Sole Source Justification Stryder Corp. dba Handshake (PR 77480)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) intends to award a sole source firm fixed price purchase order to Stryder Corp, 225 Bush St 12 Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104 for Handshake talent engamgnet suite, virtual program and event management, ambassador program and insights modules . Handshake is the only talent marketplace in the US that is connected to domestic universities. Their partnerships with over 1200 universities domestically and over 500K employeers, gives them the largest student and alumni marketplace of over 7 million active students and young alumni which the CDC can source from. Currently CDC uses Handshake to post jobs and events at Universities that utilize the platform for Career Services. With Handshake's Premium level of service, DSEPD will be able to realize many of our core initiatives for 2021-2022 and beyond including: 1. Build and manage a digital early talent pipeline 2. Expand our current university recruitment footprint digitally outside of our core schools 3. Increase the diversity within our early/entry-level talent pipeline Handshake is the only technology platform that will allow us to accomplish all of these goals due to the unique talent marketplace that Handshake has constructed. Here are some definitive reasons why handshake is a demonstrated sole source platform to meet DSEPD's needs: 1. Handshake is the only talent marketplace in the U.S. that incorporates over 7 million Students, 85% of the top 500 universities (1,000+ universities in total), and Employers 2. Handshake is the only platform that would allow DSEPD to expand higher education partnerships across over 1200 universities using a single database & login to reach across the entire network. 3. Handshake is the only early talent marketplace that integrates with the university registrar's database and therefore the only place that would provide DSEPD access to verified academic data. CDC already uses Handshake across the agency at-large on a daily basis. DSEPDs investment would simply allow to access additional features in the platform we already use. Other federal agencies such as the Federal Reserve, have also purchased Handshake's Talent Engagement Suite via sole source after extensive market research. This contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b) and 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1). Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit proposals. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, all responses received by 8:30 a.m. EST on July 11, 2023. Eastern Standard Time of the issuance of this notice will be considered by the government. A determination by the government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Any response should be emailed to Marie Bartkevicius at mbartkevicius@cdc.gov and Lauren Peel at ijt9@cdc.gov by 8:30 a.m. EST on July 11, 2023.