Q--EBSCO Healthcare Subscription

BRAND NAME/SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATIONIAW FAR 6.302-1 The Dayton VA Medical Center, 4100 W. Third Street, Dayton OH, 45428-9000, intends to sole source the Medical Publishing Package Subscription database to a EBSCO Subscription Services 10 Estes St. Ipswich, MA 01938-2106. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 519130, Internet Publishing and Broadcasting and Web Search Portals, Small Business Size Standard is 500 Employees. This announcement of the intent to sole source is NOT a request for proposals, quotes, or bids. No formal solicitation document will be forthcoming. Interested parties may identify their interest and submit product information in response to this notice. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract is entirely in the discretion of the Government. Inquiries or comments regarding this announcement may be emailed to the POC at [email protected] COB November 7, 2009 at 12:00 PM ET. A sole source, fixed price contract with EBSCO Subscription Services may be awarded, dependent upon availability of funds on or around November 10, 2009. I. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES/SERVICES: Purchase Request No. 552-10-1-046-0001. This requirement is for EBSCO Publishing Health Database subscription. This service provides on-site access to these databases. EBSCO provides access to databases and full text journal material needed by our healthcare providers to assure quality healthcare for our veterans, II. STATEMENT OF FACTS JUSTIFYING SOLE SOURCE AWARD: A. The nature of the acquisition requires a contractor that possesses the unique capability of : EBSCO Publishing provides a bibliographic database. Without this bibliographic database, our research staff will not be able to provide this kind of information in a grant application. EBSCO provides access to databases and full text journal material . These databases also assist in providing vital information for deciding choices of treatment. EBSCO publishing has provided this service to our medical center for several years. Our staff would have to take additional time to develop new skills to adjust to another database provider in the event that these service were available from another source. EBSCO database also parallels and works jointly with the Wright State University's School of Medicine Library database widely used in our medical center. B. EBSCO Publishing is the only company that can provide the necessary supplies/services because: EBSCO Publishing is the only company known that can provide this type of healthcare tailored material and database function required by our medical staff. 1. STATE AUTHORITY: III. JUSTIFICATION FOR BRAND NAME: Unique Qualifications IV. Catalyst Learning Company is the only known source able to satisfy the Government's minimum requirement(s) because: EBSCO Publishing's unique and established relationship with the VA. V. STATEMENT OF ACTIONS TAKEN TO PRECLUDE THE NECESSITY FOR A FUTURE SOLE SOURCE ACQUISITION FOR THE SAME SUPPLIES/SERVICES: Niki Conca __________Administrative Librarian_______VA Medical Center__________ Project Officer/COTR Title Organization ___________________________________________________________ Contract Specialist Signature NBC Per the FAR reference below, the J&A is required if you have limited the competition to one source. FAR 6.302-1 (c) Application for brand name descriptions. An acquisition that uses a brand name description or other purchase description to specify a particular brand name, product, or feature of a product, peculiar to one manufacturer does not provide for full and open competition regardless of the number of sources solicited. It shall be justified and approved in accordance with FAR 6.303 and 6.304. The justification should indicate that the use of such descriptions in the acquisition is essential to the Government's requirements, thereby precluding consideration of a product manufactured by another company. See 5.102(a)(6) for the requirement to post the brand name justification. (Brand-name or equal descriptions, and other purchase descriptions that permit prospective contractors to offer products other than those specifically referenced by brand name, provide for full and open competition and do not require justifications and approvals to support their use.)