JA EMCAO Extension_Redacted.pdf

JUSTIFICATION

FOR AN EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Office of Procurement, Acquisition, and Logistics Technology Acquisition Center 23 Christopher Way Eatontown, NJ 07724

2. Description of Action:

The proposed action is for a 30-day extension of Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) Task Order (TO) 36C10B21N10260044 under Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology Next Generation (T4NG) Contract VA118-16-D-1026 with ProSphere Tek, Inc. (ProSphere).

This bridge task order was awarded on October 20, 2020 and included a 60-day base period which is set to expire on December 20, 2020. Due to delays in awarding the competitive follow-on TO, VA is seeking a modification to extend the period of performance through January 20, 2021. Specifically, this support includes 30 days of continued project management, administrative and operational support services for Microsoft Exchange 2016, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft eDiscovery, Azure Rights Management Service (RMS), Mobile Messaging, Server 2012/2016/2019, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) and SharePoint.

3. Description of the Supplies or Services:

The proposed action is to provide continued project management, administrative and operational support for core OIT infrastructure programs to include Microsoft Exchange 2016, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, eDiscovery, Azure RMS, Mobile Messaging, Server 2012/2016/2019, PKI, SCCM and SharePoint. The period of performance of this extension will be from December 21, 2020 through January 20, 2021. The total estimated value of the proposed action is .

4. Statutory Authority:

The statutory authority permitting an exception to fair opportunity is Section 41 U.S.C.

4106(c)(2) as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B), entitled “Only one awardee is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services ordered are unique or highly specialized.

5. Rationale Supporting Use of Authority Cited Above:

The proposed source is ProSphere, as the original TO, 36C10B21N10260044, titled “Enterprise Messaging, Collaboration, Authentication and Office 365 Services

EMCAO - Extension VA-21-00023740

(EMCAO)”, was awarded to ProSphere on October 20, 2020 and is set to expire on December 20, 2020. There has been a delay in the award of the new TO due to increased interest from industry which resulted in a large number of T4NG prime vendors responding to the Request for Task Execution Plan (RTEP). The estimated award date has subsequently been pushed to no later than December 31, 2020, which would cause a gap in services if this task order is not extended. As the current Contractor performing the required services, ProSphere is the only Contractor with the ability to seamlessly continue providing project management, administrative and operational support for the VA Enterprise Microsoft Office 365 suite of programs that include Microsoft Exchange 2016, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft eDiscovery, Azure RMS, Mobile Messaging, Server 2012/2016/2019, PKI, SCCM and Microsoft SharePoint, as well as the on-site support to core Infrastructure offices. As such, it would be impractical and inefficient to attempt to onboard a new Contractor to provide services for the limited performance period between the expiration of the current TO and the award of the new TO. Additionally, any vendor other than ProSphere, would need approximately 30 days from being onboarded to receive the necessary support rights from Microsoft to perform the requirements of the TO.

The work required under this TO is unique and necessary in order to ensure a continuation of support services to various Enterprise-wide applications without experiencing a gap in service between the current order expiring and the new competitive acquisition being awarded and staffed. These services provide administrative and program support as well as operational support for the VA enterprise-wide Microsoft 365 suite of programs. A disruption to these services will result in outages or delays across the enterprise for Microsoft 365 applications which include: Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft Teams, Azure RMS, Microsoft SharePoint, and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager. These applications provide critical services to the VA Enterprise by ensuring adequate, timely and critical communications as well as secure storage and access to critical patient and administrative documents across VA Medical centers, program offices, all other VA facilities. Without continued support for these systems, the integrity of the VA Enterprise’s ability to communicate and provide adequate and secure document storage and retrieval will become severely diminished and present VA operations and functions with an unacceptable degradation of services to its core infrastructure services.

It is anticipated to take approximately 30 days to get a new contractor team working at full capacity in support of these requirements which includes conducting timely background checks and issuance of appropriate security clearances. Additionally, there is a risk to on-boarding new staff and turning over all current processes to a new team which will encounter a steep learning curve that is not feasible given the short period required for this action.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition:

Market research was conducted, details of which are in Section 8 of this document.

This effort did not yield any additional sources that can meet the Government’s requirements without a negative impact on current operations. There is no competition anticipated for this acquisition. In accordance with FAR 5.301 and 16.505(b)(2)(ii)(D), the award notice for this action will be synopsized on the Contract Opportunities/beta.SAM.gov site and the justification will be made publicly available within 14 days of award.

7. Actions to Increase Competition:

The Government is currently recompeting this effort and VA anticipates award of a competitive TO no later than December 31, 2020. All future requirements for these services will be transitioned to that TO.

8. Market Research:

Market research was performed for this action. VA reviewed the Request for Information (RFI) results documented on October 14, 2020 for the competitive follow-on procurement which found two capable vendors SBG Technology Solutions and Sierra 7, Inc. of performing these services. However, neither vendor would be capable of staffing a new TO and transitioning the required services by the current need date of December 20, 2020.

9. Other Facts: None

10. Technical and Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

11. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination: I hereby determine that the anticipated price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable based on a comparison of the proposed price with the historical prices paid, whether by the Government or other than the Government, for the same or similar items. Additionally, the proposed price will be compared to the Independent Government Cost Estimate.

12. Procuring Contracting Officer Certification: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. As this contract action exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold, but does not exceed $700,000, the certification required by FAR 16.505(b)(2)(ii)(C)(1) serves as approval.