U--HUBBLE TELESCOPE EDUCATION INITIATIVE FOR NASA GSFC

NASA intends to award a sole source purchase order to The Gannett SatelliteInformation Network, Inc. to procure the Hubble Telescope Education Initiative. Purchasing of services to design, develop, distribute, communicate, and host on amicrosite and of licensing for incorporation of newspaper articles, graphics, and onlineinteractives into two collegiate level case studies and two K-12 inquiry-based learningprojects in support of the Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4 Education Plan.The nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited. In addition marketresearch was conducted to determine no other contractor has the unique capability toprovide the services offered to meet the educational effort needs. There is only onenews organization in the world that can supply the licensing for the named articles,graphic and online interactives and develop educational activities that incorporate thoseservices. The contractor from which the services are to be purchased are the developers and ownersof the newspaper articles, graphics and online interactives that will be the foundationof the collegiate case studies and K-12 inquiry projects. The contractor also has anexisting infrastructure with recognized, successful capability in design andimplementation of rigorous case studies and lesson plans. The contractor has establishedcommunication network that reaches over 25,000 K-12 classrooms and 500+ universities andcommunity colleges across the nation, capable of making the Hubble lessons impact over 1million students daily.NASA's GSFC intends to enter into a contract with GANNETT SATELLITE INFORMATION NETWORK,INC. pursuant to FAR 13.106, for the acquisition of supplies or services determined to bereasonably available from only one source. Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform theeffort in writing to the identified point of contact no later than 4:00PM EST onSeptember 2, 2008. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated soley for thepurpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on competitive basis.A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort, based uponresponses to this notice, is soley within the discretion of the government.The government intends to use the Simplified Acquisition Procedures set fourth in FARPart 13. An ombudsman has been appointed--See NASA Specific Note "B".Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URL's linked below.The FAR may be obtained via the Internet at URL: http://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.html The NFS may be obtained via the Internet at URL: http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/nfstoc.htm