A04._Brand_Name_Justification_(BNJ)_VDI_Devices_FBO.pdf

ACQUISITION DIRECTORATE

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES

1155 DEFENSE PENTAGON

WASHINGTON, DC 20301-1155

August 15 th

, 2016

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION

1. Identification of Agency and Contract Activity

The Department of Defense (DoD), Washington Headquarters Services, Acquisition Directorate

(WHS/AD) is the contracting activity. The requirement is for the Raven Rock Mountain

Complex (RRMC), specifically the 114

Signal Battalion (Sig Bn).

2. Description of the Action

WHS/AD proposes to issue a competitive purchase order, utilizing a firm-fixed price (FFP) contract type, for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) devices and associated installation and training services. The anticipated period of performance will be to deliver the necessary supplies within ninety (90) days from the date of award and to provide the ancillary installation and training services for twelve (12) months from the award date.

3. Background

The Raven Rock Mountain Complex (RRMC) sent an acquisition package to the Washington

Headquarters Services (WHS), Acquisition Directorate (AD) for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

(VDI) devices and associated installation and training services. RRMC needs to acquire the equipment to provide Virtual Desktops to all WHS employees for both Non-Classified Internet

Protocol Router Network (NIPRNet) and Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet) connections. This requirement was identified during the development of the RRMC Strategic

Plan 2016-2030 and creates greater efficiencies within the RRMC facility by reducing overall power consumption and heat generation. The purchase of VDI devices addresses both information assurance and cooling and electrical issues at RRMC. With the use of VDI devices, computer towers will be retired, which require more electricity to operate than VDI boxes;

computer towers also create more heat than VDI boxes, which places an additional demand on

RRMC’s cooling system. Information assurance issues will be assuaged as all necessary security updates can be pushed directly to the VDI devices.

4. Description of the supplies/services required

The competitive purchase order requires a brand name-specific portion to support the overall

VDI device requirement. Specifically, Nutanix brand computer servers and Platinum Service

Support are necessary for the requirement. The particular Nutanix make and models needed are the following:

422-NX-3460-G4- 25010 (Nutanix Scale-Out Converged Compute/Storage Platform

(NX-3060-G4): 8 x Intel Xeon Processor

2.50GHz 12-core Haswell E5-2680 v3 30M Cache 64 x 32GB DDR4 Memory Module 16 x 1TB 2.5 HDD 8 x 800GB 2.5 SSD 4 x 10GbE Dual SFP+ Network

Adapter Nutanix - NX-3460-G4-25010)

422-LIC-PRO-3060- G4-3YR (License, 3YR Pro entitlement for NX-3060-G4 Nutanix -

LIC-PRO-3060-G4-3YR)

422-S-PRD-3060- G4-3YR (3YR Production 24/7 System support for Nutanix 3060-G4

Nutanix - S-PRD-3060-G4-3YR)

422-S-NRDK-HDD- 1TB-3YR (Support for non-returned 1TB HDD replacement, 3 yr

(per drive) Nutanix - S-NRDK-HDD-1TB-3YR)

422-S-NRDK-SSD- 800GB-3YR (Support for non-returned 800GB SSD replacement, 3 yr (per drive) Nutanix - S-NRDK-SSD-800GB-3YR)

422-C-CBL-3MSFP+- SFP+ (Cable 3m SFP+ to SFP+ Nutanix - C-CBL-3MSFP+

SFP+)

The Nutanix servers are needed to keep in line with Pentagon and RRMC infrastructure and security guidelines in accordance with Configuration Control Board (CCB) proceedings. In order to maintain alignment with previous purchases in 114 th

Sig Bn’s modernization effort, the

Nutanix equipment will be deployed as part of the RRMC IT SIPRNet and NIPRNet Virtual

Desktop Infrastructure (VDI).

Moreover, the needed supplies and the resulting work products will conform to all applicable

Federal, DoD, WHS, state and local regulations and policies including, but not limited to, the

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), the Department of Defense Federal Acquisition

Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and other DoD policy and supplemental regulations as appropriate.

The total estimated dollar value for the VDI devices requirement is $1,629,957.21 (with a potential variance of +/- 5%), but the estimated dollar value for this particular brand name portion of the requirement, Nutanix servers, is $1,322,242.40. The amount of $1,322,242.40 accounts for the multiple Nutanix server items and components, as well as applicable freight to deliver the items.

5. Statutory Authority

The statutory authority for this brand name action is the Simplified Procedures for Certain

Commercial Items (41 U.S.C. 1901) as implemented in FAR 13.501, “Special Documentation

Requirements.”

