CIT FIS Lumen JEFO - 2months.pdf

Justification and Approval for Sole Source Acquisition for Commercial Items for Acquisitions Over $250K

“Source Selection Information – see FAR 2.101 and 3.104”

1. Identification of the agency and contracting activity.

a. Federal agency and contracting activity.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Acquisitions (OA), National Library of Medicine (NLM)

b. Sponsoring organization.

Center for Information Technology (CIT) 6555 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda MD 20817

c. Project Officer information.

Chantel Steward, Co-location Services Lead, Facility Infrastructure Services (FIS) Center for Information Technology (CIT) 12 South Drive, Building 12A Bethesda, Maryland 20892 301-496-7362 ckw@mail.nih.gov

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

a. Acquisition purpose and objectives.

This is an NIH-wide requirement for the NIH Consolidated Co-Location Site (NCCS), which hosts servers that support production and disaster recovery services, as well as continuity of operations (COOP) efforts for various NIH Institutes, Centers (ICs) and other HHS OPDIVs. The purpose of this acquisition is to acquire/provide a NIH Consolidated Colocation Site that satisfies the present and predictable future IT requirements of the NIH Enterprise ICs by limiting sources in accordance to FAR 6.302-2(b)(2), Unusual and Compelling Urgency. This is a combined Center of Information Technology (CIT) and National Library of Medicine (NLM) contract which will require two separate Delivery Orders in order for each IC to be able to better track funding and payments. It is anticipated that two awards will be made from this solicitation, one for CIT and one for NLM. The objective will be to award a sole source contract with the incumbent contractor, Lumen Technologies Government Solutions, Inc., which will allow for the CIT and NLM to avoid a lapse in service in meeting mission-critical objectives.

The period of performance of the purchase order will be a two (2) months period of performance from 1/30/2025 – 3/29/2025.

b. Project background.

The CIT and NLM provide twenty-four (24) hours a day seven (7) days a week support to multiple NIH wide environments, systems, and services which continue to experience significant growth in usage throughout the NIH's 27 Institutes and Centers.

Many systems' architectures are customized based on the system owners' needs to meet interoperability requirements. CIT also provides connectivity to remote locations such as Montana, Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, Philadelphia, and New Mexico.

The NIH Institutes, Centers and other HHS OPDIVs have systems that depend on the NCCS for services and infrastructure which provides an environment where high confidentiality, availability, and integrity of NIH information is assured, and where the unique NIH information processing services are readily duplicated in the event of a major compromise of a primary computer center for one or more NIH ICs and/or the failure of existing NIH Internet connectivity.

The NCCS serves as an Alternative Processing (backup) site and Disaster Recovery location for numerous critical NIH enterprise business, productivity and research applications and systems. As well as providing Continuity of Operations (COOP) efforts of the various NIH Enterprise Institutes, Centers (ICs) and other HHS OPDIVs.

The Co- location services include: Tier 3 (Uptime Institute) reliability and a FISMA Moderate rating facility; footprint (computer room floor footprint); Environmental (e.g., power, temperature/humidity, UPS); Network (e.g., internet and NIH intranet connectivity, Wi-Fi); Physical Operations (e.g., physical security, surveillance and intrusion detection systems, access controls, Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) High facility); Safety (e.g., fire protection, fire suppression, life safety systems); and Support (24x7 on-site operational, technical support, web-based portal).

The previous contract awards with Lumen Technologies Government Solutions, Inc., under contract/task order numbers, [GS-35F-0164M /HHSN276201400072U and HHSN276201400074U], were for a one-year base, with nine (9) one-year options, plus a 6-month extension, for the overall period of 1/30/2014 - 7/29/2024. The contract value for this procurement was $40,781,238.32 (see table on next page):

Base Period: $4,566,790.50 01/30/2014 – 01/29/2015 Option Period 1: $3,995,527.08 01/30/2015 – 01/29/2016 Option Period 2: $5,330,662.67 01/30/2016 – 01/29/2017 Option Period 3: $2,347,948.47 01/30/2017 – 01/29/2018 Option Period 4: $3,767,092.62 01/30/2018 – 01/29/2019 Option Period 5: $3,120,292.00 01/30/2019 – 01/29/2020 Option Period 6: $3,637,674.00 01/30/2020 – 01/29/2021 Option Period 7: $4,272,830.79 01/30/2021 – 01/29/2022 Option Period 8: $3,396,487.19 01/30/2022 – 01/29/2023 Option Period 9: $4,151,933.00 01/30/2023 – 01/29/2024 6-month Extension $2,094,000.00 01/30/2024 – 07/29/2024

Over the past ten (10) years, the delivery order was novated multiple times due to the change of ownership of the company.

