National Institute for Literacy, 800 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20006-2712

R -- LITERACY HOTLINE POC Carolyn Staley, 202-632-1500 The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) intends to issue a sole source simplified acquisition contract to CEGA Services, Inc.(CEGA), Lincoln, NE 68501-1826. for a 6-month period from April 1, 1999 to September 30, 1999. NIFL has an on-going public awareness campaign, which provides the hotline number (1-800-228-8813 on all campaign materials and public service announcements. In fact, the hotline number is printed on approx. 500,000 copies of NIFL publications and CEGA is the sole proprietor of this number. The last message of the campaign is in fiscal year 1999 and follow-up work will be required to handle caller inquiries to the hotline number. Another hotline number at this time would be detrimental to the effective services provided by CEGA who was the former contractor with NIFL for a hotline and a clearinghouse for the three and half years. That contract has ended and we are transferring the Clearinghouse part of the contract to the US Department of Education's EDPUBS. The new contract NIFL will issue is only for the hotline which will provide a 24-hour multilingual literacy hotline to assist the public by providing answers regarding literacy issues and literacy program locations. To do this work, an understanding of literacy issues, programs and activities is needed. CEGA Services, Inc., with the hotline number on all of NIFL's publications and is the only source possessing the necessary information, resources and expertise to meet NIFL's program requirement beginning on April 1, 1999. They also have a complete database of literacy programs and resources throughout the nation and would not have to build a database from scratch or compile it from a variety of sources. No other contractor can perform these services without the literacy database and without extensive prior on-the-job training, NIFL believes that no other companies can provide these services that are required to begin on April 1, 1999, without any detrimental impact to the services to the public. In addition, since all of NIFL's publications carry the current hotline number, it would be extremely costly to make a change now. However, if there is any comment, companies should fully identify their interest and capabilities within 45 days from publication in the Commerce Business Daily. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, all interest/capability documentation materials received within 45 days after date of publication of this synopsis will be considered by the Government. 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. Documentation materials received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. The statutory authority for other-than-full- and open-competition is 10 USC 2304(c)(1). Awarding the 6-month contract would cost $77,878.50 and NIFL believes that there are no other vendors available that can use the current hotline number, do the work, have a database in place, and can provide the services at this low cost and be ready to operate at full capacity on April 1, 1999. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. Send requests for information to the attention of Carolyn Staley or e-mail her at:. CStaley@NIFL.gov. In accord with Numbered Note 22, if the Government determines not to compete, it is our plan to award a contract to CEGA and keep the current hotline number to avoid additional costs in revising publications and confusion for the public. See numbered Note 22. 22. The proposed contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under authority of FAR 6.302. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit proposals. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, all proposals received within 45 days after date of publication of this synopsis will be considered by the Government. 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. Posted 03/12/99 (I-SN308214). (0071)

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