Intent to Sole Source - Web-based import and export trade data search subscription
Closed Special Notice Posted
- Solicitation number
- FMC-26-BEIC-0004
- Agency
-
Federal Maritime Commission
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- Place of performance
- Washington, District of Columbia 20573, United States
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Federal Maritime Commission issued a sole-source intent notice on September 10, 2026, announcing plans to award a purchase order to Descartes Systems (USA) for a web-based import and export trade data search subscription with a September 20, 2026 comment deadline. This notice is informational only; no competitive solicitation will follow.
The FMC's Bureau of Enforcement, Investigations, and Compliance requires direct access to U.S. Customs and Border Protection's unfiltered trade data to support investigative, monitoring, and surveillance programs. The required system must deliver comprehensive, timely, and accurate import and export information on cargo moving through U.S. ports, with capabilities to generate large-scale reports or extract shipment-by-shipment detail. Authorized Commission personnel will access the data online.
The FMC lacks direct CBP data access and relies on a subscription vendor with that capability. Market research identified twelve interested vendors; three participated in demonstrations but none demonstrated existing commercial solutions meeting the government's minimum requirements. The contract value is $480,000 total, consisting of a base year (September 30, 2026 through September 29, 2027) plus four option years through September 29, 2031. Required data includes Master Ocean Bills of Lading with a three-week maximum lag and daily updates, two years of historical data, and House/NVOCC Bills of Lading with six-week maximum lag. Questions should be directed to mcalhoun@fmc.gov.
Notice text
In accordance with FAR, RFO deviation, FAR 6.103-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. the Federal Maritime Commission), intends to solicit and award a Purchase Order to Descartes Systems (USA).
The FMC requires the services of a contractor who has direct access to U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s unfiltered data and can provide a web- based comprehensive database of timely, accurate, import and export information on the cargoes moving through ports in the United States to, or from, foreign ports. The data must be easy to understand and manipulated to produce reports on a large scale or extract the information on a shipment-by-shipment basis. Authorized Commission personnel will obtain the data by direct online access.
The data that the Commission requires for the inbound trades is gathered and tightly controlled by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The availability and accuracy of this data is a vital component to the investigative, monitoring and surveillance programs of the FMC's Bureau of Enforcement, Investigations, and Compliance (BEIC). The FMC does not have direct access to this data, so we have to rely on a subscription service that does have direct access. The data obtained from the subscription will significantly assist the Commission with the industry it regulates.
This notice is not a request for competitive proposals.A solicitation will not be available for this requirement. The intent of this announcement is for informational purposes only.
Questions may be emailed to mcalhoun@fmc.gov.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| JOFOC OMD DECARTES FINAL 9226_Redacted.pdf |
Similar open opportunities
| Opportunity | Agency | Set-aside | Responses due |
|---|---|---|---|
| EIS logical follow-on | Federal Maritime Commission | No set-aside |
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