70 -- eRoom Maintenance Renewal Support

The US Department of Education, Office of Information Officer, requires eRoom Maintenance software. NOTICE OF INTENDED SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE to: Vendor - EMC Corporation 8444 Westpark Dr McLean, VA 22102-2510 The US Department of Education (ED), Office of Chief Information Officer (OCIO) requires a vendor to provide eRoom Maintenance renewal support. See requirements document uploaded separately under this reference number. It contains the description, quantity and start and end dates for the 12 line items under this requirement. eRooms Software is used for collaboration with various offices in the Department of Education. The Department uses eRoom as a collaboration tool to coordinate various activities between the The Department and state and federal educational agencies. The Department had reviewed documentation provided by a research and analysis firm on 5 collaboration software tools. The Department conducted extensive market research and selected the best tool for the Department. Two software packages met the Department's standard requirements (i.e. technical requirements, 508 compliance, security, interoperability with network environment and standard tools), and then the Department narrowed it down to one software package, E Rooms, for interoperability and feasibility reasons. eRooms was selected by The Department in 2002 and if a new product was purchased it would be costly because new licenses, maintenance, and training would need to be purchased in order to use the software. The Department does not intend to purchase another collaboration tool for at least another two years. The proposed contract action is for services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1). Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit quotations. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations. However, all quotations received by the posted response date will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this 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 request does not commit the U.S. Department of Education to award any purchase order, to pay any costs incurred related to quotations or subsequent negotiations, if any. It is also the Offeror's responsibility to inform the US Department of Education of any present, pending or possible future conflicts of interest.