D--Open Market Item

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of the Chief Information Officer plans to add an open market item, Regulations Plus, to an existing delivery/task order contract with West Publishing/Westlaw Next (contract # DE-DT0000943). This addition is being made under FAR 8.402(f), allowing incorporation of items not covered by a GSA Schedule contract. The procurement will be conducted as a sole source acquisition under FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii), meaning the government intends to negotiate directly with a single source rather than through a competitive process. This notice serves as an announcement of that intent and is not a solicitation for competitive proposals. Interested parties are invited to submit capability statements and pricing information within seven calendar days of the notice's publication to aid the government in deciding whether to pursue a competitive acquisition. However, submission of this information does not guarantee competition, as the government retains full discretion to determine whether to move forward competitively based on the responses received. The notice emphasizes that any information provided will primarily be used to assess the need for competition and is not a request for formal bids.