GPE_JA_VPN_Router_Initiative_signed_Redacted.pdf

Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity

Is this a brand name product justification? Yes No If yes, please provide the following information.

Brand Name Product Title:

Cisco VPN Routers

Brand Name Product Description:

VPN Router Initiative

1. Contracting Activity: 48th Contracting Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, England

2. Purchase Request:

3. Program Name (and Program Element, if applicable):

4. Estimated Cost/Price of the Order (including options):

5. Type Program (see AFFARS 5302.101 for definitions): PEO Program Other Contracting

6. Fair Opportunity Exception: FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i), subparagraph (A) (B) (C) (E)(D)

7. Type Determination: Class Individual

Signature

Click here to access the instructions for the boxes below.

(1) Contracting Activity:

Department of the Air Force 48th Contracting Squadron RAF Lakenheath, England

(2) Nature and/or description of the action being approved:

A. Acquisition History. The 48th CS has been requested by USAFE A6 to build a resilient VPN network . The procurement of robust enterprise-class external routers In accordance with FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii)(A), only one source (brand name) is capable of providing the supplies required because the supplies are unique and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

B. Contract Type. This requirement will be solicited in accordance with (IAW) the NETCENTS contract utilizing fair opportunity procedures for all NETCENTS-2 contract holders. The award will be made utilizing lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) procedures. The resulting delivery order will be firm-fixed price.

(3) Description of the supplies/services required to meet the agency's needs:

Procurement of CISCO hardware equipment . Equipment to be purchased is ASR1006-X and ISR4331 chassis with configured per the LOM attachment.

This requires that any hardware purchase with this purpose in mind must also support Cisco Proprietary protocols, thus must be Cisco hardware and running Cisco operating systems.

As the equipment being purchased represents a small fraction of the USAFE network, there would be substantial duplication of cost to the Government converting to another supplier that is not expected to be recovered through competition.

(4) Identification of the exception to fair opportunity and the supporting rationale:

FAR 16.505(b)(1)(i) requires the Contracting Officer to provide each awardee under a multiple award contract, a fair opportunity to be considered for each order exceeding $3,000 unless a statutory exception applies. The specific exception that precludes the fair opportunity process for this acquisition is FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B) .

(5) Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable:

The contract vehicle for this award is NETCENTS-2. This Air Force mandated contract contains 25 vendors that have the ability to bid on this award. Cisco equipment is offered by hundreds of value added resellers thus creating fair and open competitions across multiple contract vehicles.

The NETCENTS contract holders will be afforded fair opportunity. Price analysis will be performed to determine the reasonableness of the offeror's price proposal. The anticipated price will be considered fair and reasonable based on adequate price competition IAW FAR 15.404. Market research shows that the required radios and accessories are widely available in the commercial marketplace. A fair and reasonable price is anticipated through competition.

We've researched other competitors and none of them meets the requirement to run DMVPN as this is a Cisco proprietary protocol that does not run on any other competitor systems.This requirement will be solicited in accordance with (IAW) NETCENTS-2 Mandatory use Policy Memo dated 16 May 11. The award will be made using lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) procedures.

(6) Other facts supporting the justification:

NETCENTS-2 Mandatory use Policy Memo dated 16 May 11 there are 25 vendors on the NETCENTS 2 products IDIQ.

(7) Actions the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to increasing fair opportunity before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services:

when USAFE functional owners approve alternatives, additional approved models will be included in future competitions. The 48th Contracting Squadron will continue to engage with AFICA and mission partners should substantive elements of the ELMR Network be changed, replaced or upgraded to allow for other systems to be used if feasible.

(8) Contracting Officer's certification that the justification is accurate and complete:

The Contracting Officer's signature on the signature page provides evidence that he/she certifies that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of his/her knowledge and belief.

(9) Certification of technical/requirements personnel that supporting data is accurate and complete:

As evidenced by his/her signature on the signature page, the Program Manager certifies that any supporting data contained herein, which is his/her responsibility, is both accurate and complete.

(10) Determination by the approving official that one of the circumstances in FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i) applies to the order

As evidenced by my signature on the signature page, I hereby determine that the fair opportunity exception checked in block 6 (Page 1) applies.