Intent to Sole Source OCLC Cataloging Subscription

POINT OF CONTACT: Jamie Rosales-Wold U.S. Department of Commerce/NOAA Western Acquisition Division 325 Broadway, SOU6 Boulder, CO 80305 PHONE:

303-578-6951 EMAIL: Jamie.Rosales@noaa.gov

THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION’S (NOAA) ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-BOULDER, NOAA CENTRAL AND REGIONAL LIBRARIES (NCRL), INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE AND AWARD A PURCHASE ORDER, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 12.102(a), WITH OCLC, INC. OUT OF DUBLIN, OHIO FOR A SUBSCRIPTION TO THE ONLINE COMPUTER LIBRARY CENTER (OCLC) DATABASE FOR CATALOGING AND INTERLIBRARY LOAN (ILL) SERVICES. NO SET ASIDE IS TO BE USED FOR THIS SOLE SOURCE REQUIREMENT. THE ASSOCIATED NAICS CODE IS 519210.

THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON NOAA’S REQUIREMENT THAT OCLC, INC IS THE ONLY VENDOR THAT SUPPLIES SUBSCRIPTION TO THE ONLINE COMPUTER LIBRARY CENTER (OCLC) DATABASE FOR CATALOGING AND INTERLIBRARY LOAN (ILL) SERVICES. OCLC, INC. HAS SPENT OVER 50 YEARS DEVELOPING A WORLDWIDE SHARED CATALOG OF LIBRARY RESOURCES.

THIS CATALOG, WORLDCAT, IS UTILIZED BY AND CONTRIBUTED TO BY MORE THAN 72,000 LIBRARIES IN 170 COUNTRIES AND IS CONSIDERED THE INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR PROVIDING CATALOGING AND ILL SERVICES ACROSS LIBRARIES. NO OTHER SERVICE PROVIDES THE SCOPE AND BREADTH OF MATERIALS AND PARTICIPATING LIBRARIES. OCLC, INC. PROVIDES THE SINGLE RESOURCE USED BY ALL TYPE OF LIBRARIES TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES FROM PUBLIC TO ACADEMIC TO GOVERNMENT RESEARCH LIBRARIES.

OCLC CATALOGING SERVICE PROVIDES ACCESS TO THE PROGRAM FOR COOPERATIVE CATALOGING DATABASES FOR PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAM FOR COOPERATIVE CATALOGING INITIATIVES INCLUDING BIBCO, CONSER, NACO, AND SACO. PARTICIPATION IN THESE PROGRAMS ALLOWS NOAA LIBRARY STAFF TO CREATE ORIGINAL CATALOGING AND AUTHORITY RECORDS FOR NOAA RESEARCHERS AND FOR WORKS BY NOAA RESEARCHERS WHICH ENABLES THE DISSEMINATION OF NOAA RESEARCH THROUGH A DATABASE USED BY A MASSIVE COMMUNITY OF LIBRARIES AROUND THE WORLD.

OCLC, INC. HAS LONG BEEN THE LONE SUPPLIER OPERATING IN THIS SPACE AND IS ALSO THE LONE SELLER OF ITS PROPRIETARY SERVICES, INCLUDING CONNEXION AND ILLIAD. OCLC, INC HAS CONFIRMED THEY ARE THE SOLE SOURCE PROVIDER.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 07-01-2026 THROUGH 06-30-2027.

THIS PRESOLICITATION NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS AND NO SOLICITATION PACKAGE IS AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, FIRMS THAT BELIEVE THEY CAN FULLY MEET THE GOVERNMENT'S REQUIREMENTS MAY SUBMIT SUBSTANTIATING DOCUMENTATION OR A REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN WRITING TO THE IDENTIFIED POINT OF CONTACT WITHIN 15 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION OF THIS PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE.

SUCH REQUESTS AND DOCUMENTATION 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 CONDUCT A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT, BASED UPON RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE, IS SOLELY WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE GOVERNMENT. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE IN RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE.