Sole_source_Justification.docx

Limited Sources Rationale Subject: Automic Support Renewal for all Four Navy Shipyards

The following paragraphs, IAW Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 13.106-1(b)(1)(i), are provided to support Sole Source limited source justification for proposed orders exceeding the micro-purchase threshold, but not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold.

The renewal of brand-name, Automic, software support is required for the Naval Shipyards. For a period of performance of January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016. This acquisition is to renew software and support previously provided under contract which expires December 31, 2015. The applicable North American Industrial Classification System Code is 511210 Software Publishers, with a size standard of $38.5 million.

Automic application manager is used by the Information Assurance branches across the shipyards. It is an enterprise job scheduler, which is used to automate applications and balance workloads across platforms. It reduces information technology operations expenses by improving application automation and efficient workload balancing. The master and agent software takes the individual components of a script like programs, schedules, printers, and conditions and allows the user to define them as discrete objects. The user can combine the objects in an unlimited number of combinations to handle every use of the object. This is essential to be able to change the object in one place and be able to roll that change out to every user of the object. The infrastructure requires the necessary upgrades, updates, patches, and fixes to the Automic software.

The government has invested $ in Automic licenses and support since 2012. The application was specifically designed to utilize Automic functionality, which includes process automation, batch job scheduling, etc. The Automic program is used by over 40,000 users and controls the Material Access Technology or MAT and cost software. Not renewing the software support would cause substantial negative impact to all of the shipyards by shutting systems down. In order to research, gain approval for new software on the system, train, etc. it would cost in excess of over $ million.

Procuring an alternative source would result in substantial duplication of cost to the government that is not expected to be recovered through competition and would require an extensive number of modifications and unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency’s requirements. Without the Automic software support, the naval shipyards would not receive the upgrades, patches, and fixes to the Automic software, which could result in work stoppage and resulting detrimental impacts to the Navy.

Automic Software, Inc. is the sole provider of the proprietary Automic software support. Only Automic Software Inc. can provide the required software updates, upgrades, fixes, and patches. Market research confirms that this support is not available on a Department of Defense Enterprise Services Initiative Blanket Purchase Agreement, the General Services Administration Federal Supply Schedule or the National Aeronautics Space and Administration contract vehicle. The recommendation for this requirement is to procure the software support as sole source procurement to Automic Software Inc. on the open market. A request for quote and the government intent will be posted on FedBizOpps.