JA - DSI - eAcq and AEON upgrades signed - Redacted.pdf

Justification and Approval For Other than Full and Open Competition

Plan ID Number: 2024-CGM-0001

Form Updated 4/14/2023

Justification & Approval

As a legislative branch agency, the Library is subject to the competition and advertising requirements of 41 U.S.C. § 6101. Like the Competition in Contracting Act and the FAR, 41 U.S.C. § 6101 does not require competition when a contracting officer certifies that only one source or brand-name item is available, when dictated by public exigency, or when otherwise authorized by law.

This document sets forth the justification and approval for award of a contract or order by means providing for other than full and open competition per 41 U.S.C. § 6101, LCR 7-210, and, as applicable, FAR 6.302, FAR 13.106-1, FAR 8.405, and FAR 16.505. Contracting without competition shall not be justified on the basis of a lack of advance planning or concerns related to availability of funds.

This form shall be used to support instances where competition will be limited to a single source, a limited number of sources, including where a brand name product is required.

1. Contracting Agency and Activity: Library of Congress, Chief Operating Officer, Contracts and Grants Directorate

2. Nature of Action Being Approved

3. Description of Supplies or Services Required to Meet Library Needs

The Library of Congress (Library) Contracts and Grants Directorate (CGD) requires an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for the continued subscription, development, maintenance, and upgrade of the Distributed Solutions, Inc. (DSI) AEON Platform, which was competitively selected for a multiple award IDIQ contract in 2019, configured, and deployed as the Electronic Document and Records Management (eDRMS) eAcquisition (eAcq) application in 2022. The Library worked with DSI to interface the eAcquisition application with the Library’s Single Sign-on eAuthentication application, the Library’s consolidated service directory (CSD), the Legislative Branch Financial Management System (LBFMS), and the Acquisition Dashboard within the Tableau environment and associated reporting applications and processes. The LBFMS is a shared service platform hosted by the Library and used by the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Government Accountability Office (GAO), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC), Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR), Congressional Office for International Leadership (COIL), and the United States Capitol Police (USCP). LBFMS agencies can leverage the platform to interface with or leverage existing interfaces to LBFMS related applications, including AEON, Maximo, and data warehouse and visualization applications. By leveraging the platform, this IDIQ intends to be a resource from which other ordering activities or agencies may make use of.

The AEON software platform enables the generation of data and documents to request, execute, and manage Contracts, Grants, and other transactions. The eAcq application is hosted in the Microsoft Azure Cloud and maintained by the AEON software manufacturer, DSI. The integrated solution enables Library Service Unit (SU) staff to identify, prepare, review, and submit requests for contracts, grants, and other transactions to CGD Staff and for financial budget and commitment data to be ingested into the eAcq application, in which CGD Staff prepare, solicit, and award contracts, grants, and other agreements, and return to SU Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs) and other SU staff to support their contract oversight and management roles and responsibilities. The Momentum interface transmits data between eAcq and LBFMS to properly record financial obligations to the Library’s General Ledger. The eAcq application stores record copies of documents and data, i.e. the Contract File, for contracts, grants, and other transactions and preserves them to ensure their availability for audit, litigation, or other purposes pursuant to the applicable National Archives and Records Administration schedule. Data and reports from the eAcq application are transmitted to a server within the Library’s network environment and ingested to the Library’s Acquisition Dashboard, which presents key visualizations of data and associated metrics to facilitate effective contract and grant planning and oversight.

The Library requires the platform to generate data and documents to request, execute, and manage Contracts, Grants, and other transactions. The eAcq application is closely interfaced with the LBFMS, and enables Library staff to identify, prepare, review, and submit requests for contracts, grants, and other transactions to CGD Staff, for financial budget and commitment data to be associated with those requests, for CGD Staff to prepare solicit and award documentation in eAcq, record financial obligations to the Library’s General Ledger, and return award documentation to SU Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs) and other SU staff to support their

Contract Plan ID Number: 2024-CGM-0001 Contractor (or Brand Name): Distributed Solutions, Inc., AEON Estimated Value (Base and all options): $ Period of Performance: 9/24/2024 - 9/23/2029

Part 1 – Identification

Plan ID Number: 2024-CGM-0001

Form Updated 4/14/2023 contract oversight and management roles. The eAcq application stores record copies of documents and data, i.e. the Contract File, for contracts, grants, and other transactions and preserves them to ensure their availability for audit, litigation, or other purposes pursuant to the applicable National Archives and Records Administration schedule. Data and reports from the eAcq application are transmitted to a server within the Library’s network environment and ingested to the Library’s Acquisition Dashboard, which presents key visualizations of data and associated metrics to facilitate effective contract and grant management.

