Renewal of Financial Times Limited (The) FT Professional Online Subscription Access for all USDA Users

The USDA’s National Agricultural Library is seeking a sole‑source, firm‑fixed‑price contract to renew the Financial Times Professional online subscription for all USDA employees, contractors, volunteers, and on‑site public users. The subscription provides continuous, un‑embargoed, authenticated premium electronic access via FT.com, delivered through IP authentication. The award will be a one‑year base period with four optional one‑year extensions, totaling up to five years of service. The vendor must be Financial Times Limited, the sole copyright holder of the content. This is a non‑set‑aside solicitation; any responsible source may submit a quotation, but the market analysis confirms Financial Times is the only capable provider. • Scope: Provide and maintain premium FT.com electronic access for all USDA users. • Delivery: Immediate, continuous, uninterrupted service via IP authentication. • Contract Structure: 1‑year base + up to 4 one‑year options (firm‑fixed‑price). • Sole‑source justification: Financial Times holds exclusive rights to the content; no alternative aggregators exist. • Estimated value: Not disclosed, but typical enterprise‑level news‑subscription contracts range from low‑hundreds‑thousands to several hundred‑thousands of dollars annually.