FINAL_CITRIX_BRAND_NAME_JUSTIFICATION_05-22-2017_-_Copy.pdf

NAME BRAND JUSTIFICATION

Department of Education – Federal Student Aid

Citrix XenApp Support

This acquisition is being conducted in accordance with FAR subpart 13.5, Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items.

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity.

It is the intention of the United States Department of Education Federal Student Aid’s (FSA) Acquisitions Group to acquire Citrix XenApp software connection licenses, maintenance, and subscription services to support FSA’s Citrix Web environment.

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

The purpose of this acquisition is to acquire Citrix software connection licenses, maintenance, and subscription services. These items support Federal Student Aid’s (FSA) FSA Citrix Web environment. The FSA Citrix Web environment allows FSA’s mobile workforce the ability to access FSA business applications and IT resources from off-site locations. The Citrix environment also supports FSA’s Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery programs.

3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs

(including the estimated value).

FSA is acquiring Citrix XenApp connection licenses, maintenance, platinum support, Citrix Access Gateway Universal License, and Citrix Repeater Plug-in for servers deployed within the FSA IT Enterprise. It is the intention of FSA to issue a firm fixed price purchase order that will include a one-year base period and four one-year options. The purchase order’s estimated price is $400,000.00, if all options are exercised.

4. FAR cite permitting other than full and open competition.

This acquisition will be conducted in accordance with FAR 13.501(a)(1)(ii), Name Brand Justification and in compliance with 41 U.S.C. 1901.

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

Citrix’s XenApp application enables secure, remote access to FSA applications and server desktops from any device and over any network. The application enhances FSA ability to secure sensitive information and overall IT corporate security. Key features of the XenApp include:

Enhance Security: XenApp applications are hosted within FSA’s Virtual Data

Center, which enhances the ability to secure FSA business applications and the data that resides within them. Because applications are not installed on the remote device no data is at risk when a device is lost or stolen.

Name Brand Justification Citrix Software Maintenance

Support for Remote and Mobile Users: XenApp allows FSA to centrally manage Citrix XenApp applications, even when workers are geographically distributed.

Person Computer Refresh and Operation System Upgrades: Users are capable to access XenApp applications even when they receive new computer and/or if FSA migrates to newer or different operating systems. Therefore, the Office of Technology is not required to reconfigure individual computers and allows for the efficient deployment of applications.

XenApp is the industry’s leading solution for application and desktop delivery, with over 100 million users worldwide. The Citrix software is native FIPS 140-2 compliant and reduces the risks of loss data loss. The HDX technology delivers a superior, high-definition user experience on any device and allows agency’s to improve operational efficiencies. In addition, XenApp has been integrated into the FSA’s IT infrastructure. If replaced FSA would have incurred cost to ensure the system would work with FSA’s deployed business applications. Retraining of Individuals would have to be completed to ensure that they could support the new system. Therefore, any potential savings achieved in a competition would be offset by these expenses.

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 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies.

XenApp has been used by FSA since FY2014; the application continues to meet FSA’s business requirements; and allows the agency to efficiently support FSA’s mobile and remote users. Therefore, no effort was made to solicit other potential sources for the reasons stated within Section 5 and Section 9 of this Name Brand Justification. This Name Brand Justification will be made public with the solicitation in accordance with FAR 13.501(a)(1)(iv).

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

Price reasonableness will be determined by using historical pricing that FSA has paid in the past for services outlined in Section 3 of this Name Brand Justification.

8. A description of the market research conducted and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

Market research was conducted and it was determined that no other products or services can meet the FSA’s business requirements outlined in this Name Brand Justification.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition.

There are no other facts required to support this Brand Name Justification.

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

No other sources have expressed interest as of the date of this justification.

Name Brand Justification Citrix Software Maintenance

11. A statement of the 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.

In the near term it is the intention of FSA to continue to use Citrix software. The financial savings and increase technical capabilities in moving to a new software package would be minimal. If FSA business requirements change, FSA will conduct new market research to determine if there are potential vendors that could support FSA’s new business requirements.

12. Technical Requirements Personnel Certification

I certify this requirement meets the Government’s minimum need and that the support data, which forms a basis for this justification, is complete and accurate. The requiring FSA program office has provided written supporting data, which is contained in the contract file, that verifies the technical requirements and support the government ongoing need to use the aforementioned brand name commercial items.

Cynthia Freshley Contracting Officer’s Representative FSA Technology Office

13. Certification

I certify that the data supporting this Name Brand Justification is accurate and complete.

Therefore, in accordance with FAR 13.501(2)(i) the Contracting Officer hereby determines that it is in the best interest of Federal Student Aid to move forward with the Name Brand acquisition.

Andrew Jernell Contracting Officer Federal Student Aid