Notice of Intent to Award Sole Source Contract

This is a Special Notice of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board's (FRTIB) intent to award a sole source contract to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), 300 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024, for transit subsidy administration services. The contemplated award will provide access to WMATA's SmartBenefits Program, which enables the electronic distribution and administration of transit benefits for eligible FRTIB employees participating in the Federal Transit Benefit Program. The anticipated period of performance is one (1) twelve-month base period and nineteen (19) twelve-month option periods. Exercise of any option period is at the sole discretion of the Government. Authority The Government intends to award this requirement on a sole source basis pursuant to FAR 13.106-1(b), Soliciting from a Single Source, as only one source is reasonably available to satisfy the agency's requirements. Sole Source Rationale WMATA is the sole owner, operator, and administrator of the SmartBenefits Program, the transit benefit system utilized throughout the National Capital Region. The SmartBenefits Program provides the infrastructure required to electronically distribute transit subsidies directly to employee transit accounts for use with participating regional transit providers. FRTIB has determined that WMATA is the only source capable of fulfilling this requirement because: WMATA exclusively administers the SmartBenefits Program. The SmartBenefits Program is the established regional transit benefit platform accepted by participating transit providers throughout the Washington metropolitan area. No other vendor possesses the rights, authority, or capability to provide access to, administer, or distribute benefits through the SmartBenefits Program. The use of an alternate source would not satisfy the Government's requirement for participation in the regional transit subsidy program. Capability Statements This notice is not a request for compe