Notice of Intent to Sole Source FREEDOM (Federal Records Enterprise Electronic Document Management)

INTRODUCTION

THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) SYNOPSIS TO AWARD A CONTRACT OR PURCHASE ORDER WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME).

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), Division of Contract Management (DCM) on behalf of the Office of Management, Technology, and Operations intends to negotiate and award a purchase order without providing for full and open competition (Including brand-name) to Data Federal for Freedom Core.

NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE

The intended procurement is classified under NAICS code NAICS Code 518210 - Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services with a Size Standard of $35,000.000.

REGULATORY AUTHORITY

This acquisition is conducted under the procedures as prescribed in FAR subpart 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures at an amount not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold ($250,000).

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures, Subpart 13.106-1 (b) (1), Soliciting from a single source and is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. Contracts awarded using FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures are exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6 Competition Requirements.

DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT

SAMHSA FREEDOM (Federal Records Enterprise Electronic Document Management)

Background As a result of the updated OMB/NARA guidance in 2019, SAMHSA began planning for and executing on its records management program to include its ERM strategy. As part of that process, market research was conducted with respect to identifying a solution that was cost effective, compliant with UERM and NIST policies and that could be implemented in a timely manner. FREEDOM was the only source that met all those requirements. We procured FREEDOM in 2019 and have been using it ever since.

Purpose and Objectives

SAMHSA requires a fully compliant ERM system that can allow the agency to manage to NARA Universal ERM (UERM) guidelines. UERM guidelines specify that ERM systems should be able to accomplish the following functions relating to electronic records: Capture; Maintenance and Use; Disposal; Transfer; Metadata; and Reporting. These high-level categories are further defined by specific functional requirements which govern more detailed requirements such as access rights, permissions, legal holds and searching to name a few. SAMSHA seeks to continue utilizing the FREEDOM solution as an integral part of the agency records management process.

Period of Performance

3/23/2023 3/22/2024 with (4) 1 year option periods

Project Description

SAMHSA FREEDOM (Federal Records Enterprise Electronic Document Management)

Other Important Considerations

N/A

CONTRACTING WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME) DETERMINATION

The determination by the Government to award a contract without providing for full and open competition is based upon the market research conducted as prescribed in FAR Part 10 Market Research, specifically the review and evaluation of the responses to the sources sought notice published in the FedBizOpps on 3-17-23.

In June 28, 2019, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) issued updated guidance to Executive Departments and Agencies regarding the mandated transition to go paperless utilizing electronic records to improve business processes and effect savings for the taxpayers. OMB/NARA memorandum M-19-21 specifically directs all Federal agencies to Ensure that all Federal records are created, retained, and managed in electronic formats, with appropriate metadata. The OMB/NARA memorandum M-19-21 also outlined specific dates that Federal agencies must accomplish certain goals towards the elimination of paper records as well as the establishment and management of electronic records. For example, OMB/NARA states that by 2019 Federal agencies will manage all permanent electronic records in an electronic format and that by 2022, all agencies must manage all permanent records in an electronic format with appropriate metadata attached. Prior to this mandate, SAMSHA began extensive planning for this transition and started the process of converting paper records to electronic formats, identifying and categorizing current records for continued daily use, as well as archiving official records for long term storage in accordance with NARA directives. As part of this planning, an Electronic Records Management (ERM) system would be needed to accomplish the myriad of compliance related rules associated with records management. In 2018, after conducting market research, a decision was made to utilize the FREEDOM system through the Program Support Center (PSC). PSC offered the system as part of its records management business line. PSC has since discontinued offering ERM related solutions as of March 2022. SAMHSA seeks to continue to utilize the FREEDOM system by contracting directly from the vendor, Data Federal Corporation.

CLOSING STATEMENT

This synopsis is not a request for competitive proposals. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this notice. Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties' bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement and include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov.

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. The information received will normally be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether to proceed on a non-competitive basis or to conduct a competitive procurement.

All responses must be received by 3/21/23 1pm EST. Responses must be submitted via email to Ryan.Pregot@samhsa.hhs.gov.

All responsible sources may submit a bid, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency.

All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the agency.