4. Authority for Contracting Without Competition Over $250,000 For this requirement over $250,000, under FAR part 6, the basis for contracting without providing for full and open competition is:

There is only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy Library requirements.

41 U.S.C. § 6101(b)(2)(C); FAR 6.302-1.

Library’s minimum needs can only be satisfied by contractor’s unique capabilities or products. FAR 6.302-1(b)(1).

Source controls copyrights, patents, raw materials, or secret processes cannot be acquired otherwise, or similar circumstances. FAR 6.302- 1(b)(2).

5. Rationale for Contracting Without Competition

We are authorized to limit competition on the basis of the citation in section 4 because Distributed Solutions, Incorporated (DSI) is the owner and sole provider of the AEON platform, and as such, the only entity authorized to provide the services that the Library requires.

The eAcq application is run on AEON software and is hosted in the Microsoft Azure Cloud and maintained by the AEON software manufacturer, DSI. DSI deployed the eAcq application and interfaced it with the LBFMS. The Library is upgrading both the LBFMS and eAcq applications to support the interfaces through the Momentum software version 8 upgrade scheduled for deployment in February 2025. This upgrade will require close coordination and testing to ensure that the existing interface between LBFMS and eAcq is effectively maintained.

Only DSI can support the configuration, testing, and deployment of the eAcq application through this upgrade because DSI is the proprietary owner of the software platform and the only entity authorized and capable of performing the work in eAcq and the AEON platform.

The cost to develop and deploy the eAcq application was $5.98 million plus staff time and resources. The cost and time it would require to research, develop, configure, test and deploy an alternative solution to the eAcq application would not be recovered through a new competitive procurement.. No other competing product can satisfactorily fulfill the Library’s requirements for the fiscal years 2024 through 2029 period of performance covered within this J&A.

6. Actions to Overcome Barriers to Competition Before Subsequent Contract Is Required

To increase competition for the next acquisition management application, the Library will conduct market research into viable applications that can support acquisition functions integrated with the Library’s financial management system. The Library will (1) continue to monitor the market, (2) communicate with leadership at similarly situated federal agencies regarding emerging trends in acquisition management applications, (3) identify opportunities to improve Library holistic acquisition systems, and (4) research alternative products and process solutions that may fulfill the Library’s requirements.

7. Program Office Certification

I certify that the description of the Government’s minimum needs, schedule requirements, and technical information that provide the basis for this justification are accurate and complete.

Title Signature Date

Part 2 – Program Office Justification & Approval

Plan ID Number: 2024-CGM-0001

Form Updated 4/14/2023

8. Efforts to Solicit from As Many Potential Sources As Practicable Unless a justification is based on FAR 6.302-2, Unusual and compelling urgency, contracting officers shall post justifications for other than full and open competition, including brand name justifications, to the Contract Opportunities website on sam.gov (or eBuy for Brand Name Justifications under FAR Part 8) prior to requesting a proposal or otherwise entering into negotiations.

Advance notice will be published in sam.gov for 15 days before a contract is awarded. FAR 5.203(a).

We made the following efforts to interest potential sources in this award: This J&A will be posted on SAM.gov prior to award.

9. Listing of Sources That Expressed Interest in Writing

The following sources expressed interest in this award: N/A

10. Additional Information

The following additional information is relevant to this justification and approval: N/A

11. Contracting Officer Determination that Price Is Fair and Reasonable As explained in detail below, I have determined that the prices for this contracting action are fair and reasonable based on comparison of the prices to the following (see FAR 15.404-1(b)(2)):

Historical prices paid by the Government Published competitive price lists Library’s Independent Government Estimate Prices obtained through market research Other: Prices obtained through competitive proposals

The following analysis (based on attached pricing information) supports my determination: Pricing will be determined fair and reasonable through one or more of the methods above.

12. Contracting Officer Determination of Responsibility

Checked System for Award Management (or will check in the case of competitive proposals for a brand name product)

13. Contracting Officer Determination of Best Value I have determined that this action represents the best value to the Government because: Distributed Solutions, Inc. is the only vendor that can provide the subscription, development, maintenance, and upgrade services required by the Library. Best value will be determined by making sure the solution offered meets the Library’s requirements and the pricing is fair and reasonable per one of the methods described above.

14. Contracting Officer Certification I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, this justification is accurate and complete. For those actions up to $750,000, I approve contracting without competition for this requirement.

Name

Signature

Date

PART 3 – CONTRACTING OFFICER DETERMINATIONS & CERTIFICATION