This is a SOLE SOURCE Special Notice in support of a planned SOLE-SOURCE acquisition by the Office of the Secretary of Transportation, Office of the General Counsel has a need for an online legal research provider with ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification for AI Management systems including Weslaw and CoCounsel. The approximate award amount is estimated at $2.4M.
- IDENTIFICATION OF AGENCY AND CONTRACTING ACTIVITY AGENCY REQUIRING ACTIVITY: The Office of the Secretary of Transportation, Office of the General Counsel 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washington, DC 20590.
2. DESCRIPTION OF CONTEMPLATED SOLE-SOURCE PROCUREMENT ACTION:
The U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of the General Counsel intends to issue a firm-fixed-price sole source task order against General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Contract No. GS-02F-026DA. The award will be made to West Publishing Corporation (d/b/a West, a Thomson Reuters business).
3. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE AGENCY'S NEEDS
The agency requires the procurement of Westlaw Advantage, an online legal research platform providing comprehensive access to state and federal case law, statutes, administrative materials, and exclusive Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered research tools.
The total period of performance is five years, consisting of one base year and four option years, from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031.
Base Year: July 1, 2026 June 30, 2027 ($412,800.00)
Option Year 1: July 1, 2027 June 30, 2028 ($445,819.68)
Option Year 2: July 1, 2028 June 30, 2029 ($481,487.16)
Option Year 3: July 1, 2029 June 30, 2030 ($520,008.12)
Option Year 4: July 1, 2030 June 30, 2031 ($560,523.96)
Total Estimated Cost: $2,420,638.92.
4. IDENTIFICATION OF THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITIO N (Revolutionary FAR Overhaul)
Orders placed against FSS contracts are exempt from the standard requirements of FAR Part 6; however, ordering activities must justify sole source FSS awards in writing. Because this acquisition exceeds the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT), this justification is executed under the statutory exception defined in GSAR 538.7104-3(b)(1)(ii): "Only one source is capable of providing the products, services, or solution required at the level of quality required because the products, services, or solutions are unique or highly specialized" . Furthermore, this justification aligns with GSAR 538.7104-4, as Westlaw Advantage contains features peculiar to one manufacturer.
5. DEMONSTRATION THAT THE PROPOSED CONTRACTOR'S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS OR THE NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION REQUIRES USE OF THE AUTHORITYCITED
Westlaw Advantage is uniquely qualified and is the only product capable of meeting the agency's specific legal research needs due to its exclusive features, proprietary AI tools, and unmatched editorial content:
Exclusive AI Capabilities & Certifications: Thomson West is the only online legal research provider possessing ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification for AI Management Systems, ensuring responsible and transparent AI operations.
Deep Research: An exclusive agentic AI tool that emulates expert research methods, creating a multi-step research plan while utilizing Westlaw's proprietary content (like the Key Number System and KeyCite). It includes "Deep Research Verify," a trusted verification layer that validates AI-generated research against authoritative sources.
Litigation Document Analyzer: This unique tool detects mischaracterizations of law within entire uploaded briefs and automatically suggests additional arguments and defenses backed by supporting authority.
Claims Explorer & AI Jurisdictional Surveys: Westlaw Advantage exclusively offers Claims Explorer, which quickly identifies relevant claims and defenses based on case facts, and AI Jurisdictional Surveys, which creates comprehensive cross-jurisdictional legal surveys with citations in minutes.
Exclusive Analytical Content: Only Westlaw Advantage provides access to the full American Jurisprudence (Am Jur) product line, all six series of the American Law Reports (ALR), the National Reporter System, Black's Law Dictionary, and Wright & Miller's Federal Practice and Procedure.
- Proprietary Enhancements: The West Key Number System (the master classification system of U.S. law) and the KeyCite Citator Service (which includes exclusive features like "KeyCite Cited With" and "KeyCite Overruled in Part") are proprietary innovations not available through any other provider.
While other legal research platforms exist, no other legal research platform offers these specific tools or access to these proprietary databases that DOT attorneys have determined are indispensable to their work. Thus, no other vendor can meet DOT's needs.
6. Determination by the Contracting Officer That the Anticipated Cost Will Be Fair and Reasonable Under FAR 538.7102-2(d)(2), the ordering activity is not required to make a fair and reasonable price determination at the order level, as FSS contract pricing has already been determined to be fair and reasonable by GSA. The Contracting Officer has reviewed the fixed monthly rates provided under GSA Schedule.
7. Description of Market Research Conducted:
Market research was conducted in accordance with GSAR 538.7104-4(b)(1) to evaluate whether other companies' similar products could be modified to meet the agency's requirements. A review of the legal research market determined that alternative databases do not possess the proprietary analytical content (e.g., ALR, Am Jur, Wright & Miller) or the ISO-certified generative AI functionalities (Deep Research, Litigation Document Analyzer) native to Westlaw Advantage. Consequently, no other platform can meet the agency's needs.
8. DETERMINATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THE ANTICIPATED COST TO THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE FAIR AND REASONABLE:
GSA has already determined vendor pricing fair and reasonable
9. A DESCRIPTION OF MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED AND THE RESULTS OR A STATEMENT OF THE REASON THAT MARKET RESEARCH WAS NOT CONDUCTED:
Market research showed that alternative databases do not possess proprietary analytical content (e.g., ALR, Am Jur, Wright & Miller) or the ISO-certified generative AI functionalities (Deep Research, Litigation Document Analyzer) native to Westlaw Advantage. Consequently, no other platform can meet the agency's needs.
10. ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:
None
11. A LIST OF SOURCES, IF ANY, THAT EXPRESSED, IN WRITING, AN INTEREST IN THE ACQUISITION
N/A
12. A STATEMENT OF THE ACTIONS IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS TO COMPETITION BEFORE ANY SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITION FOR THESE SERVICES:
If further work is required following the completion of the option years, the Government will issue a solicitation that will include the necessary information for a transition plan.
OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND:
Any entity OTHER THAN West Publishing Corporation (d/b/a West, a Thomson Reuters business) which believes that it is fully capable of meeting DOT's needs and requirements at the high level of thoroughness and quality indispensable to the Department may attempt to prove that point by e-mailing a Statement of Qualifications to Melinda.Riddick@dot.gov and to Keva.Perry@dot.gov no later than 9:00 AM Eastern Time June 29, 2026. Please include 693JK426R500004 Weslaw in the subject line of your email.
