Intent to Sole Source--Westlaw

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of General Counsel (GC) plans to exercise an option to extend a purchase order to Westlaw as the only responsible source to prevent a break in critical services while DOE conducts a competitive procurement for online legal research services/legal database access.

The Government intends to exercise the 52.217-8 option to extend a purchase order to Westlaw to continue access to critical legal research services during the period of time necessary to complete a competitive procurement. The period of performance for this award will run from October 1, 2024, through March 31, 2025, inclusive of a three-month base period and with one subsequent three-month option period.

It is not realistic to consider transition to another legal research services provider for the short period of time during which DOE is conducting a competitive procurement (and then possibly a second transition after award of the competitive procurement). Such a situation would create considerable disruption to the individuals utilizing the online legal research services, and this disruption would impact critical ongoing litigation and legal matters.

The award will be issued via other than full and open competition, only one responsible source and no other supplies and services will satisfy agency requirements. This is a NOTICE OF INTENT; no solicitation is available for this requirement.

If a firm believes DOE should not pursue this sole source extension with Westlaw for this limited time period while DOE conducts a competitive procurement, then interested parties may submit a capability statement NO LATER THAN fifteen (15) days from this posting date via email to Kelley Vandecoevering, kelley.vandecoevering@hq.doe.gov.

The written response must include a general statement for services indicated in this announcement and past performance client information for a similar product to that currently provided by Westlaw. Any response to this notice must demonstrate clear and convincing evidence that the firm is capable of performing these services in the required performance period.

A determination by the Government to compete this proposed purchase order based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct this requirement competitively in the future. No telephone calls will be accepted.