Robotics Processing Automation Pilot

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to negotiate a contract on a
sole source basis with Ignyte Group Inc., Washington, DC. The purpose of the contract is for the contractor to conduct a Robotics Processing Automation (RPA) Pilot for NIH Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). RPA is the use of software bots or "Digital Workers" to automate rule-based work. In today's agile and budget-constraint environment, there is a need to implement technology that will improve customer experience and operational excellence through increased efficiency, performance and agility to obtain an immediate return on investment (ROI). In the past year, the Office of Human Resource (OHR) at NIH engaged Ignyte to test and assess the benefits and ROI of RPA for a set of tasks. OHR found considerable ROI and increased efficiency. Based on OHR results, EDI plans to conduct a similar pilot project to assess feasibility and applicability of RPA for three EDI approved tasks. The EDI tasks to be tested with RPA would involve accessing databases that are maintained by the OHR unit. The performance period of the OHR's contract for the pilot has expired, however, the software license (i.e., Appian/BluePrism) that is part of project, and supplied by Ignyte, is still active until November 1, 2019. The software license is a critical part of the pilot project. EDI intends to make use the remaining licensing period to conduct this pilot project.

Responses
The proposed acquisition action is for items and/or services for which the
Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the
authority of FAR 13.106-1 (b). A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract acquisition based upon responses to the notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.
This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or
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deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to
this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed. Information provided will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for the potential requirement and may lead to the development of a solicitation. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted.
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announced to the public in Federal Business Opportunities in accordance with
the FAR Part 5. However, responses to this notice will not be considered
adequate responses to a solicitation. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or
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reserves the right to use any nonproprietary technical information in any
resultant solicitation(s).

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