Sources Sought.pdf

Sources Sought Synopsis

This is a Sources Sought Synopsis published by the United States Air Force (the Government or USAF).

There is no solicitation available at this time. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response. The purpose of this sources sought notice is to conduct market research to determine whether there are businesses available capable of providing an alternative product that meets the characteristics below. The

Air Force anticipates procuring this product as a FY20 base effort with three (3) option years. The period of performance for this subscription is anticipated 30 September 2020 – 29 September 2024. Responses to this sources sought notice will assist a determination of whether it is in the best interest of the

Government to proceed with a competition.

Option Period: 30 September 2021 – 29 September 2024

FSC: 7630

NAICS: 519130

Size Standard: 1,000 employees

Subscription name: Gale Multi Database

Supplier name: Cengage Learning Inc.

Product description: Gale Multi-Topic Database package. Tools feature 160 million full-text articles from leading books, journals, magazines, newspapers and primary sources, multimedia assets including videos, podcasts, tutorials and images, daily updates of new content. These databases cover subject matter with a specific focus on business practices, literary resources, environmental studies, and world cultures.

The information is provided in a simple user interface that allows users to search an individual database or the entire collection. Gale Cengage users can browse by topic or preform detailed searches. They can also use the Access My Library mobile application that is customizable app that allows users to save article, citation, and links.

Product characteristics an equal item must meet to be considered:

1. Must provide Gale published eBooks - 25 tiles from pick list

2. Must provide Gale in Context: Biography, Gale General OneFile with Collections & Health

Reference Center Academic

3. Gale General OneFiles - Agriculture, Business, Business Economics and Theory, Communication and Mass Media, Criminal Justice, Culinary Arts, Diversity Studies, Environmental Issues and Policy, Gardening, Landscape and Horticulture, Gender Studies, Home Improvement, Hospitality, Tourism, Leisure, Information Science, and Library Issues, Insurance and Liability, Nursing and Allied Health, Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, Pop Culture, Popular Magazines, Professional, Psychology, Religion and Philosophy, U.S.

History, Vocations and Careers, War and Terrorism.

4. Must provide National Geographic Kids, National Geographic People, Animals, World, &

National Geographic Current to 1888 databases

5. Must provide National Geographic produced content of videos, images, maps, books and magazines from 1888 to present

6. Must provide access to DoD owned Gale published Reference eBooks in databases searches and topic finder for customer usage

7. Must include backfiles and unlimited simultaneous access to content by users.

8. Must be able to provide peer reviewed material and articles

9. Must be able to provide material on all subjects listed above and specific content provider/publisher

10. Needs to be able to provide searches by all database or by individual databases

11. Needs to be able to browse by subject with visual topic map/finder graphic alternative to get regular search results

12. Needs to have notes and highlight feature to articles/topics that can be downloaded or printed by customer for later usage and work seamlessly with Google and Microsoft customer personal accounts for saving information for later usage.

13. Needs to have a mobile application that allows users to save articles, citations, and links

The Government will consider responses received within 21 days of issuance of this notice. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct a full and open competitive procurement or a small business set aside competitive procurement. The

Government will not pay for any information received in response to this announcement.

If the Government competes this requirement, a synopsis shall be issued utilizing the combined synopsis/solicitation procedure identified in FAR 12.603. If this effort becomes a Small Business Set-

Aside, FAR 52.219-14, Limitation on Subcontracting, will apply. Therefore, small businesses that want to be considered for a small business set-aside should demonstrate how they intend to comply.

A determination not to compete this requirement based upon responses to this notice is an administrative decision by the Government that is solely within its discretion.

Contractors should be aware of the following information:

1. Contractors must include the following information:

a. Points of contact, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers.

b. Identification as a large U.S. business, a small U.S. business, or a foreign business.

Please note that size indicated should be based on the NAICS code for this effort listed above.

c. Identification of any other socioeconomic status including: Women-Owned Small

Business, Economically Disadvantaged Small Business, 8(a), Service Disabled

Veteran Owned Small Business, Veteran Owned Small Business or HUBZone.

d. Company CAGE Code or DUNS Number.

2. This requirement is not intended for specific brand name products. Offerors are encouraged to suggest products other than those that may be specifically referenced by brand name.

Responses must address how alternate product meet the product characteristics specified above.

3. Submitted information shall be UNCLASSIFIED.

4. Responses are limited to of 10 pages in a Microsoft Word compatible format.

Any information submitted by respondents to this sources sought synopsis is strictly voluntary. The

Government will not reimburse the respondents for any costs associated with their response. This synopsis does not constitute a Request for Proposals nor does its issuance restrict the Government as to its ultimate acquisition approach. The Government reserves the right to contact the submitting parties, on an as required basis, for further clarification on material provided. Respondents should not construe this notice as a commitment by the Air Force for any purpose.

Responses should be emailed to Dragan Rasic at dragan.rasic.1@us.af.mil and Ashley Collins at ashley.collins.5@us.af.mil no later than 03 September 2020, 2:00 PM EST. Any questions should be directed to Dragan Rasic through email.

All responses should be received no later than 03 September 2020, 2:00 PM (Eastern).