24-SIMACQ-PHD-BD3-0074_Brand Name-Sole Source_05092024 Redacted.pdf

Brand Name/Sole Source Justification under $250K

PMD Number: 24-SIMACQ-BD3-0074

Department: IT Operations, Code 1041

Company Name/Brand:

Microsoft

Description of Product, Supplies or Services required to meet the agency’s needs:

This request is for Microsoft Surface tablets and associated peripherals in support of workforce mobility and hardware modernization to directly replace older model Microsoft Surfaces that were required to be decommissioned due to being end-of-life.

Identification of Justification Rational:

☒ The Material or service must be compatible will aspects (Form, Fit, and Function) with existing systems presently installed.

☐ A patent, copyright, proprietary data, or licensing agreement limits competition.

☒ These are “direct replacement(s)” parts/components for existing equipment.

☐ Urgency.

Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1). Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. IAW FAR 6.303-2(b)(4).

Identification of the Justification Rationale Explained: **If using form, fit, and function, describe the current equipment and how the new item/service must coordinate or interface.

**If using patent, copyright, proprietary data, describe the proprietary data. **If using direct replacement, describe this below.

As part of the modernization initiative, NSWC PHD’s Command Staff uses the mobile management solution, Microsoft Windows Secure Host Baseline Windows 10 image (SHB), to engage in modern mobile computing. The original devices used to deploy the SHB to engage in mobile computing are now end-of-life and end-of-support and are required to be replaced. More specifically, the Command is undergoing a transition from a pilot program using Microsoft Surface devices to deploy and engage SHB to a production program that requires the use of the same make and model of devices but with better CPU type, higher RAM amount, and larger HDD capacity.

No other brand of tablet, other than Microsoft, is TAA compliant and can run the SHB as required for mobile computing. If another brand of tablet solution was used, NSWC PHD would not be able to deploy SHB and would be required to procure a different mobile device management solution to engage in mobile computing.

Specific Characteristics of the Item or Service required that Limit the Availability to a Sole Source or Brand Name: **This is the most important section. Explain in detail why this company or brand are the only ones that can meet the requirement.

Brand Name/Sole Source Justification under $250K

As stated, the Microsoft Surface branded tablet is the only brand of tablet device that can support the SHB. All other tablet devices require a mobile device management solution . It was determined that the least costly solution, that still met the command requirements, would be to leverage the existing infrastructure at NSWCPHD and deploy the DISA Windows SHB on a tablet device that supported it. The only tablet device that could be deployed in this scenario is the Microsoft Surface Pro. No other brand of tablet can meet NSWC PHD’s needs.

In fact, since the existing infrastructure of the Unclassified RDT&E network at NSWC PHD is built around deploying, securing and managing Microsoft Windows and RedHat Enterprise Linux, and since DISA does not authorize the use of another mobile management solution other than SHB, the initial pilot program focused on eliminating the need to procure additional management solutions called Mobile Device Managers (MDMs) to deploy and manage iOS or Android devices as well as train personnel in the new technology. More specifically, the pilot program focused on implementing one mobile management solution that met DISA’s requirements and seamlessly supported the SHB on Windows computers. Through this pilot program, NSWC PHD was able to leverage existing infrastructure and eliminate the use of additional MDMs by successfully using Microsoft Surface Tablets on the NSWCPHD U-RDTE network to seamlessly deploy its mobile management solution. Since the pilot program’s tablets are now end-of-life, NSWC PHD must reprocure the same brand of tablets in order to continue the seamless deployment.

If NSWC PHD were to procure a different brand of tablet to deploy its mobile management solution, there would be a substantial duplication of cost since other brand of tablets have different core operating systems that are not able to seamlessly interact with the DISA-regulated Windows computers, the NSWC PHD U-RDTE network, or the required SHB. This substantial duplication of cost would not be recovered through competition since the cost incurred would include the procurement of both new tablets and new software to support the new tablets since additional MDMs must be used to deploy SHB with non-Microsoft Surface hardware. Furthermore, using a different brand would result in a large amount of man hours to architect, test, validate, deploy, and support the entirely new hardware.

Market Research Conducted:

A request for market research was submitted on NASA SEWP that included a summary of hardware accompanied by a list of required salient characteristics. The market research was advertised to 128 vendors, of which 10 responded with market research. The 10 submissions which included vendors such as Sterling, PCITec Panamerica Computers and Enterprise Technology Solutions, etc.

Statement of Actions, if any to Remove Barriers to Competition in the Future:

NSWC PHD Contracts Office will continue to conduct market research as warranted to provide a broader vendor base as applicable for the types of supplies/services covered by this document. If another potential source emerges, NSWC PHD will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.

CERTIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL

I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance, which are included in this justification and its supporting acquisition planning data, except as noted herein, are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Technical Cognizance:

CHRISTMAS.WILLIAM.JAMES.I Digitally signed by

V.1454219542

CHRISTMAS.WILLIAM.JAMES.IV.1454219542

Date: 2024.05.10 11:44:34 -07'00'

William Christmas, Code 1041 IT Specialist Phone No. 805-228-7670 Date 05/10/2024

Legal Counsel:

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

SURANE.JULIANNE.MARI

E.1522887796

Legal Office:

Digitally signed by

SURANE.JULIANNE.MARIE.1522887796

Date: 2024.05.10 12:57:11 -07'00'

Julianne Surane, Assistant Counsel Phone No. 805-228-8520 Date

Contracting Officer:

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

Contracting Officer Signature:

Arthur Wynn, Contracting Officer, Code 027, 805-330-0370 Date arthur.p.wynn Highlight arthur.p.wynn Highlight