Brand_Name_Justification_(CISCO_IOC)_-_Redacted.pdf

Single Source Justification (Simplified Acquisition)

Section A: General Contract Information

Contracting Activity: 39th Contracting Squadron Purchase Request/ Identification Number:

Project/Program Name: Cisco Telecom Equipment IOC Estimated Contract Cost (including Options):

Section B: Description of the Supplies/Services Required

39 CONS intends to award a firm-fixed price Purchase Order to provide the necessary communications equipment to the for the

. This equipment will expand upon existing network equipment already procured through Cisco and approved by DISA. NETCENTS II exemption exists due to local Defense Economic Cooperation Agreement (DECA) between the United States and Turkey. This is secure communications equipment that allows for the to communicate with multiple task forces across multiple agencies in support of the mission. Without this type of communication equipment the chances of success of the mission are greatly reduced.

Section C: Justification for Soliciting from a Single Source

The use of the brand name specifications in this acquisition is essential to the Government's requirements, thereby precluding consideration of a product manufactured by other companies. Cisco brand name switches are required for interoperability for remote management, remote monitoring, and remote software maintenance. This capability ensures continued network operation and security for Incirlik AB and geographically separated unit's connected to the Incirlik enterprise network, in this case this includes the . Additionally, the Army has contract sustainment, software license, and technician training for the devices in this acquisition. Substituting other brands will not be acceptable since only devices that have been through the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) certification process can be installed on the Air Force network.

Each system's configuration is captured and maintained in the Enterprise configuration management system. Changes to the configuration and/or hardware must go through a stringent testing process. The procedure is designed to test for compatibility with existing hardware and software within the system as well as interoperability with downstream and upstream hardware and software. The testing used for system interoperability allows us to use one system configuration file for all like systems throughout the enterprise. This reduces the cost of man-hours for testing, system configuration management, change management as well as maintaining our troubleshooting knowledge management database. Each additional vendor that we introduce into the operational environment increases the cost of maintaining the Information System environment. The rise in cost is due to additional man hours for testing, maintaining configuration versions, change review boards and external training not included with the existing system.

Minimizing the man hours and labor to maintain the system is critical in contingency environment such as this,where system downtime is not acceptable, and additional maintenance capability costs additional deployed personnel.

Additional training is required for each subsequent element of hardware or software that is not organic to the conventional system for the Army personnel maintaining and operating the system. The purchase requested aligns to the native software and hardware in each system and the soldiers have received the required training for all the native hardware and software for each system. This has a secondary effect of allowing each requested item to quickly act as a backup to our current infrastructure; because of the interoperability and configuration compatibility there is no need for additional training.

Ultimately, the proprietary nature of Cisco hardware precludes sourcing other vendors for similar products. Only Cisco hardware will work with the already owned Cisco equipment. The interoperability and approved listing of this equipment is essential to the fielding of this system

Single Source Justification (Simplified Acquisition)

Section D: Efforts to Obtain Competition

The Cisco brand equipment suite being requested is offered by many vendors in Turkey. The specific brand cannot be substituted due to the current enterprise configuration and only Cisco models listed on the Defense Information Systems Agency Approved Product List can be offered as a model substitute from vendors. The contracting office will post this requirement of the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website (www.fbo.gov) and allow interested sources to respond electronically. Adequate competition should be obtained by soliciting this acquisition through the FBO website due to high number of vendors selling these items.

Section E: Steps to Preclude Future Single Source Awards

Market research was based on network switches listed on the DISA approved product list (https://aplits.disa.mil/ processAPList.do). Equipment listed on this site has gone through a rigorous certification process. CISCO brand switches were identified as the optimal switches for building distribution. Specific models and features were selected based on equipment life and current infrastructure. Based upon DISA approval, further options that present themselves over time will be considered in future requirements. As it stands now, no other brand of equipment is inter-operable and approved with existing equipment at Incirlik.

The Government will continue to seek maximum competition by making similar requirements available through the FBO website in the future. Since this acquisition is an expansion to an existing system, similar purchases using restrictive descriptions may be required in the future to extend the life and usefulness of the existing system.

Section F: Contracting Officer's Determination

I have determined, in accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), that the circumstances of this contract action deem only a single source is reasonably available.

Date

21-Aug-2015

Typed Name and Rank/Grade of Contracting Officer

Matthew Mayo, TSgt, USAF

Signature of Contracting Officer