R605--Science Direct Journals
Contract Overview
Solicitation details, issuing organization, response deadlines, documents, and interested companies for this government contract opportunity.
AI Contract Overview
The contract awarded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, under solicitation number 36C77626Q0037, is a firm-fixed price sole-source procurement for enterprise-wide access to ScienceDirect electronic journals, specifically including the CHEST Journal and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC). The awardee, Cox Subscriptions, Inc., is the sole authorized reseller legally authorized to provide these journals due to exclusive licensing agreements with Elsevier, the parent company of ScienceDirect. This exclusivity necessitated a justification under FAR Part 13.106-1(b) for a simplified acquisition procedure from a single source, as no other vendors can meet the proprietary terms and conditions mandated by Elsevier. The contract covers a base period from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026, with four one-year option periods, although option pricing was not disclosed. The scope of work involves providing uninterrupted, IP-authenticated, web-based access to the journals for all VA personnel nationwide, supporting unlimited simultaneous users without embargo restrictions on content. The system must comply with Section 508 accessibility standards and support multiple platforms, including mobile devices running Android and iOS. Key contract requirements include 24/7 availability with minimal downtime, enterprise usage reporting, dedicated contractor support with a single point of contact, and remote access capability via VA VPN. Acceptance is based on digital delivery and validated service functionality without physical inspection. Contract administration is managed by the Program Contracting Activity Central office in Independence, Ohio, with Shaun Pitts serving as Contract Specialist and primary point of contact. The total base-year contract value is $55,437.00. This procurement circumvents competitive bidding due to the unique authorized distributor status of Cox Subscriptions, ensuring compliance with FAR provisions while addressing the VA’s need for specialized digital journal access.
General Info
Contract Value
$55,437Place of Performance
OH, USASet-Aside
Awardee
COX SUBSCRIPTIONS, INC.Award Issued Date
Timeline
Organization & Contact Information
Full Description
VHAPG Part 813.106 Simplified Acquisition Procedures: Soliciting from a Single Source Single Source Justification for SAP under the SAT Unique characteristics that limit availability to only one source, with the reason no other supplies or services can be used: Elsevier (the Parent Company of ScienceDirect) requires a special set of terms and conditions as a part of the contract. The journals CHEST and Journal of the American College of Cardiology are the proprietary intellectual property of Elsevier/ScienceDirect. Only WT Cox (dba Cox) Subscriptions, an authorized reseller for these journals, can assume legal responsibility for the special set of terms and conditions required by Elsevier. Description of market research conducted and results or statement why it was not conducted: There is no reasonable expectation that the VA Rule of Two could be met; even though there were 3,322 organizations identified using NAICS code 519290 as search criteria in the SBA database. The reason, as stated by Elsevier (see P02.1 Publisher Confirmation of Authorized Reseller), Cox Subscriptions, Inc. is the sole distributor for Science Direct Journals. A request for information (RFI) would not yield any authorized SDVOSB/VOSB distributors. Contracting Officer's Certification: Purchase is approved in accordance with FAR13.106-1(b). I certify that the foregoing justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. ____________________________ ________________________ Date Contracting Officer Revision: 01 Effective Date: 11/15/2024 Page 2 of 2 Acquisition ID#
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