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Sole Source Justification Form

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SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION FORM

Requesting Department Information

Contact Phone:

Contact Email:

Date of Request:

Procurement / Vendor Information

Vendor Contact:

Vendor Phone:

Vendor Email:

Description of Goods or Services

Provide a clear, concise description of the goods or services to be procured, including part numbers, model numbers, scope of work, deliverables, and any critical specifications.

Justification for Sole Source

State the specific factual and legal grounds supporting award without competition. Include demonstration that one or more of the following apply (as applicable): unique proprietary rights held by the vendor; compatibility with existing equipment or software; time-sensitive emergency procurement that threatens public welfare or property; proprietary technical expertise; statutory or policy exemption. Cite specific facts showing why alternatives are infeasible.

Market Research and Alternatives Considered

Indicate research efforts undertaken to identify alternative sources. Check all that apply and provide details where indicated.





Efforts to Obtain Competition

Describe any outreach, time constraints, or documented attempts to obtain competitive bids or quotes. Identify dates and recipients of solicitations or inquiries.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure

Do any requestor(s) or evaluators have a financial or personal relationship with the vendor?

Attachments and Supporting Documentation

Attach relevant documents to substantiate the sole source claim. Check all included items.





Administrative Use / Approvals

Procurement office reviewers complete this section. Do not sign — enter reviewer name, decision, and date.

Procurement Review Date:

Certification

By signing below, I certify that the information contained in this Sole Source Justification Form is true and complete to the best of my knowledge. I further certify that I have documented reasonable attempts to obtain competition where practicable, and that award to the identified vendor is necessary under applicable procurement rules and policies. I understand that providing false information may subject me to administrative or disciplinary action.

Requestor Name:

Signature:

Date:

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What a Sole Source Justification Form Is and When It Applies

A Sole Source Justification Form documents the procurement rationale when competitive bidding is impracticable and a single supplier must be used. It records factual basis, market research, technical reasons, and required approvals so contracting officers can lawfully award a noncompetitive contract. The form typically includes vendor identification, a description of unique capabilities or proprietary rights, estimated cost, period of performance, and signatures from the requestor and approving authority. Agencies and organizations keep the completed form with procurement files to support auditability and to demonstrate compliance with applicable procurement policies and statutes.

Why a Clear Sole Source Justification Matters

A concise, documented justification reduces protest and audit risk, speeds approval of necessary purchases, and provides a defensible record showing why competitive procurement was not feasible.

Why a Clear Sole Source Justification Matters

Who Prepares and Reviews a Sole Source Justification

The form is prepared by the requesting department and routed to procurement, legal, and an approving official for review.

  • Program managers and technical leads who identify the unique requirement and gather supporting evidence.
  • Procurement officers who validate market research, pricing reasonableness, and policy adherence.
  • Legal or contract officers who confirm statutory or regulatory permissibility and signatory authority.

Typical Signatories and Their Roles

Requestor

Program or project staff who identify the requirement, document why only one vendor can meet the need, and supply technical justification and supporting attachments for procurement review.

Approving Official

Contracting officer or delegated authority who reviews the record for compliance with procurement rules, validates cost reasonableness, and signs to authorize a noncompetitive award.

Essential Elements to Include on the Form

A professional Sole Source Justification Form should be structured, evidence-based, and signed by authorized personnel to withstand audit or protest.

Vendor Details

Full legal name, address, DUNS or UEI where applicable, and contact information so the award record precisely identifies the single source.

Description of Need

Clear statement of the requirement, technical specifications, and performance expectations that explain why alternatives were considered inadequate.

Market Research

Summary of searches, solicitations attempted, vendor outreach, and rationale showing that competition was solicited or impossible.

Justification Rationale

Concrete reasons supporting a sole source award: unique capability, compatibility, proprietary rights, emergency conditions, or authorized statutory exception.

Cost Analysis

Estimated price, basis for price reasonableness, comparison to prior purchases, and any available cost breakdowns or quotes.

Approvals & Dates

Signatures, titles, and dates for preparer, reviewer, and approving official plus any required executive-level concurrence.

