Juniper_LSJ_Redacted_.pdf

Tracking #JA15-0081

Justification and Approval for “Fair Opportunity Brand Name” Juniper Essential Support

1. Agency and Contracting Activity: Defense Health Agency (DHA), Contracts Operations Division San Antonio (COD-SA), 2720 Howitzer Road, Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234. .

2. Nature of Action Being Approved: Approval is being requested for a new firm–fixed price task order via the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)-Solutions for Enterprise Wide Procurements (SEWP) Government-Wide Acquisition Contract, in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 16.505- Fair Opportunity -Brand name justification for next-day Juniper hardware and software maintenance and services in support of the Defense Health Agency (DHA). The period of performance will be from 23 April 2015 through 22 April 2016. Fiscal Year 2015 Operations and Maintenance (O&M) funds will be used to fund the proposed base period and four subsequent options years to be exercised.

3. A description of supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs: The proposed action is to acquire Juniper Essential Support (software and hardware support) for customers with Juniper equipment. Essential Support includes 24×7 access to the Technical Assistance Center (TAC) (available through phone, e-mail, the Web), software updates, online self-service tools, and provides several hardware replacement SLAs. DHA requires software maintenance and support for Government owned Juniper equipment. Support includes software patch updates and technical support from subject matter experts. The cost for each period is as follows: Base period--$1,563,093.61; Option Year 1--$1,592,792.39; Option Year 2--$1,623,055.44; Option Year 3--$1,653,853.50 and Option Year 4--$1,685,317.47. The total estimated value is $8,118,152.41 for the base and four option years.

The procurement of Juniper Core Services support for the DHA Local Area Network (LAN) devices will accommodate the basic support to maintain the operating efficiency of 16 million packets per second that the routers were designed to facilitate. Packets are the building blocks of information in an internet technology network that carry information from one user or system to the next. It is the router’s role to govern the direction of those packets in the quickest, most efficient way possible. The LAN devices from Juniper are typically deployed in head office locations where high packet processing is required to run multiple functions in parallel on assigned processing resources to deliver high stability and flexibility to provide advanced routing services.

The Juniper VPN devices that meet the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) for cryptographic systems that handle sensitive but not classified data is a stalwart security hardware component deployed throughout the DHA IT network to provide secure access to the VPN used to communicate information and records throughout the network. The Juniper maintenance package that is the focus of this procurement will provide for the technical and physical repair and maintenance support that is necessary to keep these units functioning at peak performance and ensure secure, remote access to the IT network that DHA personnel require for executing support functions while performing their job duties within the network.

Source Selection Information (See FAR 2.101 and 3.104-4)

The delivery order will be for the procurement of hardware required to support the DHA-HIT for Network Protection components using Juniper software/ hardware.

4. Identification of the Authority & Supporting Rationale: In Accordance with FAR 16.505(b)(1); a brand-name item, even if available on more than one contract, is an item peculiar to one manufacturer. FAR 11.105(a)(1) the particular brand name, product or feature is essential to the Government’s requirements, and market research indicates other companies’ similar products lacking the particular feature, do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet, the agency’s needs and FAR 16.505(a)(4) required items are peculiar to one manufacturer and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Juniper support is required for existing devices already in use throughout DHA worldwide, and would require far greater expense to replace nearly 1,500 pieces of equipment than to renew the current maintenance. Given the continued need for network protection and the lack of funding to replace the entire system, continued support from Juniper, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), is required. The Juniper hardware currently in use by DHA Management Activity (TMA) is proprietary in nature and serves as a network security platform within the enterprise infrastructure network. NASA- SEWP resellers provide the Juniper services and have contractual arrangements with Juniper, who is the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and alone provides the intellectual property rights and end services. Juniper holds the intellectual property rights to its Junos Network Operating System used by the DHA. In addition, any upgrades, modifications, and enhancements to the equipment are performed by Juniper through arrangements with the resellers. Seamless remedial and preventive maintenance (PM) of these systems is required.

Failure to acquire the needed services would result in the inability to provide essential IT maintenance solutions for the Army/Navy/Air Force Military Health Systems and would degrade and halt the Health Care System of active and retired personnel as well as civilians. No other sources with these capabilities have been identified. The DHA has made a long term investment in on-going maintenance of these units because replacement of these systems with any other system would necessitate revisions to develop test programs and system acquisition of hundreds of new network storage components for software and hardware system integrity, personnel training, and plug-in system components purchased over the past four years, resulting in duplication of costs in excess of well over $10M. There are no current plans or funding to replace the entire security system which the Juniper software/hardware provides. Given the continued need for network protection and the lack of funding to replace the entire system, continued support from Juniper, the OEM, is required.

