APPIAN - Brand Name Justification _Signed 02122021.pdf

Version 1.0

June 10, 2020

Source Selection Information – see FAR 2.101 and 3.104

SOLE SOURCE/BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION

FOR AN ACTION EXCEEDING THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD

USING SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS

EDOFSA-21-000061

1. Agency and contracting activity. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid (FSA), Technology Directorate.

2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

FSA will acquire Appian Application Specific User Licenses. Application Specific User Licenses authorize the licensed individual to use the Appian software on one application. This would allow users to create automated process-based solutions within FSA’s Correspondence Management System (CMS), an application built on FSA’s Enterprise Business Management System (EBMS) platform for business processes across FSA business units. EBMS uses the Appian Business Process Management (BPM) development platform and was built using Appian Enterprise software licenses.

3. Description of supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the total estimated value).

APPIAN

Software Product: Application Specific – Cloud License Licenses Type: Named User Quantity: 200 Manufacturer SKU: 403-11000

Software Product: Premier Cloud Support to include HA on one production Site Licenses Type: Service Quantity: 1 Manufacturer SKU: 403-81000

Period of Performance

02/18/2021 – 02/17/2022 (Base Year)

Period(s) of Performance Cost (Estimated) 2/18/2021 – 2/17/2022 (Base) $141,259.11 2/18/2022 – 2/17/2023 (Option Year One) $141,259.11 2/18/2023 – 2/17/2024 (Option Year Two) $141,259.11 Total Base and Option Years $423,777.33

4. Statutory authority permitting the sole source (including brand name) acquisition.

20 USC 1018a(e)

PR #EDOFSA-21-000080

5. Demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited.

Appian is the only manufacturer of the needed Application Specific User Licenses required. The CMS application was built on the EMBS platform (a platform developed with the Appian Business Process Management (BPM) development platform) using Appian Enterprise software licenses.

Only Appian brand licenses will work the CMS application allowing FSA to expand the user community of the CMS application.

6. 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 Government confirmed that Appian does have authorized small business re-sellers of software. This acquisition will be solicited on Beta.sam as a small business set aside to licensed small business re-sellers APPIAN platform software.

7. Determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

The Contracting Officer compared the provided competitive estimates from authorized re-sellers of Appian software licenses with what the Government is currently paying for Appian software licenses. These estimated prices are comparable; therefore, the Contracting Officer has determined that the anticipated cost will be fair and reasonable. This will be a competitive solicitation awarded to the vendor providing the lowest price. Also, the Government has historical and catalogue prices to ensure fair and reasonable pricing for this procurement.

8. Description of the market research conducted (see Part 10) and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

The Government surveyed the marketplace for authorized re-sellers of Appian brand software licenses and confirmed with the manufacturer the entities that are authorized re-sellers of its products.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of a sole source (including brand name), such as:

No additional facts to add. All supporting facts have been documented herein.

10. List of the sources that expressed a written interest in the acquisition.

No other sources expressed an interest in this acquisition to this point.

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.

N/A

12. Technical/Requirements Representative Certification

PR #EDOFSA-21-000080

I certify that this requirement constitutes the Government’s minimum needs and the supporting data provided herein is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Stacey Ewing Date FSA Software Asset Manager/COR

13. Contracting Officer’s Certification and Approval

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

Nicole Stevenson Date Contracting Officer