Notice of Intent to Sole Source for ACI Certification Training and Testing Course Materials

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Research and Development Center (ERDC), Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory (GSL) has the regular, recurring need to purchase classroom workbooks, performance test booklets, and written tests and answer sheets for workshops from the American Concrete Institute (ACI). To support these needs, the Government intends to award a Master Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) with a five year ordering period to American Concrete Institute (CAGE Code: 6J631 / UEI: TYN1HFTUKWL3) on a sole source basis. The GSL's Concrete and Materials Branch (CMB) is home of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Materials Testing Center (MTC), which has the responsibility to be the sponsoring group for the USACE for the ACI. Part of that duty is to lead training workshops and certification of USACE personnel and others in the proper testing of aggregates, concrete, and soil materials. These workshops and testing events require the purchase of classroom workbooks, performance test booklets, and written tests and answer sheets from ACI, who is the sole supplier for these courses and materials. The ACI will provide the workbooks, performance testing packages, written exams, exam answer sheets, and all practice and practical calculation sheets required for a given certification course. The ACI will also provide the performance and written exam results and issue certificates and wallet cards for those students meeting all requirements and successfully passing the performance and written exams within 30 days of receipt of completed exam packages. The ACI is the creator, producer, administrator, and governing authority over ACI Concrete Testing Certifications worldwide. They not only produce and provide the workshop and testing materials, but also are the only entity that can grade the results and issue the certificates to individual students. The unique characteristics listed are necessary to the successful completion of the governments mission and cannot be overcome by alternative solutions. ACI is the only vendor who can meet the requirement. The award will be issued in accordance with FAR 13.501(a). The applicable North American Industrial Classification System Code (NAICS) code is 323111, Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books), with a small business standard of 650 employees. This notice of intent is for information purposes only. This notice is not a request for competitive quotes or proposals. A solicitation will not be issued. However, all responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the agency. The information submitted must be provided in sufficient detail to demonstrate the vendor's ability to fulfill this requirement. The contractor must also provide a description of their past experience in fulfilling requirements which are the same or similar to this requirement and references for each. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. Responses to this requirement may be submitted to Allison Hudson at contact@example.gov AND Angie Stokes at contact@example.gov. The solicitation number shall be included in the subject line of the e-mail submission. Responses must be received no later than 3:00PM CST 02 August 2023.