5. A determination by the ordering activity contracting officer that the order represents the best value consistent with 16.505(b)(1):

The Contracting Officer hereby determined that this action represents the best value to the Government IAW 16.505(b)(1) and through analyzing product/service information on the technical capabilities and prices/costs from appropriate schedules (CHESS, GSA, DITCO) where this requirement will be competed among multiple contract holders. The subsequent awardee provides the greatest overall benefit in response to this requirement. The SEWP fee for awards

(See FAR 2.101 and 3.104-4) is currently .39 percent compared to over 2 percent for other contracting vehicles.

6. Market Research: IAW FAR Part 10, market research was conducted by researching and consulting with the civilian and military healthcare organizations to identify alternatives. There are multiple contractors that are able to provide Juniper Essential services as authorized resellers that will be able to provide the required items. We expect adequate price competition under SEWP for this requirement.

7. Other Facts:

a. Procurement History:

The proposed contract will be a follow-on maintenance renewal to consolidate three current contracts:

NNG07DA19B, order number: N65236-14-F-0748, Expiration: 28 February 2015;

NNG07DA19B, order number: N65236-14-F-0734, Expiration: 28 February 2015;

NNG07DA19B, order number: N65236-14-F-0634, Expiration: 28 February 2015.

b. Acquisition Data Availability: Juniper name brand is the only supplier of the required support. Additionally, in March 2014, technical experts contacted IBM and Dell and confirmed that they could act as authorized support providers; however, service support will ultimately be routed to the Juniper Technical Assistance Center (JTAC) for software patches and updates.

c. Subcontracting Competition: There are no identifiable Subcontracting Opportunities on this procurement. However, FAR clause 52.244-5, Competition in Subcontracting, is included in the SEWP contracts.

8. Actions to Overcome Barriers to Competition:

At this point in time, the brand name restriction will not be overcome and no other brands can be considered. However, when DHA replaces the current equipment, it will conduct market research to consider other brands of equipment.

9. Interested Sources:

Dell W91QUZ-07-D-0006 Dell Catalog Large Business

IBM W91QUZ-07-D-0007 IBM Catalog Large Business https://chess.army.mil/Contract/Details/100080 https://chess.army.mil/Static/ExitNotification?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dell.com%2Farmy https://chess.army.mil/Contract/Details/100078 https://chess.army.mil/Static/ExitNotification?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ibm.com%2Feasyaccess%2Fites2h https://chess.army.mil/Static/POPUP_LARGE_BUSINESS/POPUP_LARGE_BUSINESS?height=250&width=550

Unicom W91QUZ-07-D-0008 Unicom Catalog Small Business

CDW-G W91QUZ-07-D-0009 CDW-G Catalog Large Business

Iron Bow W91QUZ-07-D-0010 Iron Bow Catalog Small Business

World Wide Technology W91QUZ-07-D-0011 World Wide Technology Catalog Large Business

10. Actions to Overcome Barriers: Due to the proprietary nature of the required services, only authorized Juniper partner/resellers can provide these maintenance services, there are no actions to increase competition for the brand name. No other manufacturer’s products have been found that will meet the program needs. However, the Government will continue to conduct market research to ascertain if there are changes in the market place that would enable future actions to be competed.

Coordination:

11. Technical/Functional Representative: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Typed Name:

Signature: ___________________________

12. Requirements Certification: I hereby certify that the requirements for the acquisition of Brocade as delineated in paragraph 3 are accurate and complete.

Typed Name:

Office Signature: ___________________________

13. Legal Review: I have reviewed this J&A and it is deemed to be legally sufficient.

Typed Name: __________________________ Date: ______________________________

Title: _________________________________ Signature: ___________________________ https://chess.army.mil/Contract/Details/100076 https://chess.army.mil/Static/ExitNotification?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gtsi.com%2Fites https://chess.army.mil/Contract/Details/100077 https://chess.army.mil/Static/ExitNotification?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdwg.com%2Fites2h https://chess.army.mil/Contract/Details/100075 https://chess.army.mil/Static/ExitNotification?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ironbow.com%2FContracts%2FContractVechicles%2FITES-2H https://chess.army.mil/Contract/Details/100079 https://chess.army.mil/Static/ExitNotification?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wwt.com%2Fites https://chess.army.mil/Static/POPUP_SMALL_BUSINESS/POPUP_SMALL_BUSINESS?height=250&width=550 https://chess.army.mil/Static/POPUP_LARGE_BUSINESS/POPUP_LARGE_BUSINESS?height=250&width=550 https://chess.army.mil/Static/POPUP_SMALL_BUSINESS/POPUP_SMALL_BUSINESS?height=250&width=550

14. Contracting Officer: I certify this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Typed Name: __________________________ Date: _______________________________

Title: _________________________________ Signature: ___________________________

Approval:

15. Competition Advocate (CA): Based on the foregoing justification, I approve the procurement of Juniper Essential Support on a fair opportunity brand name basis pursuant to the authority of FAR 16.505(b)(2)(ii)(C)(2) and provided that the services and property herein described have otherwise been authored for acquisition.

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Typed Name: Date: _________________________

Title: Chief, CP/CD___________________ Signature: _________________________