NOAA/SAO Procurement Staff, Integrated Program Office (IPO), 8455 Colesville Road, Suite 1450, Silver Spring, MD

R -- SOLE SOURCE WITH ANSER CORPORATION FOR ELECTRONIC SOURCE SELECTION FACILITY SOL 52-SPNA-7-00005 DUE 013097 POC Jay W. Moore, Contracting Officer, 301-472-2126, extension 112 The NOAA, Integrated Program Office (IPO), requires the turn-key Electronic Source Selection (ESS) facilities at the Anser Corporation, in Arlington, VA, during the 3rd and 4th quarters of FY 1997. Anser is the one responsible source which is capable of supplying the ESS computer tools and software and the ability to readily modify these tools; a secured and accessible facility for protection of proprietary and classified information; and a trained and qualified staff which can support the IPO's evaluation as an independent support team, at a reasonable cost to the Government. The combination of the Anser Corporation's facilities, its tested software tools; and its experienced professional support team provides the single available source in the Washington, D.C. area which can lower the IPO's risk of delays in its time-critical evaluation schedule. Certain risks which the Government avoided by selecting the Anser facility included: (1) the risk of a facility which uses untested or unevolved softwaretools; (2) the risk of using an ESS contractor which could not easily segregate its business interests from its ability to support this evaluation as an "independent broker"; (3) the risk of using a source which has not demonstrated experience using paperless evaluation tools; (4) or, the risk of using a facility support team which did not have experience supporting time-critical, high-dollar acquisitions, such as the IPO's, using ESS tools. The Washington-based Anser Corporation demonstrated its capability to provide the facilities, tools, and an experienced support team through its: knowledge of posting RFPs electronically; experience handling electronic proposals and Q&As; in-depth knowledge of ESS software; experience handling BAFOs and negotiationselectronically; freedom from technical bias or other business conflicts of interest; and Anser's fully-integrated, accessible, and multi-purpose facility which can simultaneously handle large interactive conferences, break-out evaluation teams, or individualized evaluators, including the sufficient levels of technical and administrative support personnel. Based on Anser's demonstrated corporate capability, the logistical depth of its facilities, and its unique staff capability, it is the single source which is capable of supporting this high-demand evaluation process, while reducing acquisition costs and mitigating the risks of discontinuity in the evaluation process, IAW 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1). Any party desiring consideration must identify its full capability in writing to the Contracting Officer within 45 days of this publication. No RFP or solicitation is available. No further CBD notice is planned. POC: Jay W. Moore; (301) 427-2126, extension 112. SEE NOTE 22. (0347)

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