C03 - Redacted Brand Name Justification - Cisco Switching Equip - signed final.pdf

FORCE Number VA-20-00049659

JUSTIFICATION

FOR AN EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Office of Procurement, Acquisition, and Logistics Technology Acquisition Center 1701 Directors Blvd

Austin, TX 78744

2. Description of Action: This proposed action is for the award of a firm-fixed-price (FFP) delivery order issued under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) V Government-wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) for brand name Cisco Catalyst switches and ancillary hardware to support the VA network infrastructure of Local Area Networks (LAN).

3. Description of the Supplies or Services: VA, Office of Information and Technology (OI&T), IT Operations and Services (ITOPS), Solution Delivery (SD) has a requirement for the Office of Electronic Health Record Modernization (OEHRM) to purchase brand name Cisco Catalyst switches and ancillary hardware to support the VA network infrastructure of LANs. This equipment consists of 100 brand name Cisco Catalyst switches, cables, and internal parts that make up the VA network infrastructure of Local Area Networks (LAN). This equipment is used to support wireless power and access as well as interconnect and conduct networking traffic for virtually all computers and other information technology (IT) equipment components, Veterans Health Information Systems & Technology Architecture, (VistA), VistA Imaging Systems, desktop computers, voice, computer room servers, and lab equipment throughout VA. VA is dependent upon the networking infrastructure to more efficiently deliver health care and perform its business and mission of ensuring timely inpatient and outpatient medical care services, mental health benefits, disability benefits, education benefits, housing benefits, and memorial services to over nine million U.S. Veterans. OI&T will utilize these Cisco Catalyst switches and ancillary hardware as part of the continuing effort to upgrade the VA wireless LAN infrastructure to meet OEHRM requirements for the Cerner EHR deployment. All warranties for Cisco equipment will be covered under VA’s National Enterprise Service Agreement. The proposed action is for hardware only. VA is not procuring nor renewing any software or maintenance under this action. The period of performance for this action is 30 days after receipt of the order. The total estimated price of this proposed action is

4. Statutory Authority: Pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 16.505(a)(4), the following brand name requirement is being justified and approved as an exception to fair opportunity under the statutory authority of Section 41 U.S.C. 4106(c)(2) as implemented by FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B), entitled “Only one awardee is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services ordered are unique or highly specialized”.

IR152- EHRM Local Area Network (LAN) Spare Switching Equipment- 20-IJP-114 FORCE Number: VA-20-00049659

5. Rationale Supporting Use of Authority Cited Above: Based on market research, as described in Section 8 of this document, it is determined that limited competition is available for the required brand name Cisco Catalyst switches and ancillary hardware.

VA OI&T ITOPS requires Cisco networking equipment at targeted facilities supported by End User Operations. The infrastructure in place requires augmentation that ensures compatibility and interoperability with the existing Cisco equipment. The procurement of the required brand name Cisco Catalyst switches and ancillary hardware will allow for required upgrades to the VA wireless LAN infrastructure to occur in order to meet OEHRM requirements for the Cerner EHR deployment, which supports VA Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) and other networked applications. Presently-installed Cisco equipment at these locations supports thousands of network-dependent clinical, logistic, financial and administrative devices; connecting all facets of delivering Veteran patient care at these locations, to include their remote clinics. Factors requiring the continued use of Cisco hardware include: the use of Cisco internetworking operating system (IOS) firmware code which ensures required communications protocols are available for local and agency-wide connectivity between all VA facilities; hardware that meets the unique VA baseline requirements for local and wide-area networking;

continued efficiencies of VA’s training and talent for maintaining Cisco hardware and operating code; and continued leverage of VA’s maintenance coverage of Cisco products through the Cisco Business Enterprise Support Agreement. There is no equipment currently compatible and interoperable with existing facility Cisco networks.

Only brand name Cisco can be used due to the proprietary nature of the Cisco IOS software. Specifically, the current software communicates through a source code that is based on Cisco proprietary data.

Failure to procure the needed brand name Cisco Catalyst switches and ancillary hardware would produce non-interoperable network equipment, as no other brand will work with VA’s existing network infrastructure, and would bring significant risk to medical centers that deliver clinical services, as personnel would not have the data they need to provide patient care. Clinicians would not have electronic access to the patient’s records, and clerical staff would not have electronic patient information to schedule appointments. This would negatively impact VA’s ability to deliver health and benefits services. Therefore, the procurement of brand name Cisco Catalyst switches and ancillary hardware is required so that all VA facilities can provide medical, logistical and other administrative business data.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Market research was conducted, details of which are in section 8 of this justification. This effort did not yield any additional sources that can meet the Government's requirements. However, the undersigned VA technical representative determined that limited competition is available among authorized resellers for Cisco brand name network switches, cables, and internal components. In accordance with FAR 16.505(a)(4)(iii)(A)(1), this justification will be provided with the solicitation to all appropriate NASA SEWP V GWAC holders. Furthermore, in accordance with FAR 5.301, 16.505(b)(2)(ii)(D), and 16.505(a)(4)(iii), the award notice for this action will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website and this justification will be made publicly available within 14 days of award.

IR152- EHRM Local Area Network (LAN) Spare Switching Equipment- 20-IJP-114 FORCE Number: VA-20-00049659

7. Actions to Increase Competition: The Government will continue to conduct market research to ascertain if there are changes in the market place that would enable future actions to be competed.

8. Market Research: VA technical experts conducted market research in April 2020, which consisted of a review of similar products from manufacturers such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise/Aruba, Brocade, Juniper, and Avaya. While other networking hardware from alternative manufacturers exist, they do not meet VA’s requirements as outlined in Section 5 of the justification document because only Cisco, or an authorized reseller has access to the current hardware that communicates through a source code based on Cisco proprietary data currently in place across the VA. In addition, VA technical experts regularly review industry trade publications and conduct internet research to ascertain if any other brand name equipment is available. As a result of the market research, it was determined that no other equipment was found to be compatible and interoperable with the existing Cisco networking system. Based on this market research, the VA technical experts have determined that only Cisco brand name equipment can meet all the VA’s needs.

The Contract Specialist (CS) conducted market research in April 2020 by using the NASA SEWP V GWAC Market Research, Provider Look-up tools, and VIP Query to determine what vendors are capable of meeting the requirement. Based on this market research, the CS found multiple service-disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) capable of meeting the full requirement.

9. Other Facts: None.