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Guidance explains proprietary versus sole source procurement, common contract categories, acceptable sole source considerations, and what does not qualify as sole source. A Sole Source Rationale Survey collects uniqueness rationale, evidence of single source, and a fair and reasonable price basis, supported by an affidavit and a vendor letter.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/forms/","Forms",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/sole-source-designation-process-proprietary-or-sole-source-designation-guidelines-sole-source-rationale-survey/278271/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/sole-source-designation-process-proprietary-or-sole-source-designation-guidelines-sole-source-rationale-survey/278271.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Logic","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-23","2026-09-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",6,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"When can a procurement be designated as sole source?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"A procurement qualifies as sole source when only one offeror can supply the required commodities or services, supported by written justification.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"Who must approve sole source designations before key submissions?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"The Director of Purchase must approve all sole source designations prior to submitting a board recommendation or a professional services contract for approval.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What information is required in the Sole Source Rationale Survey?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The survey requests justification for uniqueness, evidence that only one source exists, and the basis for determining the price or cost is fair and reasonable.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},278271,1790240320,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,89,94,99,104,109,113,118,123],{"id":85,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":86,"show_sort_weight":87,"slug":88},11,"Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":90,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":91,"show_sort_weight":92,"slug":93},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":95,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":96,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":98},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":100,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":101,"show_sort_weight":102,"slug":103},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":105,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":106,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":110,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":112},17,40,"forms",{"id":114,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":115,"show_sort_weight":116,"slug":117},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":119,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":122},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":124,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":126},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":128},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":129,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":130,"doc_module":22,"category_id":110,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":131,"file_id":132,"file_url":133,"file_type":134,"file_size":135,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":136,"language":137,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":138,"faqs":139,"seo_title":140,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":141,"read_time":30},1099513958762,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/1000023916a998db790?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1784791008015729253","SOLE SOURCE DESIGNATION PROCESS  \nDecember 05, 2018  \n1) Sole source procurements are defined as those procurements in which only one offeror is capable of supplying the required commodities or services. Written justification must be provided supporting the request to select a sole source vendor for goods/services. The Director of Purchase must approve all sole source designations (see Sole Source Affidavit attached) prior to  \na) Submitting a Board Recommendation for approval  \nb) Submitting a Professional Services contract for approval  \nc) At no time, unless under an emergency designation by the Superintendent or his/her designee, shall District staff engage a vendor for goods, or a provider of services unless authorized by the Director of Purchase or his/her designee, irrespective of perceived or real sole source status.  \n2) Attached is an outline providing guidance when considering the sole source status of an offeror. The following steps must be taken when District staff desires to propose a vendor under the sole source status:  \na) Review the guidance concerning sole source status  \nb) Complete the questionnaire attached titled “Sole Source Rationale”  \nc) Obtain and submit to Director of Purchase the notarized affidavit (form attached) AND the mostrecent sole source letter from manufacturer/vendor, on that company’s stationary and submit with survey (attached) .  \nPROPRIETARY OR SOLE SOURCE DESIGNATION GUIDELINES  \nI.  PROPRIETARY SERVICES - Work by independent contractors where the process is more important than the product, if any. Proprietary service contracts usually run to partnerships, firms, or corporations rather than individuals and are usually awarded through competition. Examples of proprietary service contracts include janitorial and custodial, protection and security, maintenance and repair, data processing service bureau.  \nII.  SOLE SOURCE PROCUREMENT-can be defined as any contract entered into without a competitive process, based on a justification that only one known source exists or that only one single supplier can fulfill the requirements. Although states generally do not permit non-competitive procurements by statute, exceptions are allowed where competition is not feasible. Examples of acceptable exceptions from the competitive procurement process may include:  \n● only one known source exists for supplies or services as determined by documented research;  \n● no other reasonable alternative source exists that meets the agency requirements;  \n● only one source meets the business needs of the agency/state (e.g., compatibility, unique feature to meet state’s business need, etc. ); and procurement of public utility services.  \nIII. WHAT’S NOT A SOLE SOURCE PROCUREMENT?  \n● An agency requirement for a particular proprietary product or service does not automatically justify a sole source procurement if there is more than one potential bidder for that item.  \n● An agency preference for a brand name product does not justify a sole source procurement.  \n● A good's or service's \"uniqueness\" alone may not qualify the producer or supplier of the good or service as a sole provider of a good or service. There may be other goods or services that may provide the desired result or benefit, in a different context.  \nIV. WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON SOLE SOURCE PROCUREMENT CONTRACTS?  \n● Top three most common sole source procurement contracts in the states are the following, based on existing practices in the 41 states responding to a National Association of State Procurement Officials survey:  \n[a. an](a. an) existing systems/product maintenance (e.g., additional licenses, updates, replacement parts);  \nb. information technology; and  \nc. laboratory equipment.  \n● What are acceptable considerations for sole source procurements? Agency reasons for sole sources may vary greatly but should fall within the following:  \na. only one known source that can provide the commodity or service;  \nb. unique source (commodity/service","cbCaitH6ZZlVNs1y","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaitH6ZZlVNs1y","pdf",939782,9,"English","# Sole Source Designation Process\n## Proprietary or Sole Source Designation Guidelines\n## Sole Source Rationale Survey","[{\"question\":\"When can a procurement be designated as sole source?\",\"answer\":\"A procurement qualifies as sole source when only one offeror can supply the required commodities or services, supported by written justification.\"},{\"question\":\"Who must approve sole source designations before key submissions?\",\"answer\":\"The Director of Purchase must approve all sole source designations prior to submitting a board recommendation or a professional services contract for approval.\"},{\"question\":\"What information is required in the Sole Source Rationale Survey?\",\"answer\":\"The survey requests justification for uniqueness, evidence that only one source exists, and the basis for determining the price or cost is fair and reasonable.\"}]","Sole Source Designation Process - Proprietary or Sole Source Designation Guidelines - Sole Source Rationale Survey | PDF",1789508649]