R605--EBSCO Consolidated CINAHL Medline PBSC

The Department of Veterans Affairs is awarding a sole-source, firm-fixed-price contract under solicitation number 36C77626R0083 to EBSCO Information Services for enterprise-wide electronic access to three proprietary digital databases: CINAHL Ultimate, Medline Complete, and the Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection (PBSC). This consolidated bundle, identified by the Product Service Code R605 and NAICS code 519290, is designed to provide comprehensive research resources across all VA facilities through the EBSCOhost platform, with no ancillary services such as installation, configuration, maintenance, or support required. The contract has a base period of one year running from June 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027, with four additional one-year option periods extending through May 31, 2031, for a potential total duration of five years. The estimated contract value is $1.9 million, reflecting a consolidated cost to serve the entire VA system, a significant reduction from a prior $5.5 million contract for a subset of these services. The award is justified as sole-source because EBSCO is the exclusive provider of these specific proprietary products, with essential technical data, interoperability, and content licensing unique to their platform, and market research confirms no other vendor can meet the full requirement. All delivery is digital and accessed via EBSCOhost, with no physical packaging or marking requirements. Proposals were due by May 6, 2025, and must be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist Andrew Allen at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Program Contracting Activity Central, located in Independence, Ohio. No evaluation factors, inspection criteria, or special contract requirements are specified, as the procurement is structured as a direct award based on the proprietary nature of the services.