Online Library Database and Open Access Publication and Management

Department of Commerce (DOC)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Sources Sought

Online Library Database and Open Access Publication and Management

INTRODUCTION

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT ONLY.

This Sources Sought is issued solely for information and market research planning purposes; it does not constitute a solicitation or a promise to issue a solicitation. This notice does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is not seeking proposals at this time. Respondents are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay any costs incurred in response to this notice. All costs associated with responding to this notice will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this notice does not preclude participation in any future solicitation.

The information provided in this notice is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. All submissions become the property of the Federal Government, and will not be returned. Any information that the vendor considers proprietary should be clearly marked as such.

REQUIREMENT

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Oceanic and Atmospheric Research NOAA Central and Regional Libraries (NOAA/OAR/NCRL) requires online full-text archival access to all journals listed in Appendix A (see attached), as well as the ability to provide a streamlined, discounted, and trackable process of managing NOAA corresponding author’s open access (OA) publishing fees for NOAA authored articles.

This procurement supports two of NOAA’s stated mission goals: 1) To understand and predict changes in climate, weather, ocean and coasts; 2) To share that knowledge and information with others. In support of these goals, the requirement provides access to the scientific literature listed in Appendix A; literature that is highly consulted and cited by NOAA employees across the agency in their research into climate, weather, ocean and coasts. It also provides a streamlined process for ensuring that NOAA corresponding authors’ articles are shared as widely as possible via OA publication to ensure NOAA’s knowledge and research is shared with the largest audience possible. OA publishing also provides equitable access to the public, because it removes the subscription barrier from those researchers who do not belong to an organization with a subscription or do not have the means to pay for access themselves.

PURPOSE

To identify sources, including small and socioeconomic small business concerns, capable of performing the following capabilities:

• Full-text archival access to all journals in Appendix A;
• Ability to publish NOAA corresponding author articles in OA journals;
• Negotiated article processing charge (APC) discount on all NOAA corresponding author articles published in OA journals; and,
• Access to an online management tool to efficiently manage publishing activity.

RESPONSE DEADLINE AND REQUESTED INFORMATION

Respondents are encouraged to prepare a capabilities statement that addresses the capabilities identified in the Purpose section. Responses to this notice should be submitted in the form of Microsoft Word and/or PDF (searchable format) documents attached to emails received no later than 3:00 p.m. MST, May 19, 2023. Responses shall be submitted to:

• Contracting Officer, Molly Tovado, at molly.tovado@noaa.gov
• Contract Specialist, Julia Hamilton, at julia.l.hamilton@noaa.gov

The statement of capability shall also include the information listed below:

1. Company Name/Division, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone, and website address (if available).
2. Single point-of-contact name, title, telephone, and email address.
3. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Please note that offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at SAM.gov at the time an offer or quotation is submitted in order to comply with the annual representations and certifications requirements.
4. Indicate if your firm qualifies as a small business under NAICS Code 513120 Scientific journal and periodical publishers, and socio-economic status, if qualified as one or more of the following:
   1. 8(a) firm (must be certified by SBA)
   2. Small Disadvantaged Business
   3. Woman-Owned Small Business (must be certified by SBA)
   4. HUBZone firm (must be certified by SBA)
   5. Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
5. Vendors may provide any other information determined to be important and relevant to the purposes of this Sources Sought.

INDUSTRY DISCUSSIONS

Some respondents may be asked to provide additional information regarding the matters addressed in this notice. Those respondents will be contacted directly if there is a need for further information.

QUESTIONS

Respondents may submit questions regarding this notice to the contact(s) listed below. Responses to questions may be posted on SAM.gov. Please send any questions you may have to Contracting Officer, Molly Tovado, at molly.tovado@noaa.gov and Contract Specialist, Julia Hamilton, at julia.l.hamilton@noaa.gov.