Attachment_Brand Name Justification.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER AIRCRAFT DIVISION LAKEHURST

ROUTE 547

JOINT BASE MDL NEW JERSEY 08733

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity.

Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst, NJ

2. Description of the Action Being Approved.

This Justification and Approval (J&A) authorizes and approves the issuance of a two-year Fixed-Price Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for the procurement of Apple, Dell, Hewlett Packard (HP), Kensington, Logitech, Microsoft, SCM Microsystems (SCM), and Smart Tech brand name computer and network hardware. This hardware will be procured via limited competition between Apple, Dell, HP, Kensington, Logitech, Microsoft, SCM, Smart Tech, and their authorized distributors. Delivery Orders will be issued on a Firm Fixed-Price basis. It is anticipated that the Government will be procuring a minimum quantity of one piece of computer and network hardware, and a maximum quantity of 5,164 pieces of computer and network hardware throughout the ordering periods of the IDIQ.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

The NAWCAD Lakehurst (LKE) Digital Engineering Division engineers, designs, and delivers specialized Information Technology (IT) equipment for the NAWCAD LKE command. This includes both the Navy/Marine Corps Intranet and Research, Develop, Test, and Evaluate (RDT&E) networks, Video Teleconferencing, labs, test sites and conference rooms. These systems provide collaboration tools, testing equipment, conference room equipment, and workstations for the NAWCAD employees. The NAWCAD LKE Digital Engineering Division is setting this IDIQ up to facilitate more efficient and cost effective procurements for commonly used IT equipment throughout the command. Specifically, the requested equipment will be primarily used to help facilitate the NAWCAD workforce to improve remote telework.

Without the required equipment, teleworking efficiency is significantly reduced due to the lack of ability to fully communicate and collaborate with large groups. The equipment enable users to take advantage of several collaboration tools, to include Skype for Business, the Microsoft 0365 Suite, etc. This will also permit users to hold conference calls, where they can speak to, listen to, and see each other, fostering important dialogue to allow business operation continuity. In addition, it will garner the workforce the ability to accomplish RDT&E activities remotely, that normally would only be accomplished on the base.

The computer and network hardware required includes desktops, laptops, tablets, web cameras, displays, and associated hardware and equipment from Apple, Dell, HP, Kensington, Logitech, Microsoft, SCM, and Smart Tech.

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition.

10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

The requested equipment provides a unique combination of capabilities, features, and prior Department of Defense (DoD) approvals for use within the NAWCAD enterprise. This combination includes inclusion on the DoD Information Network Approved Products List, compliance with Defense Information Systems Agency cybersecurity policies, and National Information Assurance Partnership Common Criteria. The required computer and network hardware is also the only known combination of equipment that leverages prior work including engineering design work, cybersecurity assessment and authorization packages, as well as system administration settings, files and images.

The use of a common set of equipment reduces costs for engineering and technical support staff, the cost of spare parts inventories, the volume and cost of providing software updates, and the complexity of the technical documentation for these systems. Any changes to the selected components would cause changes to the numerous equipment interfaces, software drivers, hardened operating system images, and tailored software/firmware configurations, and thus would require engineering re-design of the overall system. Alternating any vendor, technology, make and/or model or programming would cause unwarranted duplicative costs to the Government.

Modifying the mature configuration would require engineering re-design, additional software programming, additional cybersecurity equipment testing, additional network security documentation, and additional training. Each change to any given component is estimated to result in duplicative costs, which includes the following: image development, compatibility testing, cybersecurity hardening and scanning, accreditation updates, system administration training, and configuration management and documentation updates. The Government estimates it would incur duplicative costs of up to $1.2M if the brand name equipment covered under this J&A were not utilized.

The efforts required to change the selected components would take a minimum of three months to complete the tasks listed above. In addition to negatively affecting the ability of the NAWCAD workforce to work remotely, it would also delay NAWCAD’s ability to maintain compliance with numerous executive orders that dictate security patches, operating system upgrades, or other mitigations. Failure to remain compliant may result in a denial to operate on sections of the network or the network in its entirety. This would result in a work stoppage for over 500 users within the command. The use of common images/drivers/firmware allows system administrators to quickly roll out critical updates in a timely fashion.

6. Description of Efforts Made to Solicit Offers from as Many Offerors as Practicable.

Market research was performed by using a search engine to identify possible sources, confirm independent cost estimates, and determine commerciality. Items were also searched on General Services Administration (GSA) Advantage to determine if they are available through GSA Multiple Award Contracts, which, with the exception of Apple and Smart Tech brand products, were. Two potential vendors identified from the GSA Advantage and Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) search: Government Acquisitions Inc. and Meadowgate Technologies LLC. Government Acquisitions Inc. is a Small Business Administration (SBA) Certified Hub Zone Firm and a supplier on GSA and National Aeronautics and Space Administration Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement that is capable of meeting all the requirements. Meadowgate Technologies LLC is a SBA Certified Hub Zone Firm that is a value added reseller, systems consulting and IT staffing company that is capable of meeting all the requirements. Additionally, DSBS identified a number of other small businesses in this category that may be able to provide the identified items as a distributer or reseller.

Based on the market research performed, in accordance with FAR Part 12, Streamlined Acquisitions for Commercial Items, a combined synopsis/solicitation will be posted to SAM.gov for the brand name computer and network hardware limited to the Original Equipment Manufacturers and their authorized distributors.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

The Contracting Officer has determined the anticipated cost to the Government of the supplies/services covered by this J&A will be fair and reasonable.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition.

For the reasons set forth in Paragraph 5, NAWCAD LKE, only the specific brand name computer and network hardware can provide the Government’s required functionality. The Government will continue to evaluate other technologies that would allow future competition by conducting market research to learn more about specific manufacturers and products.