Brand_Name_J A__FAR_6.302-1(c)_for_VMware_Redacted.pdf

Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity – Brand Name

Mandatory CHESS Buy - VMware Software

26 February 2016

FAR 16.505(b)(2)(ii)(B) Orders exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. As a minimum, each justification shall include the following information and be approved in accordance with paragraph (b)(2)(ii)(C) of this section:

Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC) Ft. Eustis, intends to purchase

VMware software from CHESS DOD Enterprise Software Initiatives (ESIs) for the Education

Support Division of Army Training Support Center (ATSC).

The Education Support Division of Army Training Support Center (ATSC), has a requirement for VMware software to support the Battle Command Training and Distributed

System (BCT&DS) at CyberCOE, Fort Gordon, GA.

This requirement supports the mission to acquire, install and implement a BCT&DS system for the Cyber COE at Fort Gordon, Georgia. This effort purchases the VMware software that supports the BCT&DS operating system that is being purchased under another contract, W911S015P0035. The BCT&DS training capability enables a training reach beyond the schoolhouse walls to deliver standards based training where and when it is needed. Users are capable of interacting with a specific training application as if they were interacting with the actual machine locally (i.e. video, keyboard, and mouse control). The estimated value of this requirement is

FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(E) For orders exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, a statute expressly authorizes or requires that the purchase be made from a specified source. In accordance with AFAR 5139, this is a mandatory CHESS buy through CHESS DoD Enterprise

Software Initiatives (ESI). Carahsoft Technology is the only source that can fulfill this requirement through DoD ESI.

Additionally, as noted in paragraph (3), this requirement supports the mission to acquire, install and implement a BCT&DS system for the Cyber COE at Fort Gordon, Georgia. The BCT&DS is a server. VMWare is the standardized software that fully supports Linux virtual machines that support Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2) and Blue Force Tracking

(BFT) training for the Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon, GA. The Government has already purchased this hardware. VMware Horizon View and the PcOIP provides the integrated encryption required for delivery of remote Mission Command training beyond the Cyber Coe installation walls. Other virtual software (Microsoft solutions) do not provide integrated encryption and would require a third party product to provide encryption for the delivery streams. The initial Government investment would not utilize the purchased Teradici accelerator cards that provide graphic and video rendering freeing the main server processors for application processing. Not having VMWare Horizon View and the PcOIP software to deliver integrated encryption and graphic and video rendering would dramatically affect the BCT&DS server CPU performance which would adversely impact FBCB2/BFT training at the Cyber Center of

Excellence. VMWare is the only software vendor that utilizes and supports the Government's investment in the PCoIP Hardware Accelerators. VMWare is the only virtualization product that provides continuity between and with the previous four BCT&DS deployments and their respective training delivery capabilities. Using a different software application would cause delays and would add to the cost to the Government.

As market research indicated, Carahsoft Technology Corp. is the only authorized seller of

VMware software through CHESS DOD ESI. Carahsoft is a GSA schedule contract holder and their prices are published on GSA Advantage. This is a mandatory CHESS DOD ESI buy.

Market research confirms that Carahsoft Technology Corp. is on GSA Schedule No. GS-

35F-0119Y and Carahsoft is the approved seller of VMware as they are listed in CHESS on

DOD ESI BPA #W91QUZ-09-A-0003.

Per AFAR 5139, CHESS is the mandatory source for IT supplies and the Enterprise

Software Initiative on the CHESS website lists Carahsoft Technology Corp. as the only vendor available to sell VMware. FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(E) For orders exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, a statute expressly authorizes or requires that the purchase be made from a specified source, applies.

Contract Specialist

Contracting Officer