JA SnapComms_Redacted.pdf

Control Number: VA-26-00085961

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 firm-fixed price Task Order (TO) issued under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) V Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC), for the procurement of brand name SnapComms Enterprise Desktop- Broadcast and Alerting Software.

3. Description of the Supplies or Services: The Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP) has a requirement for SnapComms Enterprise Desktop-Broadcast and Alerting Software, a proprietary commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) product of Everbridge. SnapComms pushes pop-up desktop alerts, scrolling tickers, screensaver messages, and surveys to every workstation across the CMOP enterprise regardless of who is logged in; it is the mechanism CMOP management uses to broadcast urgent operational, safety, security, and compliance messages.

The SnapComms Licenses shall be for 3,500 named users plus the following modules: Alert, Video Alert, RSVP, Registration Alert, Ticker, RSS Ticker, Quiz & Survey, and Local channel, together with the Urgent/Emergency Add-On.

The period of performance (PoP) shall be a 12-month base period from date of award, with four (4) 12-month option periods. The total estimated value of the proposed action is inclusive of options.

4. Statutory Authority: Pursuant to Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation

Overhaul (RFO) VA Deviation 16.507-7(b), the following brand name requirement is being justified and approved as an exemption to fair opportunity under the statutory authority of Section 41 U.S.C. 4106 (c)(2), as implemented by the RFO 16.507- 6(b)(2), 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: SnapComms brand name software is a proprietary product of Everbridge that CMOP has operated continuously since 2015 as its enterprise desktop-broadcast and alerting platform.

The SnapComm software is already installed and is in use within the CMOPs nationwide. SnapComm source code, updates, and fixes are proprietary to the manufacturer, and no substitute product provides an equivalent enterprise desktop-broadcast capability within CMOP's standardized workstation environment.

SnapComms is the mechanism CMOP uses to deliver urgent operational, safety, security, and compliance messaging to all 3,500 workstations—regardless of who is

SnapComms Enterprise Desktop-Broadcast and Alerting Software Control Number: VA-26-00085961 logged in—through critical channels Accurate data within the CMOPs is critical for patient and facility operational safety. The SnapComms software is a foundational component that improves the effectiveness of employee communication across CMOPs facilities. It is a building block that enables these systems to avoid major patient safety and operational issues. If a different brand name were chosen, VA would lose the past eleven years’ work and would have to begin integrating with new software again. Training would be needed for Federal and Contractor employees as would time to come up-to-speed. SnapComms software is the only company that offers that the source code required to issue the updates which is proprietary to SnapComms. Additionally, using any other source other than SnapComm software would result in an increase in cost and operational disruption of replacing the platform across approximately 3,500 workstations (re-licensing, re-deployment, administrator and end-user retraining, and revalidation on the VA Technical Reference Model.)

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Market research was conducted, details of which are in section 8 of this justification. This effort did not yield any additional sources that could meet the Government’s requirements. However, it was determined that limited competition is available among authorized resellers for brand name SnapComms software. In accordance with RFO 16.507-7(c)(1)(ii), this justification will be provided with the solicitation to all appropriate NASA SEWP V GWAC holders.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: The Government will continue to conduct market research to ascertain if there are changes in the marketplace that would enable future actions to be competed.

8. Market Research: In August 2026, the Government’s technical experts conducted market research by reviewing other similar software. There was no other similar software available that meets the Government’s interoperability and compatibility requirements. VA’s subject matter expert determined that only brand name SnapComms software licenses can meet the Government’s requirements.

The Contract Specialist conducted additional market research in August 2026 by utilizing the NASA SEWP V GWAC Market Research Tool that identified 19 approved resellers for Everbridge products which include two Service-Disabled Veteran Owed Small Businesses (SDVOSB), Colossal Contracting, LLC and Regency Consulting, Inc; nine Woman-Owned Small Businesses, WestWind Computer Products Inc, Victory Global Solutions Inc, Sterling Computers Corporation, Software Information Resource Corporation, PetroSys Solutions Inc dba psitechnology, Optivor Technologies LLC, FCN Technology Solutions, Enterprise Technology Solutions, and ATP Gov, LLC; three Small Businesses, CMA Technology, GovPlace LLC and New Tech Solutions; and four Large Businesses, CACI IDT LLC, Carahsoft Technology Corporation, Presidio Government Solutions and SHI International Corporation. Furthermore, the NASA SEWP V GWAC has a dynamic catalog where line items can be added based on customer requests provided the required item or service is within the scope of the NASA SEWP V GWAC contract suite; therefore, additional competition may be achieved.

In August 2026, Contract Specialist contacted Everbridge, which owns the proprietary rights to SnapComms products, who confirmed no other companies, other than Everbridge registered partners can sell SnapComms. Everbridge also confirmed that all NASA SEWP authorized vendors found using the Market Research Tool are approved resellers.

Based on the results of the review set forth above, there is reasonable expectation that two or more SDVOSBs will be able to provide SnapComms software. Therefore, given that there is reasonable expectation of competition between at least two capable SDVOSBs, it has been determined by the Contracting Officer that the subject Request for Quote will be released as a SDVOSB set-aside under the existing NASA SEWPV contract vehicle under the Value-Added Reseller North American Industry Classification System code 541519.

9. Other Facts: NA

Technical/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.

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 NASA SEWP V GWAC catalog pricing, which has previously been determined fair and reasonable. Additionally, price competition is expected among authorized resellers for this action. Lastly, the proposed price may be compared to the independent Government cost estimate.

Contracting Officer Certification

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