13_BN FOR HPE REDACTED.pdf

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REV 11-2023

BRAND NAME/SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION (SAM) SAT

LIMITED-SOURCES JUSTIFICATION (GSA) SAT

JUSTIFICATION FOR AN EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY

(ID/IQ TASK ORDER/DELIVERY ORDER) SAT

1. Description of Supplies/Services.

PART # DESCRIPTION QTY

UCID: 5150529946-02

PROLIANT DL360 GEN11 Intel Xeon (Single)-Gold 5515+ 3.2GHz 8-core 165W

- Storage drives: Six (6) 1.92TB SSDs

- Memory: Eight (8) 32GB DIMMs

- Power supply: Two (2) 800 Watt Power Supplies

- Windows Server 2025 Datacenter and Windows Server 2022 Datacenter Downgrade licenses

The requested supplies services represent the minimum requirements of the Government, which have been verified by the certifying technical and requirements personnel.

2. Regulatory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition.

SAM

FAR 13.106-1(b)(i) Soliciting from a single source

FAR 13.106-1(b)(ii) Particular brand-name item

GSA

FAR 8.405-6(a)(i)(1)(A) An urgent and compelling need exists

FAR 8.405-6(a)(i)(1)(B) Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized

FAR 8.405-6(a)(i)(1)(C) In the interest of economy and efficiency, the new work is a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order provided that the original order was placed in accordance with the applicable Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures (the original order or BPA must not have been previously issued under sole-source or limited-sources procedures).

FAR 8.405-6 (b) Items peculiar to one manufacturer (brand-name item)

ID/IQ Task Order/Delivery Order (e.g. NASA SEWP or ARMY CHESS) FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(A) The agency need for the supplies or services is so urgent that providing a fair opportunity would result in unacceptable delays.

FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B) Only one awardee is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services ordered are unique or highly specialized

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FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(C) The order must be issued on a sole-source basis in the interest of economy and efficiency because it is a logical follow-on to an order already issued under the contract, provided that all awardees were given a fair opportunity to be considered for the original order. [When utilizing this exception, the rationale shall describe why the relationship between the initial order and the follow-on is logical (e.g., in terms of scope, period of performance, or value).]

FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(D) It is necessary to place an order to satisfy a minimum guarantee.

FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(E) For orders exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, a statute expressly authorizes or requires that the purchase be made from a specified source.

FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(F) In accordance with section 1331 of Public Law 111-240 ( 15 U.S.C.

644(r)), contracting officers may, at their discretion, set aside orders for any of the small business concerns identified in 19.000(a)(3). When setting aside orders for small business concerns, the specific small business program eligibility requirements identified in part 19 apply.

FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(G) For DoD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, the order satisfies one of the exceptions permitting the use of other than full and open competition listed in 6.302 ( 10 U.S.C.

3406(c)(5)). The public interest exception shall not be used unless Congress is notified in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(7).

3. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Regulatory Authority.

a.) The Items Described in Paragraph 1 Must Be Compatible In All Aspects (Form, Fit And Function) With Existing Systems Presently Installed.

b.) A Patent, Copyright, or Proprietary Data Limits Competition.

c.) The Items Described in Paragraph 1 are “Direct Replacements” Parts/Components for Existing Equipment.

d.) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Supported By A Case Letter.

e.) Unusual and Compelling Urgency.

The acquisition of Hewlett Packard Enterprise equipment is necessary to ensure seamless interoperability and direct integration with existing systems. This equipment will be installed at Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Blaz, Guam, and must directly interface and communicate with the identical Hewlett Packard Enterprise network infrastructure already fielded and operational at Marine Corps installations in Okinawa, Japan.

3 | 7 f.) Other: If required, discuss any other rationale that supports the use of a brand name/sole source for this effort.

4. Implication of Procuring Another Brand/Manufacturer.

a.) Unacceptable Delays in Fulfilling the Agency’s Requirements.

b.) Substantial Duplication Of Cost To The Government That Is Not Expected To Be Recovered Through Competition.

c.) Other: If required, discuss any other implication of procuring another brand/manufacturer.

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The United States Marine Corps (USMC) Marine Corps Enterprise Network- Unclassified (MCEN-N) serves as the primary unclassified network enclave for the Marine Corps' enterprise information technology infrastructure. It supports day-to-day unclassified communications, garrison operations, and standard administrative tasks across the enterprise. The MCEN-N architecture is standardized on Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Aruba hardware, software, and enterprise licensing.

Introducing an alternative brand or manufacturer into the established MCEN-N baseline introduces severe technical, interoperability, and security risks.

Architecture Standardization- The MCEN-N architecture, routing protocols, and configuration templates are built specifically around ArubaOS and AOS- CX operating systems. Introducing a secondary hardware vendor fragments this unified configuration baseline, creating configuration drift and operational instability.

Security & Access Control- The MCEN-N utilizes Aruba ClearPass to enforce Comply-to-Connect (C2C) and Network Access Control (NAC) policies. Aruba switches utilize proprietary integration features (such as Downloadable User Roles) with ClearPass that alternative hardware brands cannot natively execute, degrading the network's cybersecurity posture.

Centralized Orchestration- Network management, monitoring, and compliance auditing are executed centrally via Aruba AirWave and Aruba Central. These orchestration platforms cannot natively configure, monitor, or push critical security firmware updates to third-party hardware (e.g., Cisco, Juniper), breaking centralized visibility.

Cybersecurity / RMF- The current MCEN-N Authority to Operate (ATO) and automated Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) are validated specifically for HPE Aruba devices. Introducing a new brand requires a net-new ATO and manual STIG mapping, resulting in unacceptable delays to mission-critical deployments.

If a competitive solicitation forces the procurement of an alternative manufacturer's hardware, the USMC will face a compounding increase in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) across the lifecycle of the equipment.

Duplication of Management Platforms- The USMC would be forced to fund, license, host, and secure a secondary enterprise network management platform (e.g., Cisco Catalyst Center or Juniper Mist) solely to operate the non-standard hardware.

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5. Actions to Remove Barriers to Competition.

CERTIFICATION

I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance, which are included in this justification and its supporting data/documentation, are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

CUSTOMER:

Andrew Lim, Engineer, RS10 951-316-8845 13JUL2026 Name, Title, Code Phone No. Date

APPROVALS

I certify that the Customer representations above have been verified, and are complete and correct to the best of my knowledge. I understand that the processing of this brand name/sole-source justification precludes the use of full and open competition.

CONTRACT ADMINISTRATOR/SPECIALIST:

Training and Certifications- Marine Corps communication Marines and civilian personnel are trained on the established HPE Aruba CLI baseline. A secondary vendor requires funding new training pipelines, purchasing vendor-specific certifications, and updating formal MOS schoolhouse curriculums.

Risk Management Framework (RMF) Delays- Cybersecurity personnel must author new System Security Plans (SSPs), validate security baselines, and undergo a comprehensive RMF assessment to obtain a new ATO. This administrative process takes 6 to 12 months, creating critical delays in fielding modern equipment to the warfighter.

For the reasons described in Paragraphs 3a, and 4c, NSWC Corona has no plans at this time to compete future contracts for the types of supplies/services covered by this document. If another potential source emerges, NSWC Corona will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.

LIM.ANDREW.SIVU

THA.1264844807

Digitally signed by

LIM.ANDREW.SIVUTHA.1264844

Date: 2026.08.11 13:45:54 -07'00'

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Name, Title, Code Phone No. Date

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief, and that completing this purchase as a brand name/sole source is in the best interest of the Government.

CONTRACTING OFFICER:

Name, Title, Code Phone No. Date