Limited_Sources_Justification_9531BM19Q0009_FBO.pdf

Limited Sources Justification, Data Center Hosting

National Transportation Safety Board Limited Sources Justification (LSJ)

“NTSB Data Centers Hosting”

1. Program Office / Procurement Request

Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO-1) Procurement Request – PUR190168

Period of Performance – June 1, 2019 through May 31, 2024

2. Nature of Action

The purpose of this Limited Source Justification is to provide documentation and rationale that the Data Centers Hosting services required for purchase be limited to a single source based on the rationale that “Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized,” in accordance with FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B).

The NTSB intends to establish a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) with Equinix, Inc. (Equinix) in accordance with FAR 8.405-3.

3. Description of Requirement

In FY17, The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) awarded a contract for services to deploy the Wide Area Network (WAN) 2.0 which consists of three (3) access hubs located in Equinix data centers in Ashburn, VA, Seattle, WA and Dallas, TX. The WAN 2.0 network replaced the NTSB’s two (2) previous Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)-based Wide Area Networks: Verizon’s MPLS WAN (data) and CenturyLink’s MPLS WAN (VoIP), and consolidated both services into one network.

The goals of the WAN 2.0 initiative were to improve network performance, increase network accessibility, and increase support of user mobility. The WAN 2.0 network consists of inter-connected hubs through private 1G metro links to provide redundancy. The WAN forms a network transport providing connections to NTSB facilities in DC (Headquarters (HQ)), Ashburn, VA (Training Center), Anchorage, AK, Seattle, WA, and Denver, CO. When initially deployed, the WAN 2.0 consisted of three

(3) services that until now, have been provided by ClearAvenue: data hosting (Equinix), inter-hub metro-link & internet connection services, and metro-link services between NTSB HQ and Ashburn.

From each of the access hubs, there are three (3) primary external interfaces that provide connections to Internet service providers, cloud providers, and network service providers. The Internet interface provides a direct connection to Internet service providers that allows remote access to mobile users and connection to branch offices. The Cloud service interface, through private access, provides a direct connection to all cloud providers. The Network service interface provides a highly reliable network connection between the hubs. At the Ashburn, VA access hub, there is an additional metro link to connect HQ to the WAN.

Currently, ClearAvenue is obtaining data center hosting services on the NTSB’s behalf from Equinix. Equinix hosts NTSB equipment & hardware in three (3) data centers in various locations throughout the United States: Ashburn, VA; Seattle, WA;

and Dallas, TX. The data centers are secure and provide uninterruptable power, including a fuel generator backup, to all the NTSB’s hardware, including servers.

Equinix also provides cross-connect and cloud-exchange connections between each hub.

Equinix Data Center Hosting Service Requirement

To maintain the WAN connectivity, NTSB has a requirement for continued hosting services for the NTSB data centers, currently located in Ashburn VA, Seattle, WA and Dallas, TX. When the WAN 2.0 contract was awarded, ClearAvenue selected Equinix as the provider of data center hosting services, as ClearAvenue had the industry knowledge, expertise, and experience to make such a determination. The procurement consists of the following services:

• Hosting service to NTSB access hubs in Equinix data centers in Ashburn VA, Seattle, WA and Dallas, TX

• Cloud-exchange service from NTSB access hubs to cloud providers

• Cross-connect services from NTSB access hubs to MTIPS and internet providers

The anticipated period of performance is one base year, plus four (4) one-year options. The services are available under Equinix’s GSA Schedule contract, GS-35F-

401BA.

4. Statutory Authority

Check applicable FAR Citation:

8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(A) An urgent and compelling need exists, and following the procedures would result in unacceptable delays.

X 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B) Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized.

8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(C)

In the interest of economy and efficiency, the new work is a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order provided that the original order was placed in accordance with the applicable Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures. The original order or BPA must not have been previously issued under sole-source or limited-sources procedures.

