B08_Solicitation_Attachment_1_Brand_Name_Justification.pdf

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

AUTHORITY: FAR 13.501(a)

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

Dell PPBS provides seamless, secure, and fully automated data protection, which will eliminate the complexity and overhead of traditional on-premises infrastructure and high cost of other cloud services. As a 100% SaaS solution, with no ingress or egress fees, it delivers enhanced scalability, built-in cyber resilience, compliance readiness, and unified global visibility. With a predictable, all-inclusive cost model and no hidden fees, it has proven to be significantly more cost-efficient than any other solution we've evaluated—helping us modernize and future-proof our data protection strategy with confidence.

Data Protection solution that backs up on-premise workloads to a cloud target.

Single platform to support workloads on-premise and cloud workloads.

Single-pane-of-glass web console unifies management, reporting, policy setting, and monitoring across all workloads, users, and global locations. Enables proactive health, cost, risk, and compliance oversight.

Requires no additional hardware on-premise or customer managed infrastructure in the cloud, 100% SaaS solution.

No infrastructure lifecycle management required, including software updates, maintenance, and feature rollouts.

No ingress or egress fees for backup data

Following a thorough evaluation of available solutions, IA concluded that Dell PowerProtect Backup Services provides the most complete and financially viable data protection offering, capable of supporting IA's present demands while keeping ability to scale into the future.

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

A written solicitation will be issued via SAM. gov in accordance with FAR 12.603(a) as a 100% set aside for Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise (ISBEE) vendors. This procedure combines the synopsis required by 5.203 and the issuance of the solicitation into a single document.

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

I hereby determine that the anticipated cost to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable. This determination is based on the following:

The contracting officer will assess that the anticipated cost to the Government is fair and reasonable, primarily by leveraging competition. Competitive pricing is the most effective means of ensuring that the Government secures a fair deal. Alongside competition, additional methods such as an Independent Government Estimate (IGE), historical data analysis, and comparisons to GSA pricing may also be employed to confirm the price's fairness.

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

In accordance with FAR 10.002, meaningful market research was conducted to identify qualified sources for this acquisition. The research focused on identifying vendors under NAICS 334610 which falls under 'Software, packaged, mass reproducing'. Specifically, identifying 22 ISBEE vendors that are available under this NAICS code.

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

Full and open competition is not feasible due to the absence of suitable technical data packages, specifications, or statements of work necessary for the required solution. The unique nature of the work, which requires seamless integration with existing systems, renders the development of standardized specifications impractical and costly. Expert consultations and analyses of past projects indicate that pursuing full and open competition would likely result in delays, disrupt critical services, and create inefficiencies, ultimately leading to costs that far outweigh any potential benefits of increased competition. Therefore, it is justified to pursue alternatives to full and open competition.

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

While no specific ISBEE contractors have been identified for this acquisition, a vendor who participated in a previous acquisition of a similar supply was classified as an ISBEE. In addition, the program office completed their own market research and found two ISBEEs that would quote.

11. A statement of any 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.

The agency is dedicated to removing or addressing any barriers to competition prior to future acquisitions. To tackle potential obstacles, we will focus on refining technical specifications, enhancing our market research efforts, and expanding outreach to a wider array of vendors.

Furthermore, we will seek opportunities to simplify requirements and processes that may have previously restricted competition. These initiatives will help foster a more competitive environment for upcoming acquisitions.

Originating Office Attestation:

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

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

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

ADDITIONAL APPROVALS:

CCO or One Level Above the CO (if the CCO is the signing CO) (Required for acquisitions valued between $250K - $750K)

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

IA Competition Advocate (Required for acquisitions valued between $750K - $15M)

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