24R3001_JNA_160224_Redacted.pdf

SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION-SEE FAR 2.101AND 3.104

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

BRAND NAME OR EQUAL JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Interactive Flat Panels (IFPs) Enterprise Remote Management and Learning Suite Software

9 February 2024

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity:

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Headquarters/ IT Technical

Project/Program Management office (TPMO) Branch 700 Westpark Drive, Peachtree City, GA 30269

2. Nature and or/description of action:

The Information Technology (IT) Division has a requirement for Interactive Flat Panels (IFP) along with its enterprise remote management and learning suite software that is/are compatible with SMART Learning Suite (LUMIO) in support of DoDEA’s Classroom Display Acquisition Program (CDAP) Lifecycle Management Plan. Classrooms need functional/sustainable display technology to support 21st Century Teaching. Display technologies evolve over time. Different grade levels and curriculum areas have expressed differing needs. IT Technical Project/Program Management Office (TPMO) created and manages the lifecycle program for classroom display device(s). The units purchased under the previous IDIQ now require lifecycle replacement; therefore, there is a need to procure the hardware, learning suite (If Non-SMART brand) and remote management software in support of the CDAP Lifecycle Management Plan. DoDEA currently has SMART LUMIO learning suite for the organization.

This is a Justification and Approval (J&A) to utilize Other than Full and Open Competition for awarding competitive contracts, purchase orders and/or delivery orders to certified Value Added Resellers (VARs) for IFPs, remote management and learning suite software/license(s) and support that is compatible with SMART LUMIO learning suite software tools. Specifically, DoDEA requires an enterprise remote management for IFPs and learning suite software/license(s) software that can seamlessly interact with and/or edit SMART Notebook, SMART Response, SMART Lab, SMART Ink and Drivers (SMART DRINK), SMART Add-Ons such as Activity Builder SMART Math and SMART Remote Management. Annual Maintenance for the software is also required to include upgrades to the suite throughout the contract's life. This software is commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) software.

The offerors may procure any brand of IFP, remote management and learning suite software; however, the offeror’s proposed solution for both needs to seamlessly interact with SMART LUMIO software tools.

This requirement will result in a multiple award Firm-Fixed Price (FFP), Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite- Quantity (IDIQ) contract. DoDEA anticipates awarding contracts to four Offerors, with the option to award more if it is deemed in the best interest of the Government. The period of performance for this requirement is one five-year base period. This results in a five-year lifecycle program for CDAP.

3. Description of Supplies and Services Required to Meet the Agency’s Needs (including the estimated value):

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY

DoDEA has standardized lifecycle support of interactive displays in the instructional space under one sustainment program. DoDEA seeks to purchase multi-touch interactive display flat panels and software compatible with SMART’s Lumio Learning Suite for use in classroom spaces, meeting spaces, and other collaborative areas in schools and offices located CONUS and OCONUS.

Specific requirements include:

1. Integrate with DoDEA’s existing program and support DoDEA’s instructional needs.

2. Compatible software that allows access to previous lesson materials created in the SMART Notebook format.

3. Convert SMART Notebook proprietary files without significant changes in functionality of the files.

4. Access and use of lesson materials provided in the College and Career Ready curriculum.

5. Ability to standardize one version of software for IT support and program maintenance, allowing the functionality of moving files from one type of interactive display to another.

DoDEA requires an enterprise remote software/license(s) for the learning suite and remote management.

The software that DoDEA requires must recognize and process current proprietary file extensions (.notebook and .nbx) that come with curricular resources. The software must support files and lesson materials already created over the past 10+ years by DoDEA’s teachers so they can continue to use existing lesson materials and other instructional tools to assure uninterrupted performance of DoDEA’s educational mission. DoDEA also requires the ability for students to access saved and recorded lesson files, mathematics, and formula-based tools, as well as games and assessment templates in all curricular areas.

In addition, DoDEA requires annual maintenance for that software to include upgrades to the remote management and learning suite throughout the contract's life, currently five (5) years.

The estimated price to procure the necessary software/license(s) throughout the contract is to cover up to 8500 IFPs with remote management software.

4. Identification of the statutory authority for Other Than Full and Open Competition:

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1(c)(2)– Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements-Items peculiar to one manufacturer. A justification for this brand name or equal procurement is required by Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation 211.104. The brand name hardware and software solution or an equal hardware and software solution meeting the required salient characteristics is essential to the government’s requirements as the government is in need of both a hardware and software solution that can seamlessly interact with SMART tools. The offerors may propose a solution other than the SMART brand series; however, they will need to demonstrate that their solution can meet the PWS requirements.

5. Demonstration of Contractor’s Unique qualifications or Nature of Acquisition Requiring the

Authority Cited:

DoDEA currently has SMART software and hardware in all 167 DoDEA schools in all instructional spaces. DoDEA has, for over ten years, procured SMART software and hardware in regional or district-level purchases. This has yielded different versions and equipment types, but the file extensions are the same and usable in any DoDEA classroom.

