Sole Source / Maintenance of Falcon Scanner and License

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation division has issued a Special Notice of Intent to award a sole source contract for the maintenance and support of OPEX Falcon high-speed document scanners. Posted on March 4, 2026, with a due date of March 18, 2026, this procurement is authorized under Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 13.106-1(b)(1) for acquisitions not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. The IRS-CI Advanced Analytics and Innovation, Data Management and Governance division utilizes these proprietary scanners for critical document processing operations that support criminal investigation case work. The solicitation is classified as a sole source procurement because OPEX Corporation is the only manufacturer and authorized provider of maintenance and support services for these systems. This notice is informational in nature and does not constitute a request for competitive proposals.

The primary objective of this procurement is to renew annual maintenance and software licensing agreements for six OPEX Falcon scanners located at the IRS Criminal Investigation facility in Florence, Kentucky, with a period of performance from March 3, 2026, through March 2, 2027. The contract encompasses hardware maintenance for two Falcon Base Machines, four Falcon+ Base Machines, and six Falcon Multi ID Assist Towers, along with annual software licenses for Image Tools, VRS Technology, CertainScan Edit & OPEX Transform, and CertainScan PDF-8. Only OPEX Corporation is eligible to perform these services, as it maintains exclusive control over proprietary diagnostic software and authorized maintenance capabilities, with no third-party resellers or alternative vendors permitted to service the equipment. The IRS determined that transitioning to alternative scanning systems would require extensive testing, several months for deployment, and an estimated $500,000 investment, creating unacceptable operational risks. The Contracting Officer's Representative is Sabrina Jones, and interested parties should direct inquiries accordingly by the March 18, 2026 deadline.