This Notice of Intent is issued, pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 13.106-1(b), to inform the general public that the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) intends on awarding a sole source contract to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for procuring monthly subsidies under the SmartBenefits commuter transit program.  SmartBenefits provide a monthly benefit allowance to government employees for their daily commuting to and from work.  Currently, WMATA is the only available mass-transit system in the Washington DC metropolitan area that can provide the required SmartBenefits.  No other source has been identified.

An award to WMATA is anticipated approximately three (3) days after the date of this notice unless the Government can identify another organization that is capable of meeting this requirement.

The Period of Performance for the intended contract award will be for one year.  October 15, 2016 – October 14, 2017.

The sole source justification for this requirement is cited under the following authorizations:  Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), subpart 13.106-1(b),  “Contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name or industrial mobilization).”A determination by the government not to compete this proposed acquisition based upon responses to this notice and is solely within the discretion of the Government.

Written responses to this notice shall contain sufficient documentation to establish a bona fide capability to fulfill this requirement.  Verbal responses are not acceptable and the agency will not provide consideration to any responses not in writing.  This is a notice of intent and the agency has not issued a solicitation.  Therefore, the agency will not respond to requests for solicitation copies and will not pay for information received in response to this announcement.  A determination by the agency not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the agency’s discretion.

The agency will consider information received solely for determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.  Interested parties must submit any responses to this notice no later than 3-calendar days of this announcement.  If you have any questions regarding this announcement, please notify the point of contact listed below.