36C77624Q0322_1.docx

Combined Synopsis/Solicitation Notice Combined Synopsis/Solicitation Notice

GENERAL INFORMATION

Program Contracting Activity Central

6100 Oak Tree Blvd, Suite 490 Independence OH 44131

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contract Specialist Heather Allen Heather.Allen3@va.gov Heather.Allen3@va.gov

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

1 Jefferson Barracks Drive, Building 56

St. Louis Mo

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Justification for Brand Name Only IAW FAR 13.106-1 For Over Micro-Purchase Threshold but Not Exceeding the SAT ($250K)

Acquisition Plan Action ID:_ 36C776-24-AP-0398_

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs Program Contracting Activity Central, Independence, Ohio

2. Brief Description of Supplies/ Services required and the intended use/Estimated Amount:

The VHA Institute of Learning, Education, and Development (ILEAD) Production and Delivery Division maintains an Avid Media Central non-linear video editing system located at the video facility in St. Louis, Missouri. The Avid system includes six Media Composer workstations, Production Management, Media Asset Management, and Nexis shared storage.

ILEAD intends to to expand our internal infrastructure to include UHD-4K live video distribution and to add an additional video server with capability to record and playback ultra-high definition (UHD-4K) video for transfer to existing “Avid Media Central” post-production systems. This will be accomplished by purchasing and installing a new BRAND NAME ONLY Dell OEM Poweredge R6615 as identified below in Table 1 for use with the VA owned media Central system.

Table 1: List of items

3. Unique characteristics that limit availability to only one source, with the reason no other supplies or services can be used:

The VA’s need is for BRAND NAME ONLY (DELL) items. Dell is the only product that have currently been verified by AVID TECHNOLOGIES to support the technical qualifications of their software systems that is currently in use with the ILEAD VA Production team. Since no other brand’s products can support the current technical qualifications of the software system, this procurement must be brand-name only – for CLIN items 0001 through 0014 in table 1 above.

4. Description of market research conducted and results or statement why it was not conducted:

In accordance with FAR Part 10, market research has been conducted for this acquisition. The following techniques were used:

Publishing formal requests for information in appropriate technical or scientific journals or business publications.

First RFI: 36C77624Q0107 Jan 25, 2024: A Request for Information/Sources Sought Notice was published to Contract Opportunities at https://sam.gov/content/home on January 25, 2024, through January 31, 2024; all 217 vendors identified in the VIP search were emailed.

Second RFI: 36C77624Q0194 Upon review of the responses from the first RFI, the CO determined that the 3 SDVOSB firms who originally responded cannot be determined to be capable if they did not provide Letters of Authorization for the requested items and services. A second RFI was posted on 04/11/2024; the original 217 vendors in NAICS 334111; all Avid Authorized Resellers; all GSA contract holders; and all firms who had previously responded were emailed. This RFI notice listed specific instructions that all responses need Letters of Authorization from all Original Equipment Manufacturers to satisfy VAAR 852.212-71.

Third RFI: 36C77624Q0300 After review of the previous responses and from guidance from VA Legal Office of General Council (OGC) regarding the Gray Market requirements identified in VAAR 852.212-71 Gray Market and Counterfeit Items that No Grey Market items shall be provided. Vendors are required to be either an Original Equipment Manufacture (OEM), authorized distributor, or authorized reseller accompanied by a Letter of Authorization supporting this requirement for Medical and Information Technology. As such a third RFI was conducted for (Dell) Brand Name Only where we also requested Letters of Authorization’s (OA’s) to accompany their responses. This RFI resulted in 2 Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), 0 Veteran Owned Small Business (VSOB), 7 Small Business (SB), and 2 Women Owned Small Businesses (WOSB) who submitted responses that were identified as meeting the criteria and being acceptable.

See “Market Research Findings” table below.

MARKET RESEARCH FINDINGS

VOSB

Yes

VOSB

VOSB

VOSB

RFQ - 154; RFI – 194

RFI – 301

RFI-300

VOSB

VOSB

VOSB

VOSB

VOSB

VOSB

Gray Market Per VAAR 852.212-71, because this purchase includes “new medical supplies, new medical equipment, new information technology equipment”. (c) Vendor shall be an OEM, authorized dealer, authorized distributor, or authorized reseller for the proposed equipment/system, verified by an authorization letter or other documents from the OEM. All software licensing, warranty and service associated with the equipment/system shall be in accordance with the OEM terms and conditions.

Market research has identified the following Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) for this procurement:

· Dell COMPANY – OTS In order to be considered responsive, all vendors must produce a letter of authorization from all the above OEM manufacturers in order to be considered responsive.

5. Contracting Officer's Certification: Purchase is approved in accordance with FAR13.106-1(b). I certify that the foregoing justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Contracting Officer End of Document

Combined Synopsis/Solicitation Notice