Notice of Award & Related Brand Name Justification

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid plans to award a sole-source contract to bTrade LLC, located in Burbank, California, for proprietary software maintenance services. This contract specifically covers maintenance for bTrade's software products, including TDNgine, TDClient (part of TDAccess), and TDManager. The procurement will not be competitively solicited, as this is not a request for proposal but a brand name specific acquisition driven by the unique nature of the software and the proprietary rights held by bTrade. A government determination will be made later as to whether a competitive approach is necessary. The contract, identified by solicitation number EDFSA09C0027, pertains to the NAICS code 511210, which relates to software publishers. Key contacts for this contract include Alexander Mavroukakis, a Contracts Specialist, and Dega K. Hussen, the Contracting Officer. The government has explicitly stated that telephone inquiries will not be accepted, and supporting documentation, such as the brand name justification, accompanies the contract notice. The sole-source approach ensures continuity and access to necessary maintenance services critical to the effective operation of the specified proprietary software products.