THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, AN INVITATION FOR BIDS, OR A REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS. FURTHER, IT DOES NOT REPRESENT A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY FOR COSTS INCURRED IN PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF DATA OR ANY OTHER COSTS INCURRED IN RESPONSE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. This is a Sources Sought Notice (PUR200178) with the intent to award a sole source purchase order to John Wiley & Sons, Inc., under the authority of FAR 13.106-1 based on their unique technical qualifications as the only known company authorized to provide renewal licenses for the KnowItAll IR Spectral Library software. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) knows of no other sources for this requirement. Notice is provided as information to the marketplace, market research, and is an invitation for any other qualified companies to express their interest in and demonstrate their capability to provide the required work. The NTSB is an independent Federal agency with the primary missions of investigating civil aviation accidents in the United States and significant accidents in the other modes of transportation -- railroad, highway, marine and pipeline -- and issuing safety recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents. The NTSB has a requirement to renew one (1) software license to access the KnowItAll IR Spectral Library. The Materials Laboratory has one (1) Fourier-Transform infra-Red (FT-IR) spectrophotometer. The library search software that is compatible with the FT-IR spectrometer that was previously produced by Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. and is now owned by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. The Wiley software identifies unknown materials, spectral library searches are necessary to compare the spectra of the unknown material with those of known materials. The software renewal is critical to the operation of the Materials Laboratory and is required to allow unlimited access to spectral libraries. This is a recurring annual software license. The proposed purchase order will be for a one (1) year base period and four (4) one (1) year option periods. The decision to award a sole source contract is based on the fact that the KnowItAll © library is a proprietary software of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Wiley is the only direct supplier of the required software. There are third-party redistributors that will only sell the license as part of a hardware/software package. Thus, the NTSB will be unable to purchase the software renewal from another vendor as they will only provide the software if the hardware was purchased directly from said vendor. There would be unnecessary redundant costs and inefficiencies to the Government by purchasing another vendor’s hardware. Sources capable of fully satisfying the above requirements are invited to submit capability statements/expressions of interest providing the Government the necessary information to determine actual capability. At a minimum, this information, which must be prepared specifically in response to this notice shall include: (1) identification of company or organization; (2) an assertion of existing, full capability to meet proposed requirements; (3) business/contracts/marketing office point(s) of contact; (4) notification of business size and /or special status; and (5) any additional information that may be useful to the successful procurement of the requirements, if solicited. These expressions of interest shall adhere to a five (5)-page submission limit plus web links and any specialized product descriptions. The statement of qualifications should include only information that clearly demonstrates the respondent's capabilities, expertise, and experience to provide the requirements described in this notice. General marketing material should not be included. The NTSB prefers that companies do not submit proprietary material. However, the Government recognizes that proprietary data may be a part of your submittal. If so, clearly mark such restricted or proprietary data and present it as an addendum to the non-restricted/non-proprietary information. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. A determination by the Government not to compete the proposed purchase order based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, which shall be considered by NTSB. Parties must submit information within five (5) days of publication of this notice. NTSB will not return capability statements and the supporting documentation submitted in response to this notice. Telephone responses and inquiries will not be accepted. You may email questions regarding this notice to the issuing office to Janice R. McCoy via email at:
[email protected].