Sole_Source_signed.pdf

SOLE SOURCE L SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITIONS

NATIONrIL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

RECOMMENDATION AND DEERMINATION TO SOLICIT FROM ONE SOURCE

I recommend that National Science Foundation negotiate with Blackmesh, Inc, 20130 Lakeview Center Plaza, Suite 310, Ashburn, VA 20147, 703-673-959. The total estimated cost of this effort is $33,600.00 and the period of performance is October 01, 2018 though September 30, 2019, plus 4 option years.

I have reviewed other products/services to identify other vendors which might meet NSF's requirements through one of the following methods:

O GSA Schedule O Open Market Price Lists

• Previous Requirements O Others See AttaLment

FAR 19.502-2 requires award to Small Busi ess for supplies or services with an anticipated dollar value exceeding $2,500. If applicable specify wh award is being recommended to other than a Small Business.

El No other Small Company can supply the equipment or service

• The Company does not have a Small Business distributor than can supply the equipment or service.

O GSA schedule does not provide the equipment or service from Small Business O Other See Attachment

This recommendation is made pursuant to FAR 13.106, for the acquisition of supplies or services determined to be reasonably available from only one sotirce. Competition is impractical for the following reasons:

1. As previous research indicated Blackmesl offers slightly lower/comparable market price costs in addition to greater service and performance than its Fed amp Certified competitors. A move of Nano.gov website, with 70 GB of data and associated custom modul s, would introduce the potential for loss of website function with no likely cost savings.

2. Blackmesh currently hosts the nano.gov website through a contract NSFDACS17P1304, the contractor supporting the technical and administrative functions of the NNCO. Blackmesh was chosen following an extensive search of vendors with appropriate expertise. Blackmesh offered software updates, security, backups, and Drupal assistance at an equal level with ipther vendors. Blackmesh offers complete Drupal support up to NNCO's custom code and the option to request additional services, including emergency module updating, installation, and troubleshooting and back-erd changes. Blackmesh offers a complete Drupal hosting solution.

In addition, Blackmesh distinguishes itself b offering all the following:

1. A fully managed cloud server and services, minimizing support costs within the NNCO; using Amazon Web Services would require additional contractor support to maintain the website

2. FedRamp Certification;

3, Unlimited 24/7/365 phone and emai support

4. Guaranteed 99.99% Network Uptime on highly available architectures

5. Guaranteed 99.95% Network Uptime on non-highly available architecture

3. Nano.gov is the official website of the Utlited States National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), and is one of the top 300 .gov websites by pageviews. 4.s the public face of the NNI, it is imperative that nano.gov continue to offer uninterrupted service at the same high standard of performance that has been delivered over the past three years —99.99% uptime guaranteed and delivered. Service from Blackmesh has been excellent, with response time for service requests never longer than one hour. It is impractical to risk disruption to this service when there are no expected cost or effort savings.

SYSTEM

APPROVED:

Ad Contracting cer

A kftv Date

Date (Name) i a Fiiedersdorf (Title) Director (Office) NNCO

I hereby accept the above stated recommendation and determine that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably ay. ilable.