A17_-_SSJ_REDACTION_DOC_Redacted_1.pdf

United States Department of the Interior

INTERIOR BUSINESS CENTER

Washington, DC 20240

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS

AUTHORITY: FAR 13.501(a), 41 U.S.C. 1901

SOL: 140D0424Q0032

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity and specific identification of the document as a “Sole Source Justification.”

This document is a sole source justification for the Department of the Interior (DOI), Interior Business Center (IBC), Acquisition Services Directorate, Division 1 Branch 1 on behalf of the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), Service Delivery Division (SDD), Hosting Services Branch (HSB).

2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

This is a Sole Source Justification for the renewal of licensing and maintenance support of Software Engineering of America, Inc.'s (SEA) Sysout/Syslog Accumulation Viewing & Retrieval (SAVR) and Total Report Management System (TRMS) software currently used on HSB’s IBM Z15 T02 Mainframe.

3. A description of supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value).

This requirement is for Content Management System (CMS) software and maintenance, currently provided by Software Engineering of America (SEA). SEA will continue utilizing their proprietary Sysout/Syslog Accumulation Viewing & Retrieval (SAVR) and Total Report Management System (TRMS) software, which is currently in use on DOI’s IBM Z15 T02 Mainframe.

The CMS requirement includes:

Automated accumulation, distribution, viewing, and archiving of reports.

Interface with IBM’s Resource Access Control Facility (RACF) to support secure viewing of all or portions of reports by authorized recipients.

Reports are directly accessible on the International Business Machines (IBM) mainframe via a web user interface, allowing users to accomplish tasks efficiently through e-mail and other PC-based applications.

Support for secure mobile application interfaces, e.g., iPhone or Android smartphone support for users.

Archival and retrieval policy to ensure compliance with regulatory policies.

Report data repository maintained on z/OS mainframe and associated disk storage.

Save/reduce personnel efforts to process and handle SYSOUT, SYSLOG, and job entry system data sets and for JOBLOG audit requirements.

5. A demonstration that the proposed contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires using the authority cited.

SEA provides Content Management System (CMS) software and maintenance, which helps DOI manage the Federal Personnel and Payroll System (FPPS) software applications and generate custom reports. It is the value-added customizing of the software that makes SEA’s qualifications unique in the marketplace. It is unique to the marketplace as market research has shown that there are no other vendors in the marketplace to fulfill the requirement. In addition, SEA is unique in the fact that they implemented the customization to DOI’s software payroll system using the SAVRS and TRMS software. Additionally, SEA offers no charge conversion/training assistance and live 24/7 customer support. Another unique feature is demonstrated in SEA’s SAVRS software. This software has a self-optimizing database. It uses a proprietary compression algorithm; the database ensures the most efficient use of mainframe Direct Access Storage Device (DASD) space. The SAVRS software is currently in place and is vital in support of payroll services provided by DOI.

The Federal Personnel and Payroll System (FPPS) is a "home-grown" software payroll system. This software payroll system FPPS required customization adaptation and numerous changes, which have been made by SEA over the last five (5) years. DOI’s FPPS provides payroll services for external customers beyond DOI, i.e., Supreme Court Justices, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Social Security Administration (SSA), and the Department of Transportation, and the required support during a potential migration is highly complex as the customers span numerous time zones.

The cost to transition from one (1) vendor to another is extremely cost prohibitive and will cause unnecessary disruptions to business operations. Whereby, the Government would spend over $600K-$800K on labor and training, which would more than likely erase any possible price reductions as a result of competition. This price does not reflect the effects of six (6) months of total breaks in service during this time period for the end-users, nor does it include the labor cost of the Federal Government end-users (clients), who must dedicate their time to these transitions through transition at their end and training on a new system. Also, the end-users’ day to day operations would be disrupted, activities delayed and would jeopardize important FPPS activities.

Furthermore, introducing new software or hardware to the current infrastructure must undergo a thorough security evaluation and complete compatibility retesting of the entire system. Additionally, a more extensive training program would be requested, costing between $40K and $60K. DOI would need new professional engineers and technicians available for a specific period to assist with problem-solving. The Program Manager estimates that approximately 34,000 manhours would be expended between the OCIO Mainframe Team and IBC's FPPS personnel in the event of transition to another vendor.

Failure to continue to procure SEA’s software and maintenance identified herein would requirement is anticipated to align with current inflation rates and commercial pricing offered through the vendor’s catalog pricing.

8. A description of the market research conducted (see Part 10) and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

The contract history was reviewed, and after a discussion with the government technical experts, the CS conducted market research, which included retrieving catalog pricing from SEA. Upon review of the previous contract, D0421P0019, it was discovered that SEA offers customized software design services at no extra cost. SEA's commercial software products and maintenance services are proprietary, and no authorized resellers exist, which was evidenced through the sole source provider letter submitted by SEA.

Additionally, as a small business, SEA provides these services on an open-market basis only. Please refer to the Contract File - Acquisition Planning- A14 Market Research for the full report.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition, such as:

None.

10. A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

Software Engineering of America, Inc.'s (SEA) 1325 Franklin Avenue Suite 545 Garden City, New York 11530

11. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required.

The Government will reassess its service requirements at a future date. The agency will conduct appropriate market research to determine sources. A sources sought notice will be posted in the future through SAM.gov to assist in permitting commercial offerors to provide potential alternate solutions. Alternate sources that are identified will then be considered for competition of any future requirements.

12. Contracting officer certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the contracting officer’s knowledge and belief.

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

13. Requirements personnel certification.

I certify that the technical data that forms a basis for this justification is complete and accurate and meets the Government's minimum needs.

Contracting Officer Representative Date

14. Reviews and Approvals

Concur

Approve