99 -- Sole Source to Accusoft

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) plans to issue a sole-source order to B&L Associates for licensing and software support of BL/LIB, BL/LIB ROBO, and BL/DIST software products for the year 2006. This procurement will be conducted under a non-competitive basis as permitted by FAR 6.301, citing that B&L Associates is the only responsible provider capable of meeting the agency’s requirements. These software products, proprietary and tailored to run on the Unisys platform, have been utilized by the USPTO for many years—BL/LIB and BL/LIB ROBO since 1996, and BL/DIST since 1991. Since B&L Associates originally developed and is uniquely positioned to support the software, no alternative sources are available to provide similar services. The contract reflects continuity in software licensing and support to avoid unnecessary delays and expenses associated with recompeting the contract. The contracting officer overseeing this procurement is Anice M. Ogden, operating under the Department of Commerce at the USPTO in Alexandria, Virginia. The action underscores the significance of maintaining uninterrupted software functionality critical to agency operations, recognizing the specialized nature of the products and the unique role of B&L Associates as the sole provider.