A04_-_JA_Adobe_Experience_Manager_Renewal_REDACTED.pdf

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 8

LIMITED SOURCE JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL (J&A)

Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) 18-WBBS

XXXXXXXXXXX

FAR 8.405-6 (b) – Items peculiar to one manufacturer. For proposed orders exceeding the micro-purchase threshold, the ordering activity contracting officer may solicit an item peculiar to one manufacturer. An item peculiar to one manufacturer can be a particular brand name, product, or a feature of a product, peculiar to one manufacturer. A brand name item, whether available on one or more schedule contracts, is an item peculiar to one manufacturer. Brand name specifications shall not be used unless the particular brand name, product, or feature is essential to the Government’s requirements, and market research indicates other companies’ similar products, or products lacking the particular feature, do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet, the agency’s needs. The contracting officer shall approve the justification unless a higher approval level is established in accordance with agency procedures.

DFARS 208.74 “ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE AGREEMENTS”

DFARS 208.7402(1) states - Departments and agencies shall fulfill requirements for commercial software and related services, such as software maintenance, in accordance with the DoD Enterprise Software Initiative (ESI)

(see website at http://www.esi.mil/). ESI promotes the use of enterprise software agreements (ESAs) with contractors that allow DoD to obtain favorable terms and pricing for commercial software and related services.

ESI does not dictate the products or services to be acquired.

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity:

a. Requiring Activity:

DFAS-ZTDA

Attn: XXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXX

XXXXX

b. Contracting Activity:

DFAS Columbus

Contract Services Directorate

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

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

The purpose of this document is to obtain approval for acquisition of items with limited sources in accordance with FAR 8.405-6(b).

Competition is limited to the following brand name product: Adobe

The procurement strategy is to solicit this effort through the DoD Enterprise Software Initiative (ESI) website to all Adobe resellers.

3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value:

DFAS I&T IPS request the annual renewal of maintenance and support of Adobe Experience Manager (AEM).

Adobe is the sole-manufacturer of these products which are readily available from many resellers as well as being well-known and widely distributed software.

AEM Forms, Adobe Acrobat Professional Multiple Platforms, and AEM Document Security provide a server-based solution that centrally deploys and manages the creation of Adobe PDF files across the enterprise.

Employees can easily convert most documents created within the organization into PDF files. The flexible deployment options in PDF Generator complement existing core business systems and processes. AEM offers features that allow users to classify and organize digital assets for easy management. Additionally, security tools such as permission settings and watermarking ensure content is used appropriately.

The base year requirement includes:

Adobe Experience Manager Forms - Platinum Maintenance & Support Renewal 1L – Per CPU - 4th Term - (20% of License + Renewal Uplift) - 58051722J - SO#: 141179749 (Part Number 2R3-1427-6 Quantity – 10)

Adobe Experience Manager Forms - 1 OnPremise Term - Per CPU - Adobe Systems Inc. - 58051718JA - SO#:

141180032 (Part Number 210T-1427-6 Quantity – 1)

Adobe Experience Manager Forms - OnPremise Term - Per CPU - Adobe Systems Inc. - 58051718JA - SO#:

140945634 (210T-1427-6 Quantity – 3)

Adobe is changing their licensing model after the base year starting with option year one. They're switching from a CPU based license to a Core based license. You'll see that where the four licenses (3 + 1) go from a quantity of four total during the base year to a total of eight (8) in a single line during option years).

The option years include:

Adobe Experience Manager Forms - Platinum Maintenance & Support Renewal 1L - Per CPU - 5th Term - (20% of License + Renewal Uplift) - 12 Months Adobe (58051722J2-4 Quantity - 10) Option Year 1

Adobe Experience Manager Forms - Platinum Maintenance & Support Renewal 1L - Per CPU - 5th Term -

(20% of License + Renewal Uplift) - 12 Months Adobe (58051722J2-4 Quantity - 10) Option Year 2

Adobe Experience Manager Forms - Platinum Maintenance & Support Renewal 1L - Per CPU - 5th Term - (20% of License + Renewal Uplift) - 12 Months Adobe (58051722J2-4 Quantity - 10) Option Year 3

The estimated cost of this requirement is XXXXXXXXXX which includes a base and three option years.

4. The authority and supporting rationale (see 8.405-6(a)(1)(i) and (b)(1)) and, if applicable, a demonstration of the proposed contractor's unique qualifications to provide the required supply or service.

