Single Source provider for proprietary software licenses from Newsela

The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB) in St. Johns County is seeking to procure proprietary software licenses from Newsela through a single source acquisition for fiscal year 2026-2027. The procurement covers Newsela's All Access PD Pass, ELA, Science, Social Studies, and Writing products, which constitute an integrated instructional content platform designed to support educational delivery. The goods being procured are software licenses providing access to differentiated reading level content, embedded formative assessments, and customizable close reading tools sourced from exclusive content partnerships including the Associated Press, the Washington Post, National Geographic, Scientific American, and the Smithsonian Institution. FSDB justifies the single source designation by asserting that Newsela is the sole proprietary owner and provider of this unique combination of educational content, instructional resources, and assessment tools, with no alternative educational SaaS solutions offering equivalent functionality and content partnerships. The procurement was posted on April 28, 2026, with a response deadline of May 19, 2026, at 4:00 PM, providing a fifteen-business-day notice period for prospective vendors to submit information regarding their ability to supply equivalent commodities or services. No competitive bidding process, site visits, or bidders' conferences are scheduled. Inquiries should be directed to Kim Whitwam, Director of Purchasing, at whitwamk@fsdk12.org.

This single source procurement carries an estimated not-to-exceed contract value of $15,500.00 for the fiscal year 2026-2027. The procurement is designated exclusively for Newsela, located at 169 Madison Ave. #2770, New York, NY 10016, as the intended sole source provider, with no set-aside designations or restrictions applicable to responding organizations noted in the procurement documentation. No incumbent vendors, current contractors, or existing infrastructure integration requirements are specified in the available procurement materials. The single source justification emphasizes that Newsela's proprietary offerings are protected by copyrights, trademarks, and service marks, establishing the vendor as the exclusive provider capable of delivering the required educational content, assessment capabilities, and instructional resources to meet FSDB's curricular objectives for the upcoming fiscal year.