Approved JOFOC - INL Program Management Software.pdf

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL (J&A)

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

FAR Subpart Part 6.3

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity.

INL/KM recommends that INL use other than full and open competition for the acquisition of annual subscription services of DevResults as an enterprise-wide monitoring database. The total estimated cost is $3,900,000 USD over five years ($780,000 USD per year).

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

INL wishes to award the contract for services to DevResults for its already built and in-use, cloud-based, commercial-off-the-shelf database for monitoring program performance of international foreign assistance programming. This platform enables the average computer user and operating system to easily: (1) collect disaggregated data; and (2) push data to INL. The platform enables users to view, report, and analyze data through charts and dashboards with personalized profiles.

INL is working to become a learning organization, which knows and continuously improves its results. INL collects data against thousands of indicators across its programs and projects on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually, and ad-hoc basis. The DevResults platform provides the solution to centralize performance indicator data and have a data management system that can be used easily by INL’s many implementers and partners and INL staff working in 90+ countries.

To comply with reporting needs, INL requires the use of a searchable, user-friendly, robust data entry and management platform to quickly collect data from a large number of users and aggregate the data based on INL programs and activities.

The database platform should already be developed, tested, and in-use in multiple countries, and should be cloud-based to be accessible to both implementers and INL.

3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet INL’s needs.

Provide annual software subscription services for a period of 5 years, 1 base year period with 4 option year terms these services shall include: Unlimited user licenses (including partners, internal users, etc.)

Hosting and maintenance of the application Unlimited storage for data, documents, and photos Ongoing technical and implementation support

Automatic software upgrades Maintains U.S. Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP)

Authorization

4. An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

41 U.S.C. 3304, implemented under FAR 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other type of services will satisfy agency requirements.

5. A demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited (for sole source acquisitions; also required for unusual and compelling urgency where more than one offer will not be solicited).

In 2019, before awarding the current contract, INL reviewed various platforms used within Department bureaus and offices, as well as USAID, with the intent of identifying off-the-shelf monitoring platforms that enabled the average computer user and operating system the ability to (1) easily collect disaggregated data and (2) push data easily into reporting systems. INL then conducted market research, where several companies provided proposals and demonstrated their systems. DevResults’ platform was the only vendor that showed the capability to provide the required services at the time.

Based on this research, DevResults was awarded an initial contract in 2020 and fully performed the work. This DevResults software functionality fully meets the unique needs of the agency. It is not possible to integrate multiple monitoring databases, therefore, were INL to award to another company, these offices would need to transfer their data. In summary, this outcome would result in an inefficient and costly solution, and also put the agency at risk. In addition, INL has already invested significant staff time in learning to use and setting up DevResults, all of which would be lost at great cost to the government were INL to select a different company for the bureau-wide database.

In June 2023, it was determined that this requirement remained as a bona fide need, as required, based on agency policy, laws, and regulations. Based on the current firms doing business in the marketplace, market research was conducted to fulfill FAR, Subpart 10 – Market Research and to fulfill and support the Competition and Contract Act.

INL identified the specific requirements that its database system would need. Only Dev Results met all the capabilities identified in the sources sought posting.

For example, their capability statement specifically supported the following, as indicated in the SAM.gov sources sought posting:

Robust use cases – a structure of user permission tiers that allow different users access to specific facets of the database, giving different users significantly greater edit access on the site than others.

Data monitoring functions, including:

Results framework-based structure: The ability to track progress using a results framework. All projects and indicators will be organized by and tied to one or multiple results frameworks.

Ability to aggregate data: Across countries, program areas, and projects.

Access to a project library: Contain a library of projects that includes, at a minimum, the following information about a project: name, implementing partner, associated indicators, associated tags, description, status (e.g., active, closed).

Project searchability: Allow users to easily search for projects using keyword search and filter functions.

Access to an indicator library: Contain an indicator library that includes, at a minimum, the following information about an indicator: indicator definition, project(s) to which it is tied, disaggregation categories, results framework(s) with which it is associated, data source (if relevant), and reporting frequency.

Indicator searchability: Allow users to easily search for indicators to prevent users from entering duplicate or near-duplicate indicators.

Workflows for data submissions: Allow implementers to submit data for INL to review and approve or send back to the implementer for revisions. There should be automatic email notifications to submit data and user (INL and implementer) ability to set their frequency preferences.

Structured reporting frequency: Ability for users to report quarterly and annually in the database.

Data disaggregations: Allow for customizable and unlimited disaggregations, both parallel and cross.

Implementer-written indicator comments: Allow for implementers to write comments for each indicator (for example, for an explanation of why they did not meet or exceeded their target).

Narrative reporting: Ability to take in and report out narrative information.

Customizable reports: Ability to generate customizable reports.

Data quality features: Include functions to improve data quality, such as drop downs and logic checks.

Business intelligence functions, including:

Data visualizations: The database must contain native visualizations or non-native that are preset (where the user has a few options on how to change the view) to spot anomalies and trends.

Dashboards: Must be comprised of native visualizations or non-native that are preset (where the user has a few options on how to change the view). The system must be able to have default dashboards pushed out to staff based on their role, but with the ability for individual users to customize their preferences.

Exportable visualizations: Ability to export data to third-party visualization software (such as Tableau or PowerBI).

Mapping: Interactive, easy-to-use global mapping function to show geotagged projects and data.

Database use analytics: Include analytics to measure traffic and use of the database, such as unique and repeated visits and top viewed pages.

Commercial, off-the-shelf platform design features, included:

Designed for scale: INL will begin with a pilot and then rollout to the entire bureau. As INL’s needs, policy, and ability to execute M&E develops, the database must be able to go beyond these core capabilities. Examples of functions INL may want in the future include requiring implementers to include narrative on indicator results that are ~10 percent above or below their targets, and/or additional languages to English and the ability to aggregate indicators across languages.

