SOLICITATION NOTICE
99 -- Graphic Security Systems Corporation
- Notice Date
- 9/24/2016
- Notice Type
- Justification and Approval (J&A)
- NAICS
- 541511
— Custom Computer Programming Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of State, Office of Acquisitions, Acquisition Management, 1735 N. Lynn St., Arlington, Virginia, 22209, United States
- ZIP Code
- 22209
- Archive Date
- 10/26/2016
- Point of Contact
- Vincent J Sanchez, Phone: 703-875-6629, Richard J. Miller, Phone: (703) 875 4327
- E-Mail Address
-
SanchezVJ@state.gov, MillerRJ2@state.gov
(SanchezVJ@state.gov, MillerRJ2@state.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Award Number
- SAQMMA16C0291
- Award Date
- 9/26/2016
- Description
- JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL (J&A) FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION FAR Part 6.3 1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity: The Office of Acquisition Management is conducting this acquisition of other than full and open competition for software to provide security, technology, and personalization features on behalf of Passport Services Office. 2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved. This is a Directed Award to Graphic Security Systems (GSSC). This will be Firm-Fixed Price contract for Proprietary Software to provide security, technology and software features used in passport cards known as "personalization features". 3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the Department's needs. This requirement is to provide the above mentioned software for the Passport Services office located in Washington, D.C. This will allow the Office of Passport Services to provide better security for United State Citizens. GSSC's proprietary Personalization software has been customized to meet Department of State Passport Services laser engraving requirements and specifications. These include; GSSC's VIPhoto® - Photo Enhancement software which ensures improved visual quality for proper encoding of overexposed and underexposed photos. Additionally, GSSC's automatic Background Extraction and Enhancement software improves encoding quality if the travel document design has a strong preprinted background overlapping with the photo area. To guarantee successful printing with quality micro-text readability and easy facial recognition of the micro-text ghost image, GSSC's DataScreen TM - Facial Feature Enhancer software aids to overcome the challenges of low printing resolution. The incorporation of this encoding process allows facial features to stand out in the steganographic ghost image overcoming all unfavorable effects. Images encoded using GSSC's personalization software already contain a functionality called SI® Digital Signature, which can be used to authenticate our VIPhoto® and DataScreen TM images on a forensic scale, using our software application. All their images have a unique micro-text alignment which is determined both by the content of the personal data being embedded, and by the unique code assigned to the project. Authentication software scans the document, and generates a reference image with the expected micro-text alignment for given personal data. This enables the examiner to compare the scanned and reference micro-text, and determine if the image was created using GSSC software delivered for the project. GSSC has developed SI® Digital Decoder software, which can be used to digitally decode scans or photographs of the encoded images found on documents and/or ID cards. This software has been tested with leading passport reader brands, such as Cross Match, 3M, Rochford Thompson etc. Foster+ Freeman has licensed this technology from GSSC for use in their advanced forensic science instruments. Lastly, with the increasing popularity of smartphone use, GSSC has developed its own proprietary application that can be customized to decode multiple GSSC security features to accommodate the authentication and data analysis requirements of the U.S. State Department. The digital decoding option makes the embedded security indicia image appear with a strong contrast and it can be stored for record keeping purposes. This unique combination of optical and digital decodability makes GSSC security indicia technology both an optical and a digital steganographic feature. 4. An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition. This acquisition is conducted under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 3304, as implemented by FAR 6.3 and substantiated by the following: ☒ FAR 6.302-1 - Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. 5. A demonstration that the proposed contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the action require use of the authority cited. Graphic Security Systems Corporation (GSSC) is uniquely qualified to provide these services to (Department of State's Passport Services Office because GSSC is a highly specialized U.S. company which has provided its steganographic technology to government agencies, security printing firms and major corporations for more than 35 years. Currently GSSC's IP portfolio includes over 3 granted U.S. patents and many additional patents worldwide in the steganographic area (see list below of U.S. patents pertaining to project). U.S. encoding and digital decoding patents pertaining to project U.S. Patent #8,682,025 U.S. Patent #7,512,249 U.S. Patent #7,561,308 U.S. Patent #7,558,401 U.S Patent #7,630,513 U.S. Patent #8,019,115 These patents cover proprietary software methods for embedding, scrambling, hiding, encoding, decoding as well as optical and digital authentication devices. Today GSSC's steganographic images and software protect billions of printed documents and products each year. 6. A description of efforts to ensure that offers were solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies. A notice will be publicized along with this justification for other than full and open competition in accordance with FAR parts 5 & 6. 7. A determination by the ordering activity Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government is fair and reasonable. The Contracting Office determines that the anticipated price(s) will be fair and reasonable based on a quote received from GSSC dated April 9, 2015 which is priced in accordance with past acquisition history and a copy of GSSC invoice number 232117 dated June 9, 2016. By signing the justification the Contracting Officer makes a determination that the cost/price to the Government are expected to be fair and reasonable. 8. A description of the market survey conducted (see Part 10) and the results or a statement of the reasons a market survey was not conducted. A market survey was not conducted. GSSC software is proprietary in nature and is uniquely suited to DOS's requirement, see paragraph 3 above. 9. Any other facts supporting the use of this justification. The Department of State is anticipating a surge in passport requests due to international considerations and is concerned as well with any security issues that may arise. This supplier's software will allow for enhanced security measure to be put in place. 10. A listing of any sources that expressed a written interest in the acquisition. Not applicable 11. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required. Specification for the Passport Cards and the Passport booklet may change in the future. At that time it is possible that some barriers to competition may be removed.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/2e8c15f87083f760e34e68c223f7260d)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Washington DC Metropolitan Area, Washington, District of Columbia, 20520, United States
- Zip Code: 20520
- Zip Code: 20520
- Record
- SN04286776-W 20160926/160924233110-2e8c15f87083f760e34e68c223f7260d (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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