Blaise 4 and 5 software licenses and support

The United States Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS) has issued a Special Notice regarding the procurement of Blaise 4 and 5 software licenses and support services. The notice indicates the agency's intent to award a sole source, firm fixed price contract to Westat Inc. for software licensing. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) has confirmed that Westat is the sole distributor of Blaise software in North and South America through 2025, making them the exclusive vendor capable of providing these specialized licenses. The contract will cover software licensing for 16 developers, 800 interviewer units, and related technical support. The procurement falls under NAICS code 518210 with a size standard of $40 million and has an estimated period of performance from December 15, 2024, to December 14, 2025.

The primary purpose of this Special Notice is to inform potential vendors about USDA NASS's planned sole source procurement and provide an opportunity for market research and potential competition. Vendors interested in the opportunity are invited to submit substantiating documentation in writing to the designated point of contact by December 5, 2024. Oral communications will not be accepted, and the government retains sole discretion in determining whether to proceed with a competitive procurement. The contract will include licensing for Blaise software with specific requirements such as CATI data collection capabilities, call scheduling functionality, and data integration from multiple collection modes. While NASS is developing replacement systems (READI and IDEAL) targeted for implementation by November 2025, they require continuous Blaise software support until the transition is complete. Alternative solutions were evaluated but deemed unsuitable due to technical limitations and data security requirements.