Brand Name Justification Service Now_Redacted.pdf

DDEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY

8725 JOHN J. KINGMAN ROAD, STOP 6201

FORT BELVOIR, VA 22060-6201

Justification and Approval Use of Brand Name Specifications

1. Nature and/or Description of Action

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has a need for an information technology service management tool (ITSM), asset management tool (ITAM), enterprise operations management tool (ITOM), and a virtual helpdesk function.

DTRA does not have a holistic ITAM tool or an ITOM. As DTRA looks towards a technical refresh to replace its infrastructure operations, DTRA IT believes that limiting the solution to one specific brand, ServiceNow, is essential to gaining visibility across the infrastructure, maintaining proactive health checks, and optimizing delivery of IT services to DTRA’s end users. ServiceNow is available on the DoD Enterprise Software Initiative (ESI), and DTRA intends to limit competition among the eligible vendors under DoD ESI for the ServiceNow modules.

DTRA anticipates needing these tools long term, from FY25 through FY28, with a one-year base and two (2) one-year options. The anticipated cost of these applications in the base year is estimated at approximately . Based on IT’s research, it is anticipated that there will be discounts following the initial purchase of the applications in the base year. The cost of all the modules is over the three (3) years.

2. Description of Supplies/Services Required

DTRA requires a replacement of its ITSM solution and to have one tool to track all of its IT assets, a tool to advance management of IT operations, and the ability to virtualize a helpdesk function. ServiceNow is the only software manufacturer with such a complete set of modules and artificial intelligence capabilities embedded in its modules. Having all these tools together is vital to being able to take a proactive approach rather than a reactive approach to system outages or malfunctions. The ITOM enables visibility across the whole infrastructure, and with ITSM and ITAM linking into the operations views, IT can quickly identify potential causes or causes of interruptions whether it be a software application or hardware, and the source and location of the issue. DTRA also needs a virtualized helpdesk to gain efficiencies – to do more with less.

This additional feature allows DTRA to extend the helpdesk functions to interactive kiosks. This is critical to keeping track of all service requests (with no loss of a ticket), assignment of the ticket to a technician, and logging the time from report of an issue to fix. The extensive integration capabilities across all ServiceNow modules is key to providing DTRA with enhanced IT operations by enabling faster data exchange and in creation of a unified system.

Another driving factor in selecting ServiceNow is the Fourth Estate Network Optimization in which the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) will assume responsibility for common IT for DTRA. DISA uses ServiceNow applications for their ITSM and ITAM. Using the same modules will enable faster information exchanges and lead to faster ticket resolution times.

Rather than having to relaying error messages manually between DTRA and DISA helpdesks, both agencies can use a common system and look at the error together to determine the source and location of the issue. The bigger the outage or greater the issue, the more necessary it becomes to have that interoperability between DTRA ITSM and DISA ITSM, and to have that transparency on the source of the issue to get to a faster resolution.

3. Justification Authority

DTRA relies on the authority at FAR 8.405-6(b), Items peculiar to one manufacturer. Under FAR 8.405-6(b)(1), “[b]rand name specifications shall not be used unless the particular brand name, product, or feature is essential to the Government’s requirements, and market research indicates other companies’ similar products, or products lacking the particular feature, do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet, the agency’s needs.”

4. Application of Authority

No other manufacturer will be able to offer the high degree of interoperability with the DISA infrastructure, which is essential to DTRA’s IT operations. ServiceNow is the technology platform on which DISA built enterprise-wide network monitoring dashboard services. DTRA will replicate DISA’s pre-configured ServiceNow network dashboard capabilities to improve support to DTRA’s combat support operations. ServiceNow’s modules are built with embedded AI/ML capabilities to enable use of data proactively and in a preventative manner rather than in a reactive manner. The unique capability that ServiceNow offers that no other software publisher can provide is the potential interoperability with DISA common IT operations once DTRA transitions to DISA’s 4ENO which will allow both agencies to share information about their infrastructure and use of ServiceNow. Potentially, tickets can be shared between the two agencies, which will go a long way in mitigating operations risks, information gaps, and lost tickets when there are two agencies that provide IT service delivery over multiple layers of communications. As stated previously, the interoperability with DISA is essential to DTRA’s operations to achieve timely resolutions to outages or other issues, rather than having to translate between two different systems about what certain error messages mean.

5. Effort to Solicit Potential Sources

All IT components are commercially available, and pre-vetted for TAA compliance. Because of the open market nature of the components, there was not a need to solicit potential sources.

These products are listed on the DoD ESI as a mandatory source. These products will be solicitated from the authorized re-seller on DoD ESI.

6. Fair and Reasonable Determination

The pre-negotiated Blanket Purchase Agreement pricing will be used to determine fair and reasonable pricing. To the extent that options make maintenance and renewals more affordable, DTRA will pursue inclusion of options as well.

General Counsel This justification is legally sufficient

Associate General Counsel

Approval Based on the above justification, I hereby approve accomplishment of this acquisition by means other than using full and open competition.

Elizabeth R. Braxton Competition Advocate