The offeror’s proposed solution will need to integrate with DoDEA’s existing program and support DoDEA’s instructional need to assure continued teacher performance of DoDEA’s educational mission as follows:

Existing Lesson Materials: DoDEA teachers have created thousands of lesson plans, assessments, templates, and classroom activities using the SMART software. This software is proprietary and has its own file extension (.notebook or .xbk). To use the materials that DoDEA teachers have created, they would need software compatibility with the SMART software.

College and Career Ready Materials: DoDEA teachers are using materials for the College and Career Ready curriculum in both K-5 Mathematics and grades 6-12 English Language Arts that include proprietary SMART Notebook files. The proposed software solution will need to allow the teachers to view and manipulate the SMART Notebook files. The software will be needed to enable the teachers to access and use the lesson materials provided in DoDEA’s recent college and career-ready curriculum purchase.

Lifecycle Standards/IT Maintenance: A new software program would not be backward compatible with all hardware in the existing schools, as addressed below in the Market Research section, meaning that DoDEA could not standardize on one version of software for IT support and program maintenance. Without SMART software, DoDEA IT would have to run parallel versions of more than one kind of software that accomplishes the same functional task and teachers could not move files from one type of interactive display to another.

Market research reveals that there are other sources that can provide DoDEA with the software and hardware solutions compatible with manipulating and editing SMART Notebook files and accessing previously recorded and saved lesson materials created in the SMART format over the last decade. The research revealed that there are software products that can successfully take SMART proprietary files and convert them without notable changes in the functionality of the files.

6. Effort to Obtain Competition:

As stated above, DoDEA has done extensive market research. DoDEA will publicize as required by FAR Subpart 5.2. Market research was conducted as described below, and many sources can meet the software and hardware requirements outlined in the salient characteristics without providing SMART-specific products. Please see Section 8 for additional information.

7. Contracting Officer’s Fair and Reasonable Determination:

The contracting officer has determined that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. The quote will be analyzed in accordance with FAR 13.106-3 and FAR 15.404-1. The Government will use various price analysis techniques including, but not limited, to market research;

comparison of the proposed price with prices found reasonable on previous purchases; comparison to an independent Government’s estimate; comparison of proposed prices received in response to the solicitation as adequate competition is anticipated; or any other reasonable basis to obtain a fair and reasonable price.

8. Description of market research conducted:

Market research was conducted to identify solutions for this requirement. Market research indicated that there were hardware and software solutions other than SMART brands that could meet the requirements.

A sources sought request was published on beta.SAM.gov website on 22 February 2022 resulting in the following potential sources:

Vendor RFI

Respondent?

Business Size Product

Offered/Compatible?

1st Voice Y SB Viewsonic/Y Clary Business Machines (CBM)/ One Screen

Y SB One Screen/Y

Ecotech Imaging Y SB SMART/Y Trox/Bluum Y SB Clear Touch, Newline, Box

Light/Y TUWYN Y SDVO Optoma/Y

SMART Y SB SMART/Y

B & H Y WO ?/?

Team One Repair, Inc.

Y SB LG/Y

Sterling Y WO SMART/Y Corbett Tech Solutions (CTSI)

Y SB Qomo/Y

ATP Gov. LLC Y WO SMART/Y

Additionally, the Contracting Officer’s Representative conducted market research in April 2023 and again September 2023, that consisted of a search of the market, a review of the previous contracts, and a market survey. Market research reveals that there are other sources that can provide DoDEA with the software and hardware solutions compatible with manipulating and editing SMART Notebook files and accessing previously recorded and saved lesson materials created in the SMART format over the last decade. The research revealed that there are software products that can successfully take SMART proprietary files and convert them without notable changes in the functionality of the files.

As the table below shows, SMART software and hardware products are not the only solution that is able to meet the requirements:

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

For the reasons stated above, SMART brand products and services or non-SMART brand products and services meeting DoDEA’s required salient characteristics can provide the required enterprise software licenses.

10. List of Interested Sources:

Vendors 1st Voice SMART Clary Business Machines (CBM)/One Screen B&H EcoTech Imaging Team One Repair, Inc.

Troxx/Bluum Sterling TUWYN Corbett Tech Solutions (CTSI) ATP Gov. LLC

55431630

11. Statement of Actions to Remove or Overcome Competition Barriers:

DoDEA will continue to conduct market research to see if new software has been developed that is compatible with SMART software. DoDEA has historically only procured SMART software and hardware solutions; however, market research has shown that there are other software and hardware products that could potentially meet the minimum requirements outlined in the salient characteristics. As a result, prospective offerors can offer products other than the SMART brand name series to meet the requirements of the solicitation.

CERTIFICATION

12. Technical Certification (required): I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance and which forms a basis for this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Office:

APPROVAL

Approval is granted subject to the availability of funds and provided that the products/services described herein have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

13. Contracting Officer (required): I certify that the facts and representations included in this Justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and hereby determine that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.