Justification & Approval for Library Services Platform, Brand Name Alma & Primo

The Department of the Treasury’s Internal Revenue Service is procuring the Ex Libris Alma & Primo Library Services Platform, a FedRAMP Tailored-authorized Software-as-a-Service solution, under a sole-source justification approved under FAR Subpart 13.5. The contract is a firm-fixed price task order with a base period from September 30, 2025, through September 29, 2026, and four one-year option periods extending through September 29, 2030, with funding for each option year dependent on appropriations in the respective fiscal year. The estimated value for the base period is $334,573.13, though pricing for the option periods is not specified. The platform will be deployed at the IRS Office of the Chief Counsel Library in Washington, D.C., to provide a unified interface for managing all types of library materials—physical, electronic, and digital—including acquisition, cataloging, digitalization, and discovery of legal research resources. The award is justified due to Ex Libris’s unique position as the sole provider of a cloud-based Library Services Platform with FedRAMP Tailored authorization, meeting strict federal cybersecurity standards outlined in NIST guidelines and GDPR requirements, with no viable alternative solutions available in the marketplace. The contracting officer, Kimberlee R. Brown, and the contracting activity based in Memphis, TN, are responsible for administration, though no Contracting Officer’s Representative or Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative are identified. The platform’s implementation must ensure continuous availability, seamless integration with existing IRS systems, and ongoing cloud hosting and maintenance without traditional delivery or packaging requirements due to its SaaS nature. Market research conducted via SAM.gov, FedRAMP Marketplace, GSA e-Buy, FPDS, and USA Spending confirmed the absence of technically equivalent alternatives, reinforcing the non-competitive basis of the award, which prioritizes security, compliance, and risk mitigation over cost. No formal evaluation factors or weighted criteria are documented, but the decision centers on technical superiority and regulatory alignment. The vendor’s FedRAMP authorization serves as the primary compliance benchmark, with inspection and acceptance determined by adherence to federal cloud service requirements. No attachments, detailed pricing structure, invoicing instructions, payment office details, or standardized representations and certifications from the offeror are included in the procurement record.