6. Applicability of Authority

Failure to procure the brand name-specific Nutanix servers would lead to severe mission degradation. Nutanix servers are already being used to provide VDI to select RRMC users; this procurement is to transition remaining 114 th

Sig Bn RRMC IT supported users to VDI for both

NIPRNet and SIPRNet. No other brand name of server will work in conjunction with the existing servers; therefore, the same brand, Nutanix, must be utilized. In addition, major investments were made for the VDI technicians to be trained on how to setup and maintain

Nutanix devices. Any other brand name server configuration would require additional training, time and resources not just in the initial structure, but in subsequent years as new technicians are hired. Finally, RRMC has a requirement to maintain an amount of spare parts on site to reduce the risk of obsolescence and to maintain functionality and continuity of operations.

Procuring a single brand of server and its components, specifically Nutanix, will minimize the amount of varying spare parts required and logistical burden.

Also, the equipment manufactured by Nutanix has been approved through Pentagon

Configuration Boards, and as the Common IT Provider for the RRMC, the 114 th

Sig Bn must deploy the same hardware to stay in line with the equipment being deployed at the Pentagon.

This configuration is in accordance with DoDI 5110.11, which establishes “policy and assigns responsibilities in accordance with the authority in section 2674 of title 10, United States Code, D o D Directive (DoDD) 5105.53, and DoDD 3020.26 (References (a), (b) and (c)) for the operation and management of RRMC” and DoDD S-5100.44, "Defense and National Leadership

Command Capability (DNLCC) (U)," July 9, 2008 (Controlled Document). Each of the aforementioned documents, when taken together, direct the RRMC-IT to provide the same capability in fit, form, and feel of the services and equipment in use or planned for deployment at the Pentagon to support daily and continuity of operations (COOP) missions. This equipment also brings the 114 th

Sig Bn RRMC IT in line with current Joint Staff SIPR VDI initiatives as they are deploying this specific hardware.

7. Effort to Solicit Potential Sources

Initial support, configuration and implementation for the existing Nutanix server system were covered through a competitive award made by the Army Contracting Command (ACC) in 2014.

Continuing system support and updates can only be purchased from Nutanix. The purchase will come from only authorized dealers or resellers of the Nutanix brand name. If there is an acquisition in the future for an entirely new VDI system, and the DoDI changes allow the 114 th

Sig Bn to deviate from using the same Nutanix equipment at its location, then the requirement will be fully competed amongst all the manufacturers of servers meeting the specifications.

8. Market Research

The Contract Specialist and program office Contracting Officer Representative (COR) conducted market research in relation to this requirement. Based on the COR’s initial market research, it was found that the needed items could most likely be procured using the Department of Defense-specific Army Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS) contract vehicle. Two (2) large business vendors, CDW-G and Dell, responded to the request for information (RFI) provided by the COR. CDW-G was found capable of fulfilling the requirement, but Dell was found not capable of fulfilling the requirement based on not being able to provide a brand specific server, specifically Nutanix servers, within its quote and configuration. The Contract Specialist, to substantiate the COR’s market research efforts, submitted an RFI on Army CHESS on 31 May 2016 and had it close on 14 June 2016. In this particular RFI effort, only CDW-G responded and, again, was found capable of fulfilling the requirement. As such, it is determined that the requirement will be solicited via the Government-wide Point of Entry (GPE), FBO.gov, to promote the greatest amount of competition possible.

9. Other Facts

Failure to acquire only Nutanix VDI equipment and Platinum Service Support will result in failure to adhere to directives to mirror Pentagon configuration, and comply with the Director of

RRMC IT directives for installation equipment and parts standardization. If substituted items do not interface 100% with existing parts and equipment, it could result in the loss of critical communications supporting the SECDEF, SECARMY, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other tenant agencies at RRMC.

Additionally, this brand name procurement will provide multiple environmental benefits such as reduced power requirements and reduced heat generation. A SIPR VDI solution will require less administrative resources due to hardware independence allowing one image to be maintained instead of multiple images for different hardware.

10. Price Reasonableness

The cost to the Government will be determined to be fair and reasonable in accordance with

FAR 13.106-3(a)(2)(i) and FAR 13.106-3(a)(2)(vi). In making a fair and reasonable determination, the Government will seek adequate price competition. Further, the Government will conduct a full price analysis by comparing the received price quotes to its independent

Government cost estimate (IGCE), which was developed through sound market research, prior to award.

Technical Certification

I certify that the data and information forming the basis for this justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Perry Sandy Date

Project Manager

Signal Battalion

Contracting Officer Certification & Determination

I certify that the data and information forming the basis for this justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Isiah Mack Date Contracting Officer

WHS/AD

Agency Competition Advocate Approval

I have reviewed this justification and find it to be accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

David Sanders Date Deputy Director

WHS/AD