The NIH Library intends to procure on a sole source basis from Springer Science, Secaucus, New Jersey, for electronic access to journals backfile via the Internet. Backfiles are a one time purchase that provides access to journal contents in electronic form. Access is guaranteed in perpetuity. The backfiles are the intellectual property of the publisher. Only they have the right to license this intellectual property. In some cases, publishers permit an intermediary (aggregator) to repackage and sell access to all or a portion of their journal content; however, this permission can be withdrawn at any time at the publisher's discretion. Consequently, to assure uninterrupted, perpetual access to the content in the backfiles we must acquire them directly from the publisher. The cost will be $31,695.00. The intended procurement will be classified under North American Industry Classification System code (511120) with a size standard of (500 employees). This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation document exists for this requirement. However, parties interested in responding to this notice will need to submit technical data, including cost, sufficient to determine capability in providing the same product/service. All capability statements received within (15) days after publication of this synopsis will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete based on 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 a competitive procurement. See Numbered Note 22.

Bid Protests Not Available