This is a special notice prepared in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 5.2—Synopsis of Proposed Contract Actions.

The Library of Congress, Contracts and Grants Directorate, intends to award a sole-source firm fixed price contract to Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), London, England. The work to be performed under the contract will be performed at the contractor’s facility.  The period of performance shall run for one base year. The Library will contract with RNIB, an entity with nearly 150 years’ experience of working together with blind and partially sighted people, to procure four (4) braille magazines produced by the Royal National Institute for the Blind: Braille Chess, Conundrum, Short Stories, and Music. There are no other vendors that produce these braille magazines, anywhere in the world.

This announcement constitutes the only notice, quotations are not being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.  However, the Library will consider expressions of interest received by April 27, 2020. A determination not to compete this proposed contract based upon the responses to this notice, if any, is solely at the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

Interested parties that believe they could satisfy the requirements may clearly and unambiguously identify their capability to do so in writing on or before the response date for this notice. Responses to this notice must demonstrate evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government, would not be cost or time prohibitive, and would not hinder the mission of the Library of Congress. Information submitted in response to this notice will be used solely to determine whether competitive procedures could be used for this acquisition.

Questions or comments to this Notice of Intent should be directed to: Monica Montague, Contract Specialist, at [email protected] or Tiffany Lucas, Contracting Officer, at [email protected]. Please indicate in the subject of your email: Notice of Intent—Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) British Braille Magazines.