Limited Sources Justification_Redacted.pdf

Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration

IT Acquisition Center of Excellence (ACE)

LIMITED SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

The Department of Transportation (DOT) makes this Limited Sources Justification (LSJ) for orders pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.405-6.

i.) Identification of Agency and Contracting Activity:

Program Office:

Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST) Department of Transportation

Contracting Activity:

Office of Acquisition and Grants Management Federal Highway Administration Department of Transportation ii.) Nature and/or Description of Action Being Approved:

The proposed action is for a three-year, firm-fixed-price task order for Statistical Analytical Services (SAS) software licenses and maintenance. This effort is being conducted under the authority of the General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Program; the proposed effort will be awarded against FSS 47QTCA18D0081 to Executive Information Systems, LLC (EIS, LLC).

iii.) A Complete Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet Agency’s Need:

The services being acquired under the subject acquisition are for a Department-wide Shared web-based software solution that supports the capabilities currently required by DOT SAS users, and delivers those capabilities in a modern, cloud-based server environment. The request provides continuity of the Enterprise Analytics Platform (EAP) for SAS software licenses and maintenance to support DOT OST and other DOT Operating Administrations. The SAS software licenses are a web-based software solution that supports the capabilities currently required by DOT. The mission of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is to ensure our Nation has the safest, most efficient, and modern transportation system in the world, which improves the quality of life for all American people and communities, from rural to urban, and increases the productivity and competitiveness of American workers and businesses. Current agency goals, objectives, and strategies this requirement supports include the development of innovation and strengthening coordination across modes and stakeholders; and accountability in advancing the modernization of information technology (IT) solutions that will enhance mission performance and promote efficient operations, improve program performance by streamlining processes, improving systems, and promoting small business development opportunities.

The SAS Institute is the manufacturer of SAS software. SAS software is used throughout DOT to conduct statistical analysis. This requirement renews current SAS licenses authorizing use of previously purchased software, and continuing support services.

Additionally, this requirement will consolidate SAS as an enterprise offering, combining FHWA, FRA and other modes users under one SAS offering with additional licenses.

This requirement also supports the Department’s Office of the Secretary (OST), Office of the Chief Information Officer’s (OCIO), Resource Management Office (RMO), Working Capital Fund (WCF) in the continuing implementation of a Shared Services environment for commodity IT investments that reflect the standard purchases needed to support system capability across the Department. This requirement builds on prior successes to consolidate resources, improve delivery of services, and reduce future maintenance costs.

OST’s Data Analytics Solutions/S-85 is the centralized resource that oversees the established solution and subscription levels for Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST), and other Operating Administrations, for the SAS and EAP. The SAS software licenses are a web-based software solution that provides a modern analytic sandbox, advanced analysis tools that leverages a flexible architecture designed for the cloud and the data scientists who run code in open-source languages. The software maintenance consists of software upgrades to include major releases, point releases, service releases and security releases of applicable software on a quarterly/annual basis and as high-risk vulnerability fixes become available. DOT has several key requirements that are unique to SAS solution, specifically related to crash data analysis, railroad safety data, infrastructure and traffic data analysis, and be a scalable solution that can accommodate an increase in data. The data required by DOT is used to predict and forecast future traffic conditions, infrastructure requirements, accident hotspots and funding needs. As transportation data grows in complexity and volume SAS has the capability to auto scale and adapt to emerging technologies with docker containerized architecture. SAS provides a solution to DOT’s need for an enterprise-grade reliable system with advanced data management, ability to process large and diverse volumes of data, capable of predictive and advanced statical modelling, has strong security, compliance, and data governance features on a singular integrated platform.

DOT has identified other statistical programming languages, R and Python, that are in use within DOT and are commercially available. These programming languages lack the same level of scalability, enterprise support and data management that DOT requires.

Additionally, migration to alternatives from the currently used SAS platform would lead to data loss, impact the system functionality, interoperability with end-user applications. The migration impacts are not acceptable for DOT as they would cause disruptions, lead to issues with the integrity of the data analyzed and the functionality of the systems throughout DOT that rely on the interoperability with SAS.

DOT’s requirement is for SAS Version 9 Software (“SAS 9 Software”), which is exclusively offered through the sole authorized reseller EIS, LLC on GSA FSS. As the sole authorized reseller for on-premises SAS 9 Software, EIS, LLC is the only reseller for the SAS software required by the DOT employees and contractors.

vi.) Description of the Market Research Conducted Among Schedule Holders and the Results of the Research:

The OCIO conducted web-based, white papers, and trade publications market research from April 2024 through October 2024. As part of this market research, the OCIO reviewed similar software and services offered from other vendors. The OCIO concluded that, while software solutions from alternative manufacturers are available for use, none of those solutions will meet the DOT’s functional and technical requirements. Only the SAS software will satisfy the Government’s requirements for performance, statistical analysis, visualization, and scalable capability for handling the vast amounts of data required by DOT and can provide support to ensure that the DOT has the required availability and reliability of the currently owned DOT SAS perpetual software.

Alternate products identified by the program office failed to be viable options due to factors such as migration to alternatives might lead to data loss, failure in system functionality, interoperability with end-user applications and expected end user interaction being impacted. Additionally, alternative products to SAS like R, Python, Tableau, Excel, and STATA fall short in key areas SAS excels in. In case of R and Python, advanced programming skills are needed, these two options lack the same level of scalability, enterprise support and data management that SAS offers. STATA is limited with its capabilities of advanced analytics, predictive modelling, and machine learning. Tableau is more geared towards data visualization but does not provide predictive and statistical analytics as SAS does. Excel cannot handle the large volumes of data like SAS does.

With comparing all these capabilities SAS stands out uniformly for its enterprise support and services, advanced analytics, and data compliance and security making it the only software for DOT to process large-scale regulated data.

Additional market research was conducted to determine available sources of the SAS software amongst GSA FSS holders. Market research indicated that EIS, LLC is the sole FSS holder that sells SAS software licenses and maintenance support required by DOT, OEM, SAS confirmed EIS, LLC is the sole authorized reseller of on-premises SAS 9 Software. Record of this confirmation is placed in the contract file.

vii.) Any Other Facts Supporting the Justification:

None.

viii.) Statement of the Actions the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome any Barriers that Led to the Restricted Consideration Before Any Subsequent Acquisition for the Supplies or Services is Made:

The Government will continue to conduct market research to determine if there are changes in the marketplace and whether other software could meet DOT’s requirements.

ix.) Contracting Officer Certification that the Justification is Accurate and Complete to the Best of the Contracting Officer’s Knowledge and Belief:

The signature of the Contracting Officer on the Approvals Signature Page constitutes a certification that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of the Contracting

Officer’s knowledge and belief.

x.) Evidence that any supporting data that is the responsibility of technical or requirements personnel (e.g., verifying the Government’s minimum needs or requirements or other rationale for limited sources) and which form a basis for the justification have been certified as complete and accurate by the technical or requirements personnel.

The signature of the technical personnel on the Approvals Page constitutes a certification that the supporting data that forms the basis for this justification is complete and accurate.

xi.) Written Determination by the Approving Official:

The signature of the Competition Advocate on the Approvals Signature Page constitutes a determination that the circumstances in FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B) are applicable to this action and proceeding is in the best interest of the Government.