The original awardee was Qwest Government Services. In 2003, a novation to the delivery order was issued to change the company from Qwest to CenturyLink in 2010, the award was novated from CenturyLink to Level 3, the final novation was processed in 2019 from Level 3 to Lumen Technology Government Solutions.

The GSA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contract held by Lumen expired in January 2023. When the support services ended on January 29, 2024, an extension based on FAR Part 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services, was issued for a continuation of services through July 29, 2024. The location of the organization providing the services remained in Sterling, Virginia throughout the novation.

The services are currently being performed under a bridge contract with Lumen Technologies Government Solutions, Inc.

to provide a continuity of services. Contract number GS-35F- 0164M / 75N97024F00069 for CIT and 75N97024F00070 for NLM, with a period of performance 7/30/2024 – 1/29/2025.

The total value of this procurement is $2,100,000.00.

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

a. Project title. Professional Support and Provision of the NIH Consolidated Colocation Site (NCCS)

b. Project description. The scope of work includes Data Center Colocation Services for NIH that satisfies or exceeds the current and predictable future IT requirements of NIH. The service provider of the Colocation Services facility, all NCCS, site's design will be capable of Uptime Institute Tier III minimum reliability and at least a Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) High rating. The facility shall deliver the requisite: Physical Space (accommodate all current and perceived future inventory), Power (accommodate current and perceived future equipment, systems), Environmental Controls (temperature/cooling, humidity, air handling, etc.), Safety (fire protection, fire suppression, life safety systems), Network* (internet and NIH intranet connectivity, Wi-Fi, etc.), Security (physical security, surveillance and intrusion detection systems, access controls, incident response, FISMA High facility rating requirements), and Support (24- hour, 7-days per week, 365-days per year) on-site operational, technical support).

c.

• Requirement type.

Research & development (R&D) R & D support services Support services (non-R&D) Supplies/equipment Information technology (IT) Construction Architect-engineer (A & E) services Design-build Other (specify): ____________________

• Type of action.

New requirement Follow-on Other (specify): RECOMPETE – Lumen Technologies Government Solutions, Inc. (formally Qwest Government Services, Inc), under Contract GS-35F-0164M / 75N97024F00069/CIT and 75N97024F00070/NLM.

• Proposed contract/order type.

Firm-fixed-price Other fixed-price (specify, e.g., fixed-price award-fee, fixed-price incentive-fee): __________ Cost-plus-fixed-fee Other cost reimbursement (specify, e.g., cost-plus-award-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee): ___________ Time and materials ☐ Indefinite delivery (specify whether indefinite quantity, definite quantity, or requirements):

Other (specify): HYBRID Firm-Fixed-Price and Time and Materials Completion Form Term form

• Acquisition identification number. The Contracting Officer will identify a new solicitation and award number.

d. Total estimated dollar value and performance/delivery period.

The Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) is for a period of performance for two months, from 1/30/2025 – 3/29/2025, The estimated total cost for two (2) months contract is $750,000.00.

4. Identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of United States

Code (U.S.C.) 41 USC 3304(a)(2) as set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-2(b)(2), modified to reflect that the procedures in FAR subpart 13.5.

5. Demonstration that the proposed contractor(s) unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited.

a. Name and address of the proposed contractor(s).

Lumen Technologies Government Solutions, Inc 4250 N. Fairfax Drive Arlington VA 22203-1665

b. Nature of the acquisition and proposed unique qualifications of the contractor(s).

The NIH Consolidated Co-Location Site (NCCS) provides critical support for all the NIH Institutes and Centers (IC) and NIH research missions. The current co-location facility and services provider, Lumen Technologies Government Solutions, Inc, is uniquely qualified to do this work as the technical support staff is trained and has significant experience with the existing NIH IT services environment and can develop a quick turnaround of deliverables, because of this knowledge and experience. These critical support and services support over 40,000 users across NIH Institutes, Centers (ICs) and other HHS OPDIVs. It is necessary to put in place a sole source award for the continuity of critical operations in order to maintain 100% up time of the integrity and security of the overall system; prevent potential hardware failures, system interoperability issues, and ensure that adequate system support is available 24x7.The current Colocation site located in Sterling, VA is a FISMA High facility and is included in the approved NIH Data Center GSS and ATO documentation that CIT uses to manage facilities.

Each year the Sterling facility is part of an audit to validate FISMA compliance. CIT recently completed the upgrade of the NIH Data Center GSS and ATO documentation and procedures to FISMA version 5.

A change in providers would significantly impact NIH ICs using the NCCS as a production site for critical deployment services. Relocating the NCCS would require 12 months of advance planning to procure equipment and materials to build-out/deploy a new parallel network infrastructure environment. Relocating would also mean significant downtime estimated at two (2) months as critical operations would need to be migrated to the new infrastructure and would hinder the ability of our customers to continue to provide critical IT operations.

