JA Sole Source Part 13.106.pdf

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN

COMPETITION

Commercial Services Acquisition under FAR 13.106-1(b) and FAR 13.501(a)

1. Contracting Activity:

The Export Import Bank of the United States located at 811 Vermont Avenue, N.W.

Washington, DC 20571, proposes to enter into a contract on the basis other than a full and open competition basis to Elite Design located at 4525 37th St., Brentwood, Md.

20722.

2. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Processed:

This Justification and Approval authorizes the award of contract to Elite Design Business Grade Internet Services at selected EXIM Regional Office locations.

3. Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet the Agency’s Needs:

Elite Design provides a single point of access to Business Grade Internet services to 4 current Exim Regional offices and allows EXIM Bank IT Network engineers the ability to monitor and report any outage that might incur on any given day.

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other than Full and Open Competition:

The statutory authority for this procurement is FAR Part 13.106-1(b) “for purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold.” Contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available.

5. Demonstration that the Contractor’s Unique Qualifications or Nature of the Acquisition Requires the Use of the Authority Cited Above (applicability of authority):

Elite Design has provided a service that EXIM was not able to find in the past. Elite Design took the requirements that EXIM to have Business Grade Internet Data services at each EXIM Regional office, have a single Point of Contact in the event of a failure, work with EXIM IT Network Engineers to assist in setting up EXIM provided equipment and a single source of billing. Elite Design provides a service to EXIM at 4 Regional Office locations that previously required four (4) different vendors to work with. The service that ELITE Design has provided to EXIM has not been found available from any other source. Elite Design provides a unique, one of a kind, minimum downtime data service to our current Regional Offices. It allows EXIM employees, at each location, the ability to connect remotely to EXIM Headquarters in Washington, D.C. and access unique databases and services that EXIM currently has. It allows remote employees to communicate in real time and attend meeting with their counterparts located in D.C.

Elite Design meets the needs of EXIM IT Services to not only allow employees to communicate but gives EXIM IT Engineers the ability to monitor the Government Furnished Equipment (GFE), to ensure that it is up to date with the latest software and security enhancements that other Federal Government Agencies place on EXIM to keep them safe from outside intrusion.

6. Description of Efforts Made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as deemed practicable: EXIM Bank has previously had contact and services from Verizon Government Business, AT&T Government Services Sprint and Century Link to these Regional Offices throughout the past 25 years.

7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable:

Elite Design’s price for the services – Four (4) Regional Offices for all five years is $89,744.97 inclusive of a base12-month period four additional option years - is considered to be reasonable for the services to be provided and is comparable to other similarly services found by the IT Infrastructure Engineering and Operations Branch of the Chief Information Officer in support of EXIM Bank’s Information Technology needs.

8. Description of the Market Research Conducted and the Results, or a Statement of the Reasons Market Research Was Not Conducted:

The IT Infrastructure Engineering and Operations Branch, Chief Information Officer of the Export-Import Bank, has carried out market research at various times over the course of several years. We have determined that Elite Design is the only service that meets EXIM’s requirements.

9. Any Other Facts Supporting the Use of Other than Full and Open Competition:

None.

10. Listing of Sources that Expressed, in Writing, an Interest in the Acquisition:

None.

11. A Statement of the Actions, if any, the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome any Barriers to Competition before Making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required:

The Export-Import Bank of the United States will continue to seek competition through market research.

12. Requirements Certification:

I certify that the requirement outlined in this justification is a Bona Fide Need of the Export-Import Bank of the US and 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.

Technical and Requirements Cognizance:

I hereby certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance (including but not limited to, verified government minimum needs or schedule requirements, or other rationale for other than full and open competition) which are included in, or which form a basis for, this justification are complete and accurate. This justification is an accurate and bona fide need for the item or services supporting acquisition of the end item.

Requirements/Personnel Certification: We hereby certify that the technical requirements and certifications are accurate.

Name and Title Office Date

13. Contracting Officer Certification: I hereby certify to the best of my knowledge this justification is accurate and complete.

Name and Title Office Date

06/23/2020