The U.S. Army Medical Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) intends to issue a limited sources award for eCTD Software License Maintenance and Technical Support Services and Training for Liquent Insight and SmartDesk Software Products and Modules for the MRDC eITPMO Program Office, Fort Detrick Md. This requirement will involve access to this proprietary software. The period of performance for this effort will be a 12-month base period with one (1) 6-month option periods. Liquent is the only contractor that can provide proprietary services for the CTD Software License Maintenance and Technical Support Services and Training for Liquent Insight and SmartDesk Software Products and has not licensed the resale right to sell, maintain, or sustain this Liquent software to any other contractors.
Any firm that believes it can provide the stated capability as outlined in the below Limited Sources Justification are invited to submit written notification to the Contracting Officer NLT 12PM ET on 01 April 2020. Supporting evidence must be furnished in sufficient detail to demonstrate the firm's ability to provide the stated capability. Information shall be sent electronically (via e-mail only) to Mr. Jeremy A. Calligan, Contract Specialist, at jeremy.a.calligan.civ@mail.mil. No telephone requests will be accepted. Responses received will be evaluated; however; a determination by the Government not to compete the proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. If no responses are received, USAMRAA will proceed with the limited sources contract.
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Limited Sources Justification: The eITPMO needs to procure brand name only, Liquent/Parexel Insight for Publishing and Liquent/Parexel Insight for Viewing SW licenses with annual maintenance and support. This will allow the continued support of the implemented software that is being sun-setted , while the procurement and implementation of a replacement software package is performed. In fall 2019, Liquent notified customers via a User Alert Announcement , that they will be sun-setting their on-premise version of these applications (excluding SmartDesk for PDF which is a desktop application) utilized by eITPMO, beginning July 1, 2021. As the program office did not factor this discontinuing of the product into its acquisition planning for FY20, there is now an urgent need to produce a follow-on requirement to replace this SW solution. Without the additional period of support which will allow for the procurement of a viable replacement, the program office will not be able to continue to provide the USAMRDC Office of regulated Activity the ability to create and submit applications to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); therefore seriously impacting the eITPMO and MRDC missions.
Reason for Authority Cited: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.
As described at FAR 6.302-1(a)(2), when the supplies or services required by the agency are available only from one responsible source and no other types of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, full and open competition need not be provided for. As further described in FAR 6.302-1(c), an acquisition or portion of 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.
This action requires the use of the authority cited because the proposed contractor, Liquent, is the only contractor that can provide proprietary services and equipment for the Insight software solution, due to the fact that Liquent has not licensed the resale right to maintain the Insight software to any other contractors. Liquent provided their proprietary rights letter to the Government on 10 February 2020. Insight, a Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) product, is a mission-critical software application which provides the USAMRDC Office of regulated Activity the ability to create and submit applications to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Under the terms of its standard commercial license, Liquent, the developer of Insight has retained the rights to maintain this software. Thus, the Contractor is uniquely qualified for fulfilling the contract requirements.
The eITPMO program office has utilized Insight for the past 5 years. This software has already received an RMF Authority to Operate as part of the MeRITS RMF accreditation which is a lengthy process that takes multiple months to obtain.
Due to the sunset of this software solution, the Government would have to have time to review sources, solicit, evaluate, and allow for IA certification of a follow-on solution. Based on analysis and market research, it is estimated that the cost of a follow-on requirement (12 month base and 4 12-month options) would cost an estimated $1M. Moreover, it is estimated that it would take approximately 6-8 months to fully integrate a follow-on solution (which extends beyond the current PoP of June 2020).
If this sole source is not implemented, there will be a gap in service and significant delays before a new system is fully implemented. It is anticipated the follow-on acquisition would take approximately 6 months. Subsequently, once a follow-on system is awarded, the new contractor would have to take the aforementioned 6-8 months to obtain IA certification and integration.
Acquiring an alternate system in lieu of this sole source with Liquent would not fit with the eITPMO mission and would disrupt the program office mission to an unacceptable level.
