ATTACHMENT V BNJ DMSS_Redacted.pdf

Document Number: 21035.1

Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Sole Source.

The statutory authority permitting this brand name action is 41 U.S.C. 1901, Simplified acquisition procedures - a brand name acquisition using simplified acquisition procedures for the acquisition of commercial items, as implemented by FAR 13.501(a).

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

NAVIFOR Navy Cyber Protection Teams (CPT) have utilized Elastic Co.training curriculum for the DMSS-N kits since fiscal year 2019. Market research was conducted to find other vendors who could supply this training. Although some vendors were found to provide training to some of the software programs included within the DMSS-N kit, no vendor other than Elastic Co. and their authorized distributors can provide all the required training for the software included under the Navy’s current DMSS-N kit, inclusive of the required software training for DMSS-N itself. Therefore, due to the unique capabilities, characteristics represented by the combination of hardware and software suites offered within its kit, an Elastic Co. specific brand name training is required from this brand name source or its authorized distributors, to the exclusion of all other sources.

Furthermore, foregoing Elastic Co. branded DMSS-N training for another training curriculum will negatively affect Navy CPT operations. NAVIFOR has established the Elastic Co.training on the DMSS-N Toolkit as a career certification standard for CPTS and Operators. To date approximately 485 CPTs and Operators have received certification on this training.

The use of any other training curriculum would require all the currently certified CPTs and Operators to be retrained with the revised curriculum. That is because any change in training would compound risks to NAVIFOR’s mission and unit readiness, as the CPTs and Operators work as a cohesive unit and variations in the training received could impede the ability for teams to work effectively outside of a training environment. Differing training could have a significant impact on readiness and create challenges executing the critical missions this training supports. This training supports a very critical and highly sensitive mission and NAVIFOR cannot afford an interruption or a potential gap in training standards. Thus, such retraining would result in additional costs to NAVIFOR to retrain those personnel already certified, as well as having an adverse impact on the mission stemming from the need to take personnel away from their mission for the retraining. Therefore, the Navy considers training provided by Elastic Co. and its authorized resellers essential to meet its cyber protection needs.

6. Description of Efforts Made to Solicit Offers from as Many Offerors as Practicable, including a Description of Market Research, if applicable, and a List of Interested Sources, if any.

The Contracting Officer reviewed the results of recent market research undertaken to meet similar or identical requirements and government databases that provide information relevant to agency acquisitions. As a result of the above mentioned market research, at least two small business were identified to be authorized distributors of Elastic Co. branded training which are listed below. The Government anticipates two or more small businesses will be capable of supporting this requirement.