--The government intends to award a sole contract to University of Maryland, Baltimore County for development of statistical thresholding of spectroscopic data using the Correlation Bound

The US Army Contracting Agency at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD plans to award a sole-source contract to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County for the development of statistical thresholding methods applied to spectroscopic data using the Correlation Bound. This action is being conducted under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, which permits sole-source negotiations without full and open competition. The agency is inviting interested parties to submit comments by December 20, 2005, though this notice is not a solicitation for proposals or competitive offers. The decision to proceed without competition will be based on the feedback received, and the size standard for the relevant industry classification (NAICS 541710) is 500 employees. The contract relates to a specialized technical development effort within the Department of Defense, specifically managed by the Directorate of Contracting at Aberdeen Proving Ground. All inquiries and comments regarding this intent are directed to Contract Specialist Patrick Patterson. This procurement underlines the government's preference for a non-competitive process due to the unique capabilities or qualifications of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, with final determinations resting solely with government discretion.