Highly Specialized Virtual Reality Services

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. This is a special Notice of Intent to award a sole-source firm fixed price commodities purchase order in accordance with FAR Subpart 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii)(A) under the expressed authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c) to Virtually Better, Incorporated, 2440 Lawrenceville Highway, Suite 200, Decatur, GA. 30033-3226. This planned award will facilitate the procurement of additional material, equipment and maintenance of a highly specialized virtual reality system currently in use by the United States Air Force. The justification for this sole source procurement is to avoid substantial duplication of system implementation and mobilization costs that would not be recovered through a competitive procurement process. The original system costs were in excess of $1.6M, which the Government seeks to avoid fully paying a second time were originally procured through full and open competition, and therefore has already met the standard for full and open competition. In this situation, acquisition of the various component parts of a similar virtual reality system solution could take as long as 6 months to obtain, which is well beyond the United States Air Force allowable implementation schedule to meet real-world Department of Defense training requirements. Market research performed by the United States Air Force and the General Services Administration yielded no additional qualified source. Similar virtual reality products and other available virtual reality products and services did not meet the operational needs of the United States Air Force. This proposed procurement action will allow the United States General Services Administration to procure various system components needed to support additional training needs and the maintenance of the virtual reality system solution for which the government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source, in accordance with FAR Part 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii)(A);10 U.S.C. 2304(c). Specifically, FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii) provides that "For DOD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, services may be deemed to be available only from the original source in the case of follow-on contracts for the continued provision of highly specialized services when it is likely that award to any other source would result in- (a) Substandard duplication of cost to the government that is not expected to be recovered through competition. Only one responsible source and no other services will satisfy agency requirements. The intent of this procurement is to award based on sole source requirement. The anticipated date of award is August 20, 2010. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular March 2005, North American Industry Classification Code 541511 - Custom Computer Programming Services apply to this procurement. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency. All responses received within ten (10) days after date of publication of this notice will be considered by the Government. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirements no later than 5:00 PM, August 19, 2010. Any response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government. A determination not to compete this requirement is solely within the discretion of the government. For questions concerning this Notice of Intent, contact Mr. Kenton K. Raiford, Kenton.Raiford@gsa.gov. No telephone requests will be honored.