Required Data Fields at a Glance

Vendor Name: Exact legal name
Justification Type: Single-sentence reason code
Market Research: Summary result
Estimated Cost: Dollar amount
Approving Official: Name and title
Signatures: Signed and dated

Step-by-Step: Completing the Form

Follow this sequence to prepare a defensible sole source justification and route it for approval.

  • 01
    Define Requirement: Describe the need and unique technical criteria.
  • 02
    Conduct Research: Document market checks and outreach steps taken.
  • 03
    Assemble Evidence: Attach quotes, emails, and technical documentation.
  • 04
    Obtain Approvals: Route to procurement, legal, and the approving official.

Configuring an Online Workflow for the Form

Set up a digital review and approval flow to capture signatures, timestamps, and an immutable audit trail.

Field Configuration
Preparer Field Editable by requestor only
Reviewer Field Assign to procurement group
Signature Field Require signer name and date
Attachments Allow PDF uploads only

Where to Send the Completed Form

Completed forms are routed to procurement, legal, and the approver; copies are retained with the contract file.

  • Procurement Office: Primary file and compliance review.
  • Legal Counsel: Review statutory and policy conformity.
  • Approving Official: Final authority for noncompetitive award.
  • Records Retention: Store with contract documentation.

Digital Signing and eSubmission Considerations

Use an eSignature platform that provides audit trails, tamper-evident signed PDFs, and signer authentication suitable for procurement records.

  • Audit Trail: Capture timestamp, IP, and signer actions.
  • Authentication: Support email link, SMS code, or stronger methods.
  • File Formats: Export as PDF/A with embedded certificate.

Typical Timing and Deadlines to Track

Track internal review deadlines and statutory timelines that affect award, reporting, and retention of the justification.

Request Submission:

Submit justification before obligation of funds.

Procurement Review:

Allow sufficient time for procurement and legal review.

Approval Date:

Record date of approving official signature.

Award Execution:

Execute contract after approvals are complete.

Audit Retention:

Retain documents per retention policy.

Key Milestones in the Sole Source Approval Process

Follow these sequential milestones to create a complete administrative record that supports the award.

01

Requirement Identification

Document the business need and technical specifications.

02

Market Research Completed

Capture outreach, quotes, and search results.

03

Formal Justification Drafted

Assemble rationale and attachments for review.

04

Approvals Obtained

Record signatures and dates for audit trail.

Common Errors to Avoid

  • Failing to document market research or providing only generic statements that do not show effort to seek competition.
  • Using vague language such as 'only vendor available' without technical evidence or third-party verification.
  • Omitting cost analysis or relying solely on a single quote without supporting price reasonableness data.
  • Routing to the wrong approver or missing signature authority, which can nullify the award and trigger corrective action.

Risks and Potential Consequences of Inadequate Justifications

Bid Protest: Award may be protested by competitors.
Audit Findings: Auditor may require corrective actions.
Contract Cancellation: Noncompliant awards can be voided.
Disciplinary Action: Officials may face administrative sanctions.
Repayment: Costs may be disallowed and recovered.
Debarment Risk: Severe cases can lead to debarment.

Practical Examples of When a Sole Source Justification Is Used

These anonymized examples illustrate common factual bases that support a sole source award in practice.

University Research Equipment

A lab needs a proprietary instrument for an ongoing study

  • only the incumbent vendor supplies compatible consumables
  • the justification attaches vendor certification and price quote and documents impact on research continuity if delayed.

County Emergency Repair

A bridge requires specialized composite parts only produced by one manufacturer

  • immediate repair needed to protect public safety
  • procurement documents include engineering memo, vendor lead time, and approving official signature.

Typical eSignature Pricing and Features for Procuring Digital Approval Workflows

When selecting an eSignature provider for collecting approvals and signatures on procurement documents, compare pricing, bulk send, audit trail, and HIPAA availability. signNow is listed first per vendor comparison rules.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial 7-day free trial No No Yes, limited Yes, limited
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No

Frequently Asked Questions about Sole Source Justifications

Answers to common questions on when and how to use the form, and what makes a defensible procurement record.


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