NASA intends to award a sole source purchase order to The Gannett Satellite Information Network, Inc. to procure the Hubble Telescope Education Initiative. Purchasing of services to design, develop, distribute, communicate, and host on a microsite and of licensing for incorporation of newspaper articles, graphics, and online interactives into two collegiate level case studies and two K-12 inquiry-based learning projects in support of the Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4 Education Plan.
The nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited. In addition market research was conducted to determine no other contractor has the unique capability to provide the services offered to meet the educational effort needs. There is only one news organization in the world that can supply the licensing for the named articles, graphic and online interactives and develop educational activities that incorporate those services.
The contractor from which the services are to be purchased are the developers and owners of the newspaper articles, graphics and online interactives that will be the foundation of the collegiate case studies and K-12 inquiry projects. The contractor also has an existing infrastructure with recognized, successful capability in design and implementation of rigorous case studies and lesson plans. The contractor has established communication network that reaches over 25,000 K-12 classrooms and 500+ universities and community colleges across the nation, capable of making the Hubble lessons impact over 1 million students daily.
NASA's GSFC intends to enter into a contract with GANNETT SATELLITE INFORMATION NETWORK, INC. pursuant to FAR 13.106, for the acquisition of supplies or services determined to be reasonably available from only one source.
Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contact no later than 4:00PM EST on September 2, 2008. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated soley for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on competitive basis.
A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort, based upon responses to this notice, is soley within the discretion of the government.
The government intends to use the Simplified Acquisition Procedures set fourth in FAR Part 13.
An ombudsman has been appointed--See NASA Specific Note "B".
Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URL's linked below.
The FAR may be obtained via the Internet at URL: http://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.html
The NFS may be obtained via the Internet at URL: http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/nfstoc.htm