8.405-6(b)(1)

Items peculiar to one manufacturer. An item peculiar to one manufacturer can be a particular brand name, product, or a feature of a product, peculiar to one manufacturer. A brand name item, whether available on one or more schedule contracts, is an item peculiar to one manufacturer. (1) Brand name specifications shall not be used unless the particular brand name, product, or feature is essential to the Government’s requirements, and market research indicates other companies’ similar products, or products lacking the particular feature, do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet, the agency’s needs.

5. Unique Qualifications / Circumstances of Requirement

The NTSB completed a significant network upgrade during the planning, pilot, and deployment phases of the WAN 2.0 initiative. The network upgrade was completed at considerable expense and has taken almost two years to complete. The NTSB contracted with ClearAvenue to lead this project, as ClearAvenue has the subject matter expertise to configure and deploy the Wide Area Network. ClearAvenue determined that Equinix is the best provider for these highly unique and specialized services, considering the NTSB’s requirements. The data center hosting services provided by Equinix were evaluated in conjunction with ClearAvenue’s quote, at the time of contract award, and were determined to be appropriate for the NTSB’s needs.

As a result of the NTSB’s deployment of the WAN 2.0, Equinix is the only source capable of providing the data center hosting and colocation services required at the level of quality required because the services are highly specialized. The deployment involved designing the WAN transport, establishing several metro-link and internet connections with a third-party carrier, and establishing a metro-link between the NTSB HQ and the Ashburn, VA Equinix data center with another carrier to provide the overall WAN 2.0 solution. A Cisco certified contractor completed the installation of all NTSB-owned equipment and hardware at the Equinix data center hubs. No other data center source can provide this specialized configuration with the existing metro-link and internet connections in place. Awarding a contract to another vendor would require the complete re-design, re-configuration and re-deployment of the WAN 2.0. All the equipment housed in the three hubs throughout the United States would have to be relocated, at significant expense to the Agency. New cloud-exchange and cross-connect services would have to be established. In addition to the significant costs of repeating these tasks, it would require expertise that the NTSB does not currently have in-house. Effectively, the benefits of and progress made under the NTSB’s contract with ClearAvenue to deploy the WAN 2.0 initiative would be nullified if the NTSB were to award to another data center contractor.

To contract with a contractor other than Equinix for Data Center Hosting services would also lead to a total network outage to the NTSB WAN transport. In order to transition the existing hardware and re-design the WAN to another contractor’s data centers would require many months of effort, both in resources and funding, to research the alternative hosting data centers, redesign the WAN transport, and go through the logistics of dismantling existing equipment at Equinix Data Centers, crate and ship the hardware, and then re-configuring, racking and testing the equipment at the new location(s). This work would essentially be a duplication of the effort already performed to deploy the WAN under the NTSB’s FY17 contract. In the meantime, the NTSB HQ and regional offices would have no internet access and NTSB personnel would lose access to internal applications and services. The NTSB would also lose access to the Managed Trusted Internet Protocol Service (MTIPS), access to public facing applications, and NTSB teleworkers and investigators would have no connectivity to the NTSB network and resources.

6. Efforts to Determine Only One Source

Market research was performed as described in paragraph 5 to determine potential sources prior to selection of Equinix for Data Center Hosting services. Additional sources considered in the research included Digital Realty and NTT Communication.

7. Contracting Officer’s Determination I have reviewed the information contained in this Limited Sources Justification and determined that based on all the information provided, only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized. This justification will be posted within 14 days after establishing a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) in accordance with FAR 8.405-6(a)(2).

8. Market Research

Prior to deploying WAN 2.0, the NTSB conducted significant market research in finalizing the WAN 2.0 design by researching different providers to meet our objectives and design.

9. Other Pertinent Information

N/A

10. List of Interested Sources No sources have expressed interest in this requirement.

11. Efforts to Remove Barriers to Competition

NTSB will continue to monitor the market for future acquisitions to identify new or improved products that meet or exceed requirements and that can be considered for competition.

12. Contracting Officer’s Certification The Contracting Officer certifies that this Justification is accurate and complete.