P03 NextGen WLAN Cisco BNJ - final clean 8 3 20_Redacted.pdf

VA-20-00076402

JUSTIFICATION

FOR AN EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Procurement, Acquisition, and Logistics Technology Acquisition Center 1701 Directors Blvd Austin, TX 78744

2. Description of Action: The proposed action is for a firm-fixed price delivery order to be issued under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) V Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) for brand name Cisco hardware, associated software and licenses, and installation services.

3. Description of the Supplies or Services: The proposed action will provide for a refresh of the current existing brand name Cisco Wireless Local Area Network (LAN) controllers and mobility service engines currently in place with Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The current VA wireless mobility technology currently consists solely of Cisco Unified Wireless Network (CUWN) hardware (Access Points (APs)), Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs) and associated incidental cable plant, mounting hardware, software, and licenses. This procurement requires the delivery and installation of the following brand name Cisco hardware and associated software and licenses: Cisco 3504 Series Wireless Controller (WLC) (AIR-CT3504-K9) Quantity 2, Cisco 3504 WLC Rack Mount (AIR-CT3504-RMNT) Quantity 1, Cisco 5520 Series Wireless Controller (WLC) (AIR-CT5520-K9) Quantity 208, Cisco 8540 Series Wireless Controller (WLC) (AIR-CT8540-K9) Quantity 28, Cisco 3375 CMX Appliance (AIR-MSE-3375-K9) Quantity 204, and Cisco Enterprise License Agreement (ELA2-M) Quantity 1. The Contractor shall perform on-site installation activities at all installation sites and configure all deployed systems according to VA Wireless Local Area Network System Baseline standard configuration criteria. Refreshing existing brand name Cisco Wireless LAN controllers and mobility service engines will resolve the end of life and end of support issues while also improving network speeds within VA facilities that have slowed as more network intensive requirements have been added to VA Wi-Fi networks.

The period of performance shall be 12-months from date of award, with four 12-month option periods. The required brand name Cisco hardware will be procured in the base period only. The life cycle of the hardware is five years. As such, the four option periods will be to renew the enterprise license agreement to continue use of the hardware. Further, an optional task to procure and install additional Wireless LAN Controllers for additional sites to refresh their network is included. The sites will be identified at time of option exercise. The not-to-exceed quantities of the brand name Cisco hardware and associated software and licenses are as follows: Cisco 3504 Series Wireless Controller (WLC) (AIR-CT3504-K9) Quantity 160, Cisco 5520 Series Wireless Controller (WLC) (AIR-CT5520-K9) Quantity 104, Cisco 8540 Series Wireless Controller

Wireless Network Infrastructure Services VA-20-00076402

(WLC) (AIR-CT8540-K9) Quantity 26, and Cisco 3375 CMX Appliance (AIR-MSE-3375- K9) Quantity 112. The Additional Wireless LAN Controllers Optional Quantities Task may be exercised at any time during the base or the first option period, up to the not-to-exceed maximum quantity. The period of performance for the implementation of the VA base facilities installation requirement shall be completed within six months of award.

The implementation of the additional Wireless LAN Controllers Optional Task shall be completed within six months of the optional task being exercised. The total estimated value of the proposed action is which is inclusive of all options.

4. Statutory Authority: Pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 16.505(a)(4), the following brand name requirement is being justified and approved as an exception to fair opportunity under the statutory authority of Section 41 U.S.C. 4106(c)(2) as implemented by FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B), entitled “Only one awardee is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services ordered are unique or highly specialized.”

5. Rationale Supporting Use of Authority Cited Above: The Wi-Fi network for this action is required to leverage and connect the parent VA Medical Center service area’s existing CUWN infrastructure and/or the Cisco Prime Infrastructure. Therefore, the solution must be fully interoperable and compatible with the existing CUWN infrastructure. VA is reliant upon Wi-Fi technology in the delivery of healthcare services to Veterans. VA utilizes Wi-Fi communications so that healthcare providers and administration staff can connect remotely to the Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) to access patient records, treatment plans, and other healthcare support data without being tied to a deskbound solution. The VA deploys a wide variety of Wi-Fi-enabled equipment to support patient care services including, but not limited to: Medication Carts, Vital Signs Monitors, EKG/ECG Carts, IV Pumps, Portable X-Ray Machines, Sonography carts, Temperature/Environmental Controls, Logistics/Canteen Scanners, Patient Information Boards, Barcode Printers, Vo-Fi handsets, desktops computers, and laptops. In addition to the centralized management paradigm, VA leverages the Cisco Mobility Service Engines to perform Real Time Location Services (RTLS). These are a proprietary component of the CUWN architecture.

