Justification to award Sole Source RS Means Annual Subscription Online
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), Twentynine Palms, CA, intends to award a sole source contract to The Gordian Group Inc. DBA RS Means Company LLC for an Annual Subscription to RS Means Online. This notice is not a request for competitive quotes, but seeks information from other interested firms by April 17, 2026.
Purpose & Justification
MCAGCC Twentynine Palms is issuing an intent to award a sole source contract under the authority of FAR 13.106(b)(1), citing that only one source is reasonably available. The requirement is for an annual subscription to RS Means Online, which includes access to cost estimating software, support for 5 user accounts, and the full RS Means library.
The justification for this sole source action is based on the proprietary nature of RS Means cost information, which is copyrighted and solely owned by The Gordian Group Inc. This reliance is deemed fundamental for maintaining the integrity of pre-priced cost structures for existing Job Order Contracts (JOCs) and an associated service contract managed by the Public Works Division (PWD). Deviating from this single data source would lead to inconsistent pricing, making bid comparisons and fairness assessments impossible. Market research indicated that other cost estimating databases were not viable due to differences in methodologies and data sources, and soliciting bids from non-RS Means contractors would require extensive and costly analysis.
Scope of Work
The requirement is to provide an annual subscription to RS Means Online, specifically including:
- Online access to RS Means Cost Estimating Software.
- Online access to support 5 user accounts.
- Online access to the full RS Means library.
Contract Details
- Type: Sole Source Contract (under FAR Part 13 acquisition, Simplified Acquisition Threshold)
- Period of Performance: April 27, 2026, to April 26, 2027.
- Product Service Code: 7A21 (Business Application Off The Shelf Software Delivered By Perpetual License...)
- Place of Performance: Twentynine Palms, CA.
- Set-Aside: Although categorized with a
Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)code, this is an intent to award a sole source contract.
Response Information
This notice is not a request for competitive quotes. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract 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 a competitive procurement.
- Response Due: April 17, 2026, by 4:00 PM PST.
- Submission: Via email.
- Point of Contact: Randy Zielinski, Contracting Specialist, randy.zielinski@usmc.mil.