CIT and NLM would require advance planning and notification to existing NIH ICs to prepare for a possible relocation. CIT and NLM also anticipate a substantial duplication of costs to the Government. Any disruption of services would cause major setbacks for CIT and NLM operations and IC's critical deployments. Also see paragraph 7 of this justification.

Given the time it would take to build-out a parallel network infrastructure, it is impossible to do a “Just in Time” provisioning for a new NCCS. Therefore, a sole source award is necessary to provide CIT and NLM with a reasonable amount of time to plan for a competitive contract which could result in a possible relocation, as well as time and effort to secure the funding that would be necessary

6. Description of the efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable. Indicate whether a FedBizOpps notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies.

As this J&A was issued in accordance with FAR 6.302-2(b)(2), the exception under FAR 5.202(a)(2) applies.

7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost/price to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

The Contracting Officer will determine both the best value to the government and whether the price is fair and reasonable. The Contracting Officer will make these determinations by reviewing the independent government cost estimate, quoted price, and reviewing the historical pricing.

8. Description of the market research conducted (see FAR Part 10) and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted.

A Request for Information (RFI): 75N97022R00002 was issued to gather market research for the NIH Colocation Data Center Solutions and Cloud Services, which generated interest from six (6) vendors, however, no one could offer continuity of services for the existing physical infrastructure for the NIH Colocation Data Center Solutions and Cloud Services while a re- procurement is underway.

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

Relocating the NCCS to another facility would cause significant risks of downtime of critical operations to implement a new network infrastructure environment; pose considerable difficulties in supporting the current NIH environment; and hinder the ability for our customers to continue to provide critical IT operations. In addition, there would be substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition to relocate over 150 physical cabinets and IT equipment. CIT and NLM's expenses would require advance funding between $30M - $40M for fiscal year 2025. CIT and NLM do not currently have the revenue to support relocation expenses which would occur under open competition.

CIT and NLM are requesting a sole source contract to manage risks, downtime, and costs while continuing to support the NIH Enterprise IC's IT services.

It has been determined that Lumen Technologies Government Solutions, Inc, is the only vendor capable of providing uninterrupted service and deliverables for the NIH IT critical support and technical services it provides to over 40,000 users across NIH Enterprise Institutes, Centers (ICs) and other HHS OPDIVs..

10. Listing of sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition. None

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

In the future, CIT plans to conduct this acquisition as a competitive acquisition and in doing so has evaluated what is required to complete this transition successfully. The possible transition of the Sterling NIH IT infrastructure and systems to a potential new facility represents the greatest risk and cost to the Government. CIT will pursue the following strategies to mitigate that risk and cost in preparation for future competitive procurement for this requirement:

1. Issue quarterly Cloud Migration data calls to all NIH Institutes currently utilizing the Sterling colocation site. The goal is to develop a record and timeline of customer plans to migrate to the cloud and vacate the Sterling site.

This will help with the right-size future transition scope and planning for a competitive procurement.

2. Document the future plans for lifecycle refresh of all supporting NIH IT infrastructure and fiber optic circuitry. This is primarily NIH Network and security equipment, cabling, dark-fiber circuits, etc. The goal is to coordinate any technology refresh with a future competitive procurement to reduce cost of transition.

3. Working with other NIH stakeholders develop an accompanying Statement of Work and Bill of Materials section to include the required IT infrastructure materials, equipment, cost, installation and testing needed to perform the transition in the prospective vendor RFP/Q. Goal is to have an inclusive competitive procurement that will cover the both the facility needs and transition requirements.

12. Program office certification.

This is to certify that the portions of this justification that have been developed by the undersigned program office personnel, including supporting information and/or data verifying the Government’s minimum needs, schedule requirements and other rationale for other than full and open competition, are accurate and complete.

Official Name & Title Signature Date

Project Officer Chantel Steward, POC CIT FIS

Project Officer’s

Immediate Supervisor

Paul Hambright, FIS Data Center Manager

Head of the Sponsoring

Program Office

Tony Trang, FIS, Service Area Manager

CIO/Director

CIT

Xavier Soosai Director, OITSM

Other CIT

Official Name & Title Signature Date

Contracting Officer’s

Representative

(COR)

Tracy White, APMG

COR

COR’S

Immediate Supervisor

Billi Woodard Director, APMG

Finance Management Group (FMG)

Robin Lyons, Acting Chief FO, FMG

13. Contracting Officer certification.

This is to certify that the justification for the proposed acquisition has been reviewed and that to the best of my knowledge and belief the information and/or data provided to support the rationale and recommendation for approval is accurate and complete.

Official Name & Title Signature Date

Contracting Officer

Karen Miller Contracting Officer, NLM