In accordance with FAR 8.405-6(b) this effort is an item peculiar to one manufacturer (Adobe). Brand-name specifications shall not be used unless the particular brand-name, product, or feature is essential to the Government’s requirements and market research indicates other companies’ similar products, or products lacking the particular feature, do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet, the agency’s need.

Adobe Experience Manager Forms AEM, Adobe Acrobat Professional Multiple Platforms, and AEM Document

Security provide a server-based solution that centrally deploys and manages the creation of Adobe PDF files across the enterprise. Employees can easily convert most documents created within the organization into PDF files. The flexible deployment options in PDF Generator complement existing core business systems and processes.

The Adobe branded maintenance is essential to DFAS’s requirement because market research suggest that the Adobe

Experience Manager software maintenance is proprietary and access is only given to Adobe and its authorized resellers. An alternate solution to this maintenance procurement would be if DFAS transitioned to an entirely different server-based solution that centrally deploys and manages the creation of Adobe PDF files across the enterprise.

DFAS has invested approximately XXXXXX in the Adobe tool since XXXXXXXX alone in addition to procurements in prior years. Switching to a tool from a different vendor would require substantial transition costs as the previously acquired software, and licensing are proprietary to Adobe and would not transition for use with a different tool as confirmed by the vendor. DFAS has also invested XXXXXXX of man-hours in training on use of AEM as well as configuring the tool to meet DFAS needs and DOD security requirements. Switching to a different tool would incur a significant cost in training on use of the replacement tool and hundreds of man-hours configuring the tool to meet

DFAS needs and DOD security requirements. Rather than switching to a different tool at this time, DFAS plans to maintain the current tool which is proprietary to Adobe and requires purchasing the brand name maintenance.

5. A determination by the ordering activity contracting officer that the order represents the best value consistent with 8.404(d).

In accordance with FAR 8.404(d) pricing will be sought from all XXXXX DoD ESI contract holder’s to compete for the procurement of this effort. Based upon the market research obtained the government has reason to believe more than one offer will be received. The award will be made on a best value basis to lowest priced technically acceptable offeror.

6. A description of the market research conducted among schedule holders and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

Market research was initiated XXXXX via NASA SEWP XXXXX and GSA eBuy XXXXXXXXX and closed on XXXXXX. The results are as follows:

XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Though an Request for Information (RFI) was posted via NASA SEWP quotes are required to be sought from

ESI. Emails will be sent to all contract holders below for the items described within seciton 3.

• XXXXXXXXXXXX

• XXXXXXXX

• XXXXXXXXXX

• XXXXXXXXXXX

• XXXXXXXX

• XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

• XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

7. Any other facts supporting the justification.

There is nothing additional which has not already been stated throughout this document.

8. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to the restricted consideration before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services is made .

Nothing to add to this section that has not already been articulated within this justification document.

9. The ordering activity contracting officer's certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the contracting officer's knowledge and belief.

10. Evidence that any supporting data that is the responsibility of technical or requirements personnel

(e.g., verifying the Government's minimum needs or requirements or other rationale for limited sources) and which form a basis for the justification have been certified as complete and accurate by the technical or requirements personnel.

CERTIFICATION

I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance which are included in this justification and which form a basis for this justification are complete and accurate.

Technical Certification

Printed Name: XXXXXXXXXX

Title: Technical Reviewer Org. Code: XXXXX

Signature: ___XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX________________ Phone: XXXXXXXXXX

Requiring Activity/Program Management Office Certification

Printed Name: XXXXXXXXXX

Title: System Manager: Org. Code: XXXXX

Signature: ___XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_________________ Phone: XXXXXXXXXX

Contracting Officer Certification

I hereby determine that the anticipated cost for this contract action will be fair and reasonable. I certify that this J&A is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Printed Name: XXXXXXXXXXXX

Title Contracting Officer Organization Code XXXXXXXXX

Signature:______XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_________________ Phone: XXXXXXXXXX

REVIEW FOR LEGAL SUFFICIENCY

Printed Name ____XXXXXXXXXXXXXX____________________________________________________

Title: ____XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX____Organization Code: ____XXXXXXXXX__

Signature:______XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX______ Phone: ___XXXXXXX__ Date: ____XXXXXXX___

APPROVAL Activity Competition Advocate ($750,000 - $13,500,000)

Printed Name: _____XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_________

Title: ____XXXXXXXXXXXXX_______ Organization Code: ____XXXXXXXXXX___

Signature: _____XXXXXXXXXXXXXX___ Phone: ____XXXXXXXXX___ Date: __XXXXX__