Reading Is Fundamental Inexpensive Book Distribution Program

The U.S Department of Education (ED) intends to solicit and negotiate with one source under the authority of FAR 6.302. The proposed contract action is for Reading Is Fundamental (RIF). RIF, a private, nonprofit organization, manages a network of local literacy projects designed to support and promote reading programs to help prepare young children for reading and to motivate older children to read, through the distribution of inexpensive books. RIF enters into voluntary agreements with local private nonprofit groups and organizations or with public agencies that distribute free books to children. Since 1976, RIF has distributed over 250 million books through these agreements. The agreements are awarded at various times during the fiscal year, but they terminate by the expiration date of the contract.



Reading Is Fundamental is located at 1825 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20009. RIF will administer the distribution of the inexpensive reading materials through the voluntary cooperation of public agencies such as local education agencies, libraries, or nonprofit organizations or groups to serve populations of children with special needs (low-income children, particularly in high poverty areas; children at risk of school failure; children with disabilities; foster children; homeless children; migrant children; children without access to libraries; institutionalized or incarcerated children; and children whose parents are institutionalized or incarcerated) as stated in the legislation. The legislative authority for this is the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, (Pub. L. 107-110), Title V, Part D, Subpart 5-Reading Is Fundamental-Inexpensive Book Distribution Program, Section 5451. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals.