Brand Name Justification Alation Software_V1_FK.15JUL25.pdf

Version 2.0

CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION

Sensitive in accordance with 32 CFR 2002 Controlled by: U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, Elvis Taylor

BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION

FOR AN ORDER/BPA EXCEEDING

THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD

(AUTHORITY: FAR 16.505(a)(4))

91003125Q0020

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Multiple Award Schedule Program.

1. Agency and contracting activity. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid Acquisitions, Software Acquisition Division and Technology Directorate

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

This is a brand name justification for the renewal of software and maintenance support on Federal Student’s Aid (FSA) Alation software products. This will be a firm-fixed-price delivery order issued under NASA SEWP.

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

FSA require annual software support and maintenance for the Alation products as follows:

No. MFG SKU Part Description Quantity 1 SKU: ALA-USER Alation User Licenses – Creator User 175 2 ENTR-SUB-SW-129 Alation Enterprise Edition – Server License 1

3 SKU: ENTR-SUB-SW-

Alation Enterprise Edition – Connector License

This tool is used for analytics and reporting across FSA and ED including FSA IHE Program Management (NSLDS), FSA Student Aid Program Management (SABER), FSA Strategic Planning and Policy Implementation (Data Division), Budget Service (Cost Estimation and Analysis Division), and OIG. It serves as the EDMAPS data dictionary and knowledge management tool allowing FSA to obtain and maintain data governance, data quality, and data consistency. The expected delivery date is July 1, 2025, the period of performance is a base year with three one-year option periods, the total estimated value and specific period of performance dates are outlined below:

Period of Performance:

Base Year: July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026 Option Year 1: July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027 Option Year 2: July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2028 Option Year 3: July 1, 2028, through June 30, 2029

Total Value :

(91003125Q0020)

4. Authority and supporting rationale. The following circumstance justifies limiting the source as supported below:

Item(s) peculiar to one manufacturer (including brand name) under the authority of FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B).

FSA users require direct data access for production activities. Queries are used in a wide variety of FSA activities, including budget planning, the College Scorecard, routine portfolio reporting, and responding to mandates such as the Congressional requests, CARES act and court judgements.

NSLDS and EDWA conducted independent research, and both identified Alation as one of the preferred options. The following teams collaborated on the enterprise requirements; Enterprise Architecture (EA), Next Gen Program Office (NGPO), NSLDS and EDWA collaborated on enterprise requirements. EA compared research findings and provided results in a Verification Market Research Report and conducted supplemental research to close identified gaps. This research confirmed that Alation meets more functional requirements than other possible solutions. The Alation tool offers FSA new capabilities for data and query standardization. An existing FSA Standard (Oracle SQL Developer) is available to NSLDS analysts for basic querying capabilities at a lower cost, however the Enterprise Review Board (ERB) approved Alation as an FSA Target Standard in September 2020.

5. Determination by the ordering activity contracting officer that the order represents the best value.

“X” If part of researc h

SOURCES USED IN MARKET

RESEARCH

Details of Research/Comments

Contract Acquisition history reviewed

X Previous Requirement acquisition history reviewed

All requirements from FY21 through today were reviewed

X Other recent market research reviewed Use Cases, Implications, Benefits, Cost Comparisons

X Interviewed knowledgeable individuals in Industry or Government

Discussions were held with technical leads of Alation

Participated/Attended Tradeshows and Industry Conferences

Professional Journals, Catalog and/or Product Literature reviewed

Participated in Small Business Industry Outreach Sessions

X Reviewed existing Multiple-Award Contract Vehicles and/or Other Government- Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs)

GSA; NASA SEWP; GWAC Contract Inventory Exploration Tool

X Reviewed other sources not listed GSA e-buy; GSA Advantage; Gartner Magic Quadrant; Acquisition Gateway Prices Paid Portal;

USASpending.gov; SAM.gov; FPDS.gov, The contracting officer may request additional discounts/price reductions before award.

6. Market research conducted among schedule holders (or reason market research was not conducted).

Yes

7. Any other facts supporting the justification.

All supporting facts have been introduced accordingly.

8. Actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to the restricted consideration before any subsequent acquisition for supplies and services is made.

For the reasons stated above, only Alation and no other brands or services, will satisfy agency requirements for commonality, interchangeability, and interoperability. Market Research indicates other companies’ similar products are lacking features, do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet the agency’s needs. Until it is fiscally justified to change the entire infrastructure, Alation will continue to be utilized

9. Technical/Requirements Representative Certification. 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 Jacobs Date Contracting Officer Representative

10. Contracting Officer’s Certification and Approval

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

For justifications between greater than the SAT (as defined by FAR 2.101) and the threshold specified FAR 16.505(a)(4), my signature also serves as approval of the justification.

Elvis Taylor Date Contracting Officer

11. Approval for Justifications.

Approve

Florence Kasule Date FSA Advocate for Competition