NASA/GSFC has a requirement for conference support services in order to convene and host numerous events throughout the year to disseminate administrative, scientific and technical information. These events may range from conferences, meetings, peer reviews, working groups colloquia, symposia and workshops to tradeshows.
NASA/GSFC intends to purchase the services from Harris Information Technology Services (Harris) on a sole source basis until a follow-on competitive procurement for conference support services is awarded. The competitive follow-on acquisition activities are on-going. If NASA were to procure support services from any other source at this time, the combination of delay due to the competitive process, duplicate costs, and the time required by a new contractor to become acquainted with the work would cause substantial delay in fulfilling NASA’s mission.
Harris is the current incumbent and is the only responsible source qualified to perform due to its current involvement with on-going and future conference support activities.
The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is the Services Acquisition Reform Act of 2003 (41 U.S.C. 428a), as implemented in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.501(a)(1)(ii). The Government intends to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 13.5.
Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 4:30 p.m. local time on October 2, 2008. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government.
Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.
All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency.
An Ombudsman has been appointed. See NASA Specific Note "B".
Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below.