Low-bandwidth functionality: The database shall be designed for use in low-bandwidth areas, defined as areas with download and upload speeds of 3 MBPS. Pages must load within 10 seconds in low-bandwidth areas.

Ease of use: The database must be very user-friendly, as thousands of people with various computer and data literacy skills will use the system. Easy to use includes features such as: tooltips (info bubbles that pop up with explainer text); dropdowns and checkboxes instead of text entry fields; tabs rather than vertical sections and other means to maximize screen real-estate without scrolling; number of clicks to get to desired page; number of screen changes to navigate to desired page;

preset filtering; readability.

Access to a standardizable landing page: The entry page for users when they log into the system must be visually appealing and easy to navigate and use (see above). For implementers, the landing page must include the status of their reporting data (submitted, accepted, rejected, etc.). For all other users, it must include dashboards, maps, and/or project names to click on to dive deeper.

Ability to create user levels: There must be user levels that INL can preset for different user groups to limit certain user access to parts of the platform.

User-driven data input: Implementers must be able to directly input into the system in an easy and straightforward manner (see Ease of Use features).

Technical standards and specifications necessary for the database, including:

Platform responsiveness: Accessibility (no app required, but ability to optimally view on web-platform) on all devices: phone, tablet, desktop, and cross-platform (MS, OSX, Linux, Android, and iOS) for mobile platforms.

Search experience: Employs faceted search supported by controlled vocabularies to help users find information. Faceted search is a technique for accessing information organized according to a faceted classification system (classification scheme used in organizing knowledge into a systematic order), allowing users to explore a collection of information by applying multiple filters or tags. It also must contain a search bar for searching programs and indicators.

Geo-location: Ability to use geo-location as a visualization tool.

Data templates for bulk data input: Ability to generate Excel templates for data input that can be used outside of the database to collect data for later bulk upload. As many spaces where INL works do not have internet, it is imperative to be able to export to Excel and input this data when internet is available.

Error reporting: Robust error reporting to help identify errors in real time.

System integration: The database must be able to integrate with other systems through APIs. This must include accessing and visualizing data from external APIs as well as making stored data available to other applications.

Unlimited storage and users: The database must enable unlimited data storage and be able to accommodate an unlimited number of users.

Ability to export all data: The database must be able to export all information in an easy way if INL needs to move to a different database in the future.

Technical training and monitoring and evaluation support provided by the database contractors, including:

Help desk support: The contractor shall provide 24/7 help desk support.

Upgrades: The contractor shall offer a platform that is continually updated to ensure a functional, high quality, and up-to-date products.

Security assessments - the database shall be able to pass and sustain FedRAMP compliance, and DoS Risk Management Framework (RMF) accreditation process.

Personnel, skills, and knowledge - The contractor shall provide a cross functional team that is experienced in working in an agile, continuous learning process. They shall be comfortable delivering value iteratively and able to pivot quickly based on a continuous learning environment. The contractor shall assign experienced personnel with the appropriate education and experience supporting similar applications and program monitoring systems in international environments. The contractor shall have all appropriate technical expertise available in-house.

Of the companies reviewed, DevResults was the only one to meet all of INL’s requirements for a monitoring database; all of the other companies’ offerings met significantly fewer requirements than DevResults. Examples of specific requirements that were met by DevResults but not by other contractors include:

FedRAMP approval, which DevResults has already achieved;

Project and indicator libraries, that allow users at multiple levels to access and view the stored data;

Customizable reports so that users can export specific data points from the site to meet INL reporting requirements;

Low bandwidth performance, so that INL partners users around the world can all access the database and upload data;

Provision of database use analytics, so that INL can track the database rollout and partner engage;

Unlimited storage and unlimited users, allowing the database to grow and provide access to all INL offices and partners;

And the ability to export data all data from the database.

The above examples are features that other companies frequently couldn’t provide and that DevResults could. However, of the entire list of requirements detailed above, only DevResults could consistently meet every specification INL needs. Other companies could each only meet a small subset of the requirements, though the specific requirements met varied by company. Based on the foregoing facts, that fully support this requirement, it is hereby recommending award to DevResults .

6. A description of efforts made to ensure that offers were solicited from as many potential sources as is 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.

A sources sought notice was publicized on May 24, 2023, as required by FAR Subpart 5.2.

7. A determination by the order activity Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government is fair and reasonable.

Under provisions of FAR 15.404 and prior to awarding a contract, the Contracting Officer will determine that all costs/prices are fair and reasonable based on the prevailing commercial market prices.

8. A description of the market survey conducted and the results or a statement of the reasons a market survey was not conducted.

INL/KM/DDL conducted extensive market research in comparison to and with other existing and similar technologies. In addition to reviewing objective technical data, the market research relied on empirical assessment such as consultations with industry subject-matter experts including demonstrations of services. Additionally, assumptions regarding the specified source’s unique capabilities were validated by a careful evaluation of:

a) Government databases that provided comparable information

b) Government publications and related trade papers

c) Online searches of industry trends regarding monitoring databases

INL also posted a Sources Sought notification to SAM.gov and received five responses.

After reviewing the capabilities offered by the five respondents, it was determined that DevResults satisfied this requirement.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of this justification.

INL’s Information Management office has confirmed it would not be possible to purchase a new system that would integrate with the DevResults system that 20 INL Programs already use. The purchase of a new system is also not in the best interest of the government given the associated costs of getting a new ATO, setting it up, and retraining INL staff. INL has already made significant investments in the DevResults platform and in training INL staff on this platform.

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

A total of five (5) responded to the sources sought notification. This list is included below in Attachment 1.

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.

INL did not encounter any competition barriers. This requirement was publicly posted using SAM.gov.