SSJ_SNI-Iraq_Oil_FY2025_FE_-_Redacted_1.pdf

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Sole Source Justification Under Simplified Procedures For Certain Commercial Items, Department of Energy, Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence Subscription

Products and Services on Iraq and its Oil Market

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity.

The Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (IN), Headquarters U.S. Department of Energy plans to contract with Strategic News International, Inc. (SNI), by means of Other than Full and Open Competition - Brand Name. Office of Headquarters Procurement Services (MA- 642.2) will execute the action.

This document sets forth the justification for Other than Full and Open Competition and the use of a sole source acquisition found at Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106-1(b), and in accordance with 41 U.S. Code § 1901. This acquisition is anticipated to be at or below the simplified acquisition threshold ($250,000).

2. The nature and/or description of the action being approved.

The request is to purchase subscription products and access to subject matter experts (SMEs) to provide in-depth coverage on geopolitical and related factors affecting Iraqi oil. The award will be a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Purchase Order for five 12-month performance periods.

Award information is provided below:

• Contractor Name: Strategic News International Inc. (SNI)

• Contractor Address: 1609 Lakeway Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49001

• Unique Entity ID (UEI): GDBRF8E7BT91

• CAGE: 5ZN38

• NAICS: 519290 - Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services

• Period of Performance: One Year Base Period with Four (4) one-year options.

• Contract Type: Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) Purchase Order

• Government Cost Estimate Dollar Value of this Action: $116,204.03

3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs.

Energy Security Division (ESD) has a critical, core mission requirement for analysis and reporting on global energy events and conditions affecting U.S. energy security interests, particularly in Iraq. As the second–largest crude oil producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and holder of the world’s fifth–largest proved crude oil reserves, Iraq is a critical component influencing worldwide oil market prices. All of these converging factors make Iraq a consistent, enduring area of interest for DOE and IN’s stakeholders, including, the executive levels of the Department. SNI will provide DOE with products and access to SMEs, all of which are essential to DOE and IN’s mission requirements for timely, accurate and comprehensive, reporting, and analyses on energy events affecting Iraq and the global oil market.

Strategic News International -

Iraq Oil Products and Services

Item Title Description

Iraq Crude Production & Export Tracker (a.k.a. Iraq Tracker)

Enterprise license for unlimited user access to a monthly 12–20-page report on technical, political and security developments impacting immediate term and longer-term crude production and exports; A monthly conference call to discuss topics raised in the report

Iraq Dataset (focused on Iraq's Oil & Financials)

Enterprise license for unlimited user access to a monthly updated spreadsheet with approximately 150 key oil sector and economic data points covering all of Iraq including the Kurdistan region. This includes data on field-by-field production, and disaggregated export data; a monthly written analysis on key data trends.

Iraq Oil News (via website)

Enterprise license for unlimited user access to the Iraqi news website, including entire archive, email newsletter when stories are published, weekly roundup newsletter.

Access to Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

Analysts can contact the vendor’s Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for clarification and questions concerning the content in the vendor’s products. This engagement can be done via phone, conference calls, or email as planned through mutual agreement of both parties’ timeframes and schedule availability. There is no expectation that the vendor will do additional research in support of these queries.

Usage Statistics

If requested by the Government Sponsor, information will be provided to convey the amount of usage, by product, including identifying by whom the services were requested, and when access was requested to SMEs, if any.

4. The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 13.106- 1(b) (SAP) and 41 U.S.C. 1901.

5. A statement demonstrating the unique qualifications of the proposed contractor or the nature of the action requiring use of the authority

SNI, a news and research company, has been determined to be the only source meeting DOE’s unique stakeholder requirements. SNI’s products provide in-depth, comprehensive information specific to Iraq’s oil market. Their Iraq focused products—monthly reports with a synopsis of crude oil production and exports, news articles, tracker, and oil production dataset—provide analysis and context for readers on the political, economic, security, and operational developments impacting Iraq’s oil.

No other source, including traditional news venues, provide products that are singularly focused, comprehensively cover Iraq, and the factors affecting Iraqi oil. Additionally, the insights provided by SNI’s network of in-country staff include more than a dozen full-time reporters and researchers based throughout the country. SNI’s in-country presence and frequent engagement and access to senior Iraqi decision makers in the oil sector, from the minister to remote oil field level, provide customers with consistent, reliable information on what is occurring in Iraq specific to its oil market, reserves, and potential factors impacting the global oil market. In summary, no other information provider has sourcing, access, or historic knowledge to provide products comparable to SNI in either quality, accuracy, or the utility needed for informing ESD’s products.

6. A Description of Efforts to Ensure that Offers were Solicited from as Many Potential

Sources as is Practicable

This effort was synopsized on 8/8/2025 in the System for Award Management (http://www.sam.gov) in accordance with the requirements for FAR 5.2. The closing date for this synopsis was 8/23/2025.

A total of two capability statements were received in response to the notice of intent. Capability statements submitted in response to the notice were evaluated to determine the company’s respective ability to meet the stated requirements.

