Ex Libris Renewal - Alma Library Management System

NASA is renewing its subscription to the Ex Libris Alma Library Management System and Primo VE Discovery Layer through a sole-source acquisition under FAR 6.102-1 and FAR 12.201, justified by the absence of viable alternatives that meet mandatory technical, security, and integration requirements. The contract, identified by solicitation number 80TECH26QA036, is a firm-fixed-price purchase order with a one-year base period beginning on the date of award and extending through November 30, 2026, with four additional one-year option periods that could extend performance through November 30, 2030. The services are cloud-hosted and delivered as a commercial software-as-a-service, operating within a FedRAMP Tailored LI-SaaS authorized environment sponsored by HHS, which is a non-negotiable requirement that no other vendor can satisfy. The place of performance is designated as Washington, D.C., with the contracting office located in Greenbelt, Maryland, and the vendor, Ex Libris USA Inc., is the only source capable of providing the integrated platform, including a premium sandbox environment that replicates NASA’s production system for testing and development. No pricing details, CLINs, or cost figures are disclosed, though the Independent Government Cost Estimate was used to assess reasonableness, and the acquisition was conducted under a trade-off methodology focused on unique technical capabilities rather than lowest price. The system replaces four legacy library tools and is essential for maintaining continuity of operations due to prior investments in integrations and configurations that would be lost if transitioning to another provider. Payment, invoicing, and point-of-contact details for the contracting officer or technical representative are not provided, and no standard FAR Part 52 clauses, representations, certifications, or packaging requirements apply due to the wholly digital nature of the service delivery.