P42_-_Redacted_JOTFOC.pdf

SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION FOR SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITIONS PURSUANT TO

FAR SECTION 13.5

Attachment #1

REQUIRING AGENCY:

The requiring agency is the Office of Inspector General, Office of the Chief Information Office (OCIO) Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

REQUIRED:

HUDOIG operates and maintains a Microsoft distributed computing environment across the continental U.S.A, including Puerto Rico. Currently HUDOIG has upwards of 500 laptops that are utilizing Windows 10 desktop operating systems, two data centers that host about 310 windows servers, and a hosted SharePoint 2013 environment. Also, HUDOIG has started the process in migrating and implementing DCE services within Microsoft Cloud consisting of Office 365, SharePoint Online, and Microsoft Azure. In support of maintaining HUDOIG’s DCE and Microsoft cloud transition, HUDOIG needs access to Microsoft’s professional expertise and guidance which is obtained via a Microsoft Premier Support services contract, where these types of hours are purchased.

The OCIO has a requirement for Microsoft Premier Support Services in support of maintaining HUDOIG’s distributed computing environment. Microsoft Premier Support Services are comprised of comprehensive support solutions that offer direct, expedient and unique access to Microsoft product development teams, software developers and source code for current and future products enabling

(a) specialized insight into the Microsoft architecture of current solutions that can facilitate smooth migrations to existing and future unreleased products/versions;

(b) quick and comprehensive resolution of product support, trouble-shooting and hot-fix type issues; and

(c) Immediate and focused technology feedback link between the end user and the Microsoft product development teams to help shape the direction, features and functionality of future products. In addition, the Premier Support offers specialized from Microsoft product development teams on how enterprise customers can best plan for, deploy, manage and maximize productivity of existing and future Microsoft products.

DEMONSTRATION OF THE UNIQUE NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION REQUIRES

USE OF AUTHORITY CITED:

Use of other than MS Premier Support would not meet HUD OIG’s needs, as no other source is capable of providing the specialized knowledge and direct access to Microsoft’s development teams.

Specific characteristics of the services, to include close support from the Microsoft Product Development Teams and internal, specialized insight into Microsoft processes necessary to ably and efficiently implement a large scale adoption of MS Cloud Services are limited by direct reach back to Microsoft, and in turn Microsoft only partners with a limited pool of certified service providers to supply this capability. As such, only those that have partnered with MS, and can provide the MS Branded Support, can provide the necessary reach back.

Patent, copyright, proprietary data, or licensing agreement limits competition.

Specifically, Microsoft only licenses its direct support/premier services through its network of authorized/partnered providers on a brand name basis.

EFFORTS MADE TO ENSURE THAT OFFERS ARE SOLICITED FROM AS MANY

POTENTIAL SOURCES AS PRACTICAL:

This action will be solicited as a Combined Synopsis Solicitation on the Government Wide Point of Entry (GPE) Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) as a small business set aside. The Posting will include a redacted version of this notice. By posting to FBO, the widest possible marketplace will be notified and all publicization requirements satisfied.

DESCRIPTION OF MARKET RESEARCH COUNDUCTED:

Market research was conducted by contact possible providers and parties historically interested in meeting prior MS Premier requirements, to include New Tech Solutions, M5 Tech Inc, NGEN.

OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AN OPEN

COMPETITION:

No Other Facts are provided.

ACTION TAKEN TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO COMPETITION:

As Microsoft Products comprise a significant portion of HUD OIG’s IT Infrastructure, as long as HUD OIG utilized Microsoft Products, HUD OIG will require Certified and Authorized (Brand Name) Microsoft support. As a result, HUD OIG can only maximize competition among authorized providers for the services required. If and when HUD OIG replaces Microsoft with a different product, HUD OIG will consider alternative support services as appropriate.