Company Company Size (Large, Small, SDVOSB, etc)

1. Jamal Al Alameyn Company Large Business

2. Industrial Info Resources Small Business

A capability statement from Jamal Al Alameyn Company was received on August 17, 2025, and has been reviewed for compliance with submission requirements. The capability statement provided by Jamal Al Alameyn Company outlines their proposed ability to meet the requirements of analysis and reporting on global energy events and conditions affecting U.S.

energy security interests, particularly in Iraq. However, upon initial review, several concerns have been identified regarding the company’s credibility and ability to perform the specified tasks. A search for Jamal Al Alameyn Company revealed no discernible online presence, such as a company website, or professional listings. This absence raises concerns about the company’s http://www.sam.gov/ visibility, legitimacy, and accessibility in the marketplace. The capability statement does not provide sufficient details about the company’s history, organizational structure, or key personnel. There is no evidence of prior performance or historical records to independently verify Jamal Al Alameyn Company’s experience or expertise in delivering similar projects. The capability statement does not include references, case studies, or examples of past work that demonstrate their ability to meet the requirements of analysis and reporting on global energy events and conditions affecting U.S. energy security interests, particularly in Iraq. Without an online presence or historical record, it is challenging to independently verify the claims made in the capability statement. This lack of transparency raises questions about the company’s reliability and ability to fulfill the requirements.

In addition, a capability statement from Industrial Info Resources (IIR) was received on August 22, 2025, and was also reviewed for compliance with submission requirements. The capability statement from IIR seems to be for a separate requirement, Iran Petroleum Refinery Intelligence, and not for ESD’s specific mission requirement for timely, accurate, and comprehensive reporting and analyses on energy events and developments affecting Iraq and its oil market. There is nothing specific within the capability statement that highlights ESD’s requirements outlined in the solicitation or explicit capability that IIR has the ability to provide reporting and analysis on Iraqi crude oil production, export volumes, and financial data.

Upon evaluation, it was concluded that neither submission satisfied the critical requirements specified in the notice of intent. Consequently, the capability statements failed to demonstrate the capacity to address the specific needs of the requirement.

7. Anticipated dollar value of the proposed acquisition.

Based on a recent Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) from SNI, the anticipated total cost for a five- year procurement is under the simplified acquisition threshold and will not exceed $120,000, details are provided in the following table.

Strategic News International - Iraq Oil

IGCE

Item Description Base Year Option Year 1

Option Year 2

Option Year 3

Option Year 4

Iraq Crude Production & Export Tracker (a.k.a. Iraq Tracker)

$7,270.00 $7,633.50 $8,015.18 $8,415.93 $8,836.73

2 Iraq Oil & Financial Dataset (a.k.a. Iraq Dataset)

$7,199.00 $7,558.95 $7,936.90 $8,333.74 $8,750.43

3 Iraq Oil Report (Iraq News) via website

$6,561.00 $6,889.05 $7,233.50 $7,595.18 $7,974.94

4 Access to Subject Matter Experts

Included Included Included Included Included

Total Core Item Price Per Performance Year:

$21,030.00 $22,081.50 $23,185.58 $24,344.85 $25,562.10

Total Extended Price for Five Year Performance Term: $116,204.03

8. Market research and results.

ESD conducted market research to identify other means for acquiring the subscription data offered by SNI, including FAR Part 8, GSA Advantage, subscription resellers, and through ESD’s existing subscription providers. The results of the market research revealed that: 1) traditional FAR Part 8 sources do not have the skillset to provide this highly technical customized product delivery that includes direct collaboration with subject matter experts, 2) the non-traditional FAR Part 8 sources through GSA Advantage do not offer products that are specific to Iraq and its oil, 3) while there are some foreign-owned companies that have news products that cover Iraq, the Department requires unbiased information from non-state entities, and 4) Non-FAR Part 8 subscription providers, including Foreign Reports, which is a current IN contract provider, do not have a comparable country product, only Middle East North Africa (MENA) regional products. SNI maintains exclusive ownership of the publishing and distribution rights to the products sought and required by DOE. In summary, SNI’s products and services solely focused on Iraq oil is a key differentiator from other subscription service providers that provide overarching, broader coverage of global energy, including in the MENA region. Accordingly, market research has substantiated that SNI is the only source for this Office’s requirements.

9. Other factors supporting the use of other than full and open competition.

None.

10. Other sources expressing written interest in the requirement.

See section 6.

11. Potential actions by the agency to remove/overcome barriers to competition.

ESD periodically reviews, at least semi- annually, its requirements to identify other potential vendors, who may be able to provide products meeting IN’s requirements.

BRYAN

Certification:

The information contained in this Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition is certified accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Digitally signed by

KRYSTAL NORRIS

Contracting Officer Representative

NORRIS

Signature

Date: 2025.07.02 08:29:37 -04'00' Date

12. Contracting Officer Certification

The information contained in this Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition is certified accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Contracting Officer Date Signature

KRYSTAL