JA Pro-Sphere - FAR 16 clean_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 sole source, bridge task order (TO) award to Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology Next Generation (T4NG) prime contract holder ProSphere Tek, Inc. (ProSphere) under the terms and conditions of Contract VA118-16-D-1026. This action will provide continued support services from Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology (T4) task order VA118-1015-0037, entitled “Core Infrastructure Services (CIS) Staff Contract 24x7 Service” issued under contract VA118-13-D-1015. The proposed TO titled, “Enterprise Messaging, Collaboration, Authentication and Office 365 Services (EMCAO) – Bridge”, will include a 60-day period of performance and is set to expire on December 20, 2020. Due to delays in awarding the competitive follow-on task order, a 60-day task order period of performance is necessary to ensure the current 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 do not lapse.

3. Description of the Supplies or Services:

The proposed action is to provide 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 will be October 21, 2020 through December 20, 2020. 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:

EMCAO - Bridge VA-21-00004464

The proposed source is ProSphere, as the original TO, VA118-1015-0037, titled “Core Infrastructure Services (CIS) Staff Contract 24x7 Services”, was competed and awarded to ProSphere on October 20, 2015 and is set to expire on October 20, 2020. Under the current TO, ProSphere is providing project management, administrative and operational support for Microsoft-based software. ProSphere also provides on-site support to core infrastructure offices to include hospitals across the VA Enterprise system. Since the award of the previous TO, VA migrated to a cloud-based, Microsoft Office 365 application suite which provides the same and/or similar services that were described and included in the original TO. Throughout and post migration to the cloud, ProSphere had continued to provide project management, administrative and operational support as required in the task order in order to support VA Enterprise’s on-site support to VA medical Centers and offices around the United States for the Microsoft Office 365 suite of software. Under performance of this bridge effort, ProSphere will continue to provide the same project management, administrative and operational support, however the specific Microsoft suite of software will be updated to accurately reflect the current suite of products that require support. 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 stated above, although some products have been updated to newer cloud-based products since the award of the previous TO, all required support is identical to the previously awarded task order. 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 bridge contract 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:

VA anticipates award of a competitive TO by November 2020. The current recompete effort will be issued on T4NG on a competitive basis.

8. Market Research:

The Government’s technical experts conducted market research in June of 2020 to ascertain the ability of other sources meeting VA’s needs. Specifically, other sources included reviewing the T4NG, Alliant 2 and STARS II contract vehicles to ascertain their ability to provide the correct staffing in support of this effort. While other sources were found to have similar general capabilities and staffing availability, no other source was found with the technical expertise and experience that can meet VA’s needs in the required timeframe to successfully provide uninterrupted services supporting the VA Enterprise’s Microsoft suite.

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.