A17_JA_-_Vanguard_Integrity_SSJ_FAR_13_501_Redacted_1.pdf

United States Department of the Interior

INTERIOR BUSINESS CENTER

Washington, DC 20240

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS

AUTHORITY: FAR 13.501(a), 41 U.S.C. 1901

SOL: 140D0423Q0771

Identification of the agency and the contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a “Sole Source Justification.”

This document is a sole source justification for the Department of the Interior (DOI), Interior Business Center (IBC), Acquisition Services Directorate, Division 1 Branch 1 on behalf of the DOI, Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO).

Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

This is a Sole Source Justification to purchase annual software maintenance and support for existing Vanguard Support and Maintenance for six (6) Software Components. This requirement is a follow-on of the items currently included in Purchase Order 140D0418P0103, which expires September , 2023. This requirement includes Vanguard Security Software Suite licenses and its six (6) Authentication Resource Access Control Facility (RACF) components, including maintenance and support of IBM Z15 T02 mainframe operations. The six (6) components are Vanguard Password Reset RACF, Vanguard Administrator RACF, Vanguard Advisor RACF, Vanguard Analyzer RACF, Vanguard Enforcer RACF, and Vanguard ez/Integrator RACF.

Vanguard Security products are used by DOI OCIO to provide cybersecurity for thousands of Federal Personnel and Payroll System (FPPS) users and personnel processing their personal information and payroll data. Due to the critical nature of the services these licenses provide, annual maintenance must be purchased for the licenses to ensure continuity of services and security compliance.

Vanguard Integrity Professionals is the sole manufacturer and exclusive seller of Vanguard Security Software and its six components, including maintenance and support services.

Vanguard uses no 3rd party vendor/reseller for their products. Vanguard Software is an exclusive proprietary product of Vanguard Integrity Professionals. There are no businesses identified as Vanguard authorized resellers on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) V Government-wide Acquisition Contracts (GWAC).

A description of supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value).

This requirement is for the maintenance and support of the brand name Vanguard Software

SOL: 140D0423Q0771

4. An identification of the statutory authority permitting sole-source acquisition.

This is a sole source acquisition conducted under the authority of the Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items. The statutory authority permitting sole source acquisition is 41 United States Code § 1901 as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.501(a)(1)(ii).

5. A demonstration that the proposed contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition require the use of the authority cited.

Vanguard Integrity Professionals, Inc. possesses the unique qualifications required for this acquisition, which provides maintenance services for its proprietary software. These products have been installed for over 22 years and actively support the IBC's information technology (IT) support mission.

This procurement is for Vanguard software licensing renewal, maintenance, and support on Vanguard Multifactor Authentication RACF software products. DOI OCIO uses Vanguard software to provide secure mainframe hosting to branches within IBC's Human Resource Directorate (HRD) and payroll for its DOI customers. Specifically, over 147,200 Federal Payroll Personnel System (FPPS) user IDs with approximately 24,500 active FPPS user ID customers have personally identifiable information (PII) data warehoused and accessing the mainframe daily. Due to the critical nature of their services, annual software licensing and maintenance must be purchased. There is only one way to ensure continuity of services:

purchase the Vanguard annual software maintenance and support.

While there are other security products on the market, the International Business Machines (IBM) security software currently in use by the DOI OCIO, does not support functionality for PIV card integration for multifactor authentication, which the DOI OCIO requires. There are currently no other products which provide the similar functionality to what Vanguard and its Vanguard Multifactor Authentication RACF software provide for mainframe data processing security. Vanguard software is essential for continued secure, multifactor user authentication to safeguard the high-value asset our mainframe is and protection from today's cybersecurity threats. Vanguard also provides its services for software customization as cybersecurity needs and SSAE-18 audits require changes.

Market research included a search of the internet, NASA SEWP V, and GSA IT Schedules;

however, no other solution was found acceptable for immediate use. Switching to another mainframe vendor's server hardware and operating system platform would cause the expenditure of considerable human and financial capital, resulting in the loss of function for several critical applications essential to the IBC.

6. A description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies.

the Contract Specialist in May of 2023. Vanguard Integrity Professionals, Inc. is a Veteran-Owned small business.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition, such as:

None.

10. A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

Vanguard Integrity Professionals.

11. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required.

Market research will be conducted prior to a successor procurement to assess the availability of alternate sources. Alternate sources that are identified will then be considered for competition of any future requirements.

12. Contracting officer certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the contracting officer’s knowledge and belief.

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

13. Requirements personnel certification.

I certify that the technical data which forms a basis for this justification is complete and accurate and meets the Government’s minimum needs.

14. Reviews and Approvals

Concur

Concur

Approve