in 1899 and based in Washington, DC, is the major organization of professional astronomers in North America. Its membership of more than 8,000 individuals includes in addition astronomers, physicists, mathematicians, geologists, engineers, and others whose research and educational interests lie within the broad spectrum of subjects comprising contemporary astronomy. The mission of the AAS is to enhance and share humanity’s scientific understanding of the universe. As part of its mission, the AAS facilitates meetings of astronomers. The Society meets twice per year, once in January and once in June, while also organizing the meetings of each of its six topical Divisions.

NSF and its Observatories Core messages:

- NSF funds forefront science

- NSF invests in training and education of the next generation

- NSF engages in partnerships to leverage its assets for the best science

Audiences:

- National community [focus on breadth of NSF activities and opportunities for funding]

- International community [focus mostly on the science and forefront facilities] http://aas.org/governance/aas-mission-and-vision-statement http://aas.org/meetings

- Both: Education about the internal cross-NSF astronomical activities (e.g. GEO, PHY, CISE) and external astronomical activities [e.g. NSF-NASA, NSF-DOE, NSF-NOAA, NSF-DoD, international partnerships]

Branding:

To protect all that we are working towards, a unified approach will add value to the organization and position in America’s research community.

Participants: The AAS meeting is expected to bring together about 3,600 from all over the world to New Orleans, USA, to present and discuss the latest scientific breakthroughs and discoveries in the rapidly evolving scientific area of astronomy.

National Host: American Astronomical Society, Washington, DC. The only way to get exhibit space at this event is through this AAS. See attached linked to their website:

https://aas.org/meetings/aas243.

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

5 November 2024 James Neff Date:

Deputy Division Director, MPS/AST

Donna O’Malley Date Administrative Coordinator, MPS OAD 11/5/2024 http://aas.org/ https://aas.org/meetings/aas243

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

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

Contracting Officer Date