VA Office of Information and Technology Service Areas’ existing CUWN is an enterprise class wireless system wherein centralized hierarchical hardware configuration, management, monitoring, and alerting occurs. This top down architecture provides a mechanism and methodology to provide FIPS 140-2 validated communications for the enterprise which is scalable, flexible, and secure. The CUWN utilizes a suite of proprietary product hardware, features, and licenses. Cisco APs and WLCs are part of this unified hardware and software solution that enables the VA to wirelessly communicate information through the Office of Information and Technology’s enterprise network. Only brand name Cisco APs and WLCs are compatible and interoperable with the existing CUWN infrastructure, which is proprietary to Cisco. Due to the proprietary nature of Cisco’s code, no other manufacturer’s APs or WLCs are compatible and interoperable with the current infrastructure. Further, market research has determined that only the CUWN provides the end-to-end comprehensive FIPS 140-2 validated configuration, management, monitoring, alerting, and RTLS solution that the VA needs to perform its mission.

Current network equipment will increasingly become difficult to maintain if the proposed hardware and licenses are not procured. Additionally, network speeds within VA facilities will continue to slow as more network intensive requirements are added to the VA WiFi networks. This will have a visible and tangible adverse impact to patient care and administrative operations of the above mentioned affected areas. The use of any other hardware and software would also require a complete replacement of the currently fielded Cisco brand name hardware and software utilized in the infrastructure due to lack of interoperability and compatibility. This would consist of replacing all existing wireless infrastructure including up to 160,000 access points across the enterprise. The replacement would include system design, implementation services, installation and configuration of the new WLAN environment. Based on market research performed in May 2020 and based on previous procurement history, the VA technical experts have estimated that the cost of replacing VA’s WLAN environment would be, at minimum, $300 million and would take approximately 5 years to complete. These costs would not be recovered through competition.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Market research was conducted, details of which are in section 8 of this justification. This effort did not yield any additional sources that could meet the Government's requirements. However, the undersigned VA technical representative determined that limited competition is available among authorized resellers for brand name Cisco hardware and associated software and licenses. In accordance with FAR 16.505(a)(4)(iii)(A)(1), this justification will be provided with the solicitation to all appropriate NASA SEWP V GWAC holders. Furthermore, in accordance with FAR 5.301, 16.505(b)(2)(ii)(D), and 16.505(a)(4)(iii), the award notice for this action will be synopsized on the Contract Opportunities website and this justification will be made publicly available within 14 days of award.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: The Government will continue to conduct market research to ascertain if there are changes in the market place that would enable future actions to be competed.

8. Market Research: Market research was also conducted in June 2020 by VA wireless technology subject matter experts by researching similar products via both direct outreach to other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and internet catalog research and review. The subject matter experts found other similar products from the following manufacturers: Hewlett Packard (Aruba), Fortinet, and Juniper. The VA subject matter experts concluded that all similar products failed to meet VA’s requirements because they are not interoperable and compatible with the existing CUWN. The subject matter experts determined that Hewlett Packard (Aruba) and Fortinet offer FIPS 140-2 certified solutions; however, those solutions do not meet the VA’s requirements because they are not interoperable and compatible with the existing

CUWN. Juniper does not meet the VA’s requirements because they are currently not FIPS 140-2 certified.

In addition, VA networking Subject Matter Experts regularly review industry trade publications and conduct internet research to ascertain if any other brand name hardware is available. As a result of the market research, the Government’s technical experts determined that none of these OEMs can meet the Government’s combined interoperability, compatibility, and security requirements, and as a result only the brand name Cisco hardware, associated software and licenses are capable of meeting all of VA’s requirements.

Market research was conducted by the Government representatives in May 2020 through a request for information on NASA SEWP. Results identified multiple authorized resellers of the required brand name Cisco hardware, associated software, and licenses. This market research further indicated that the required hardware is offered by several Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business contract holders.

As a result, there is reasonable expectation that limited competition exists on the NASA SEWP V GWAC for the brand name Cisco hardware and associated software and licenses.

9. Other Facts: None

10. Technical and Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Solution Delivery Director WAN/LAN Infrastrucre Engineering And Povisioning

11. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination: I hereby determine that the anticipated price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable based on NASA SEWP GWAC prices have previously been determined fair and reasonable.

Additionally, price competition is expected among resellers for this action.

Procuring Contracting Officer

12. Procuring Contracting Officer Certification: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Procuring Contracting Officer

13. Legal Sufficiency Certification: I have reviewed this justification and find it adequate to support an exception to fair opportunity and deem it legally sufficient.

Legal Counsel