Intent to Sole Source - Whole Systems

The State of Montana, State Procurement Bureau, on behalf of the Office of Public Instruction, is issuing an Intent to Sole Source solicitation for a superconducting nanowire single photon detector (SNSPD) system. The State is considering awarding a sole source contract to Whole Systems Performance to provide Negotiated Rulemaking Facilitation services. The solicitation is open from August 28, 2024 to September 9, 2024, and the award will be made on September 9, 2024. No competitive proposals are being requested, but the State is accepting responses from potential vendors who believe they can provide the requested services. The payment terms are 0% 0, Net 30, and the commodity codes associated with this solicitation are 1402 - Educational Services and 3913 - Professional Services - Facilitator Services. Vendors must register in the eMACS system to respond to this opportunity.

The State has determined that Whole Systems' unique skillset and experience in facilitating the negotiated rulemaking process for standards of accreditation, as mandated by Montana state law, make them the sole source for this requirement. Whole Systems has successfully facilitated several previous negotiated rulemaking committees for the Office of Public Instruction (OPI), and the OPI has been unable to find other facilitators with the necessary experience and availability to meet the project timeline extending through March 2025. The State Procurement Bureau is accepting written comments from potential vendors who believe they can provide an equivalent product and services, but this is not a request for competitive proposals. The State will make a determination based on the responses received by the September 9th, 2024 deadline, and may proceed to award a contract to Whole Systems if no suitable alternatives are identified.