Notice of Intent to Sole Source PRIMO Search and Discovery Online Subscription Service

The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) intends to award a sole-source contract in the amount of $192,373.52 to Ex Libris (USA), Inc.; located at 1350 E Touhy Ave, Suite 200 E, Des Plaines, IL 60018-3307, for the open market purchase of the PRIMO Search and Discovery Database for one base year and four option periods; for the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR).This PRIMO Search and Discovery Online Subscription Service is available directly from Ex Libris (USA) Inc.  Ex Libris was founded as a corporate entity in 1986 in Jerusalem. The U.S. subsidiary (Ex Libris (USA) Inc.) was then incorporated in 1989 in the state of New York. Ex Libris was then acquired by ProQuest in 2015.  Ex Libris is headquartered in Jerusalem, Israel, and maintains a U.S. office in Chicago. Altogether, there are twenty-one international subsidiaries and four distributors worldwide. Software development and certain support and implementation services are provided out of their

headquarters in Israel, but primary support and implementation services are provided by the U.S. office for Ex Libris’ North American customers.  Ex Libris is owned by ProQuest LLC, who completed the acquisition of Ex Libris in 2015. Note that Ex Libris, Inc. operates as a separate business unit within the ProQuest organization; with its own tax number and CAGE code. The PRIMO Discovery System is only sold through Ex Libris, Inc. directly as indicated in their Sole Source Letter dated 5 January 2021 from their Des Plaines, Illinois US location.PRIMO is an off-the-shelf, commercial solution to providing a powerful, customizable, and seamless search platform that addresses the multitudinous discovery needs for integrated access to print and electronic content of all types; such a solution is known as a "discovery solution". Primo is a one-stop solution for the web scale discovery and delivery of local and remote resources, such as books, journal articles, and digital objects (such as archival finding aids), and other media (e.g., videos, etc.). These types of discovery platforms are commonly implemented in academic research libraries worldwide and are used in Federal government agencies. The PRIMO Discovery System interoperates with the Integrated Library System (ILS) Voyager Software version used at WRAIR’s Gorgas Memorial Library. The Gorgas Memorial library provides essential resources to all staff at WRAIR.  The subscription shall interoperate and provide a discovery solution with the Integrated Library System (ILS) EOS.Web 2020.11 that will renew books, place holds, and/or other OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog)-related functions.The government does not intend to post a solicitation for this requirement nor is this a request for a solicitation or competitive proposals.  However, if a company believes it could meet or exceed all the needs of WRAIR for this requirement, it may submit documentation as such (i.e. a proposal, quote or capabilities statement) and any reasonable offer shall be considered by this agency.  All responses to this notice must clearly indicate to the Government that pursuing competition in future procurements would be advantageous.  If qualified sources are not presented to the Government by a response to this notice, then a contract shall be awarded in accordance with Other than Full and Open Competition procedures, pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1); only one responsible source, as implemented by FAR 6.302-1(b)(1)(ii), Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies and Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.  No telephone inquiries will be accepted.  The Government reserves the right not to compete this requirement. Any qualified offerors must respond in writing no later than Wednesday 27 January 2021 by 9:00AM Eastern Standard Time to USAMRAA, Attn: Lisa Walters, Lisa.D.Walters13.civ@mail.mil.  Any responses received after this date and time will not be considered.  Any response documentation received shall become the property of the government.