JA23-087 JA Cisco Network Optimization Services Final_Redacted.pdf

Cisco Business Critical Services for Network Optimization -JA23-087

CUI

Page 2 of 5 Pages infrastructure is essential to supporting the daily operations of the Shipyard by directly impacting the Navy’s ability to respond to emergency situations, support projects, and ensure mission readiness. The estimated value for the base and four option periods is

3. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES: PHNSY&IMF’s mission is to overhaul and repair nuclear submarines, on schedule, at the lowest cost, and with the required quality. An optimized, secure, reliable network infrastructure is essential to supporting the daily operations of the shipyard, supporting projects, and ensure mission readiness. To meet the shipyard’s requirement of providing 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week optimal secure and reliable network access the Navy must obtain expert level network services in order to optimize its Shipyard Local Area Network (SYLAN) and its Secured Network (SECNET) and integrated security systems with the goal of assisting PHNYS&IMF’s mission of providing 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week optimal secure network support for ship repair in the Pacific Basin. The service will include the Performance Engineering and Optimization, Design, Software Strategy, Cybersecurity Optimization and Risk Analysis, Network Improvement Plan, Network device security analysis, Protocol and configuration resiliency analysis, Network topology analysis, Network Components analysis, and Cisco Network Optimization support as outlined in section six of the Performance Work Statement (PWS) in compliance with Federal Cyber Security regulations.

The services shall provide assistance in evaluating the established systems’ current state, recommending and implementing solutions to achieve system optimization based on industry best practices and within the cybersecurity framework set by the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Navy (DoN), and Naval Sea Systems (NAVSEA) Command. These services will help effectively redesign PHNSY’s existing SYLAN and SECNET systems, to then stand up services and systems in support of optimization. These require on-site expertise to include integration of the Joint Enterprise License Agreement (JELA) Quality of Service (QoS) mission and align with the National Initiative for Cyber Education (NICE) framework.

4. SUPPORTING RATIONALE FOR BRAND-NAME JUSTIFICATION: This acquisition is conducted under the regulatory authority of FAR 16.505(a)(4) as the particular brand name, product, or feature is essential to the Government’s requirements, and market research indicates other companies’ similar services lack the particular features necessary, do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet, the agency’s needs. This Cisco service supports proprietary Cisco products, currently in use, and is only available from Cisco or their authorized resellers. Cisco is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for the applicable Network Optimization Support Services and Collaboration systems installed and no other service support is compatible with the proprietary Cisco products. After conducting market research, the Government did not identify any other support that is compatible with the current VoIP and Collaboration systems and PHNSY's network design. PHNSY requires this support to optimize and harden their Network and Collaboration systems.

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Since 2012 the Shipyards have invested over in Cisco hardware and software. The Network and Collaboration systems now require optimization to provide a highly detailed health evaluation based on a thorough review of the Shipyard's foundational network infrastructure and design.

If the Network and Collaboration systems are not fully optimized, the implementation of existing and future capabilities could strain the systems to the point of a system and/or services outage.

This would cause work stoppage because shipyard workers would lose the primary means of voice communication and the only certified and approved means for up-to-Unclassified Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information (UNNPI) communications that are vital to daily operations.

5. COST/PRICE FAIR AND REASONABLE DETERMINATION:

The contracting officer will make a determination as to whether the anticipated price to the Government is fair and reasonable, based on the comparisons to the Independent Government Cost Estimate, the request for proposal responses, and historical. In addition, a determination will be made that the order represents the best value to the Government and results in the lowest overall price.

6. MARKET RESEARCH:

a. Market research for this requirement was conducted during February 2022 through April 2023. Market research included conducting internal discussions with the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) team, reviewing catalogs and other contractor literature, contacting the manufacturer and authorized resellers, reviewing existing DISA-wide contract vehicles and other government-wide acquisition contracts, and determining potential sources.

b. Market research revealed the Cisco services are only available from Cisco or an authorized reseller. Market research revealed that the proprietary, brand name services are available on NASA SEWP V from multiple authorized, small business resellers.

However, when the requirement was posted on NASA SEWP in September 2020, only three quotes were received.

c. Based on current market research concluding in April 2023, it has been determined only the aforementioned brand name product and/or product support, Cisco VoIP/UC/Collaboration Base plus 4 Options, can fully support the Government’s needs.

No competitor functional replacement products exist in the market at this time to meet the Government's needs. The Government will continue to conduct market research to determine if there are changes in the marketplace that would enable future competitive actions; e.g., there are similar products and/or product support in the marketplace that provide the same functionality, the OEM releases ownership rights of product, or it is economically feasible to procure a new system.

7. ANY OTHER SUPPORTING FACTS: None

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8. ACTIONS THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO OVERCOME BARRIERS THAT LED TO

THE UTILIZATION OF A BRAND-NAME PRODUCT:

a. Lifecycle of the current architecture. When the infrastructure is fully refreshed at the end of its current lifecycle which is in approximately 5 years, the Government intends to leverage full and open competition to determine the best market solutions that meets the requirements for the infrastructure at that time. Until that occurs services must be compatible with the existing system architecture. The Government recognizes its duty to promote competition in accordance with applicable laws and policy and intends to do so during the next system refresh.

b. Actions to remove barriers. Cisco, or its authorized resellers, are the only contractors who can provide the proprietary, brand name service. This requirement will be competed among authorized Small Business resellers.

If Cisco elects to surrender their legal ownership, copyright, and/or intellectual property rights to the existing Network Optimization and Collaboration systems installed, and move toward providing an open source solution, DISA will seek open competition.

Regardless, the Government will continue to search the marketplace to determine if alternative solutions exist. If the Government should determine these brand name products are no longer required or other software meets the Government’s needs, the Government will seek full and open competition for the required functionality. If similar requirements arise, every effort will be made to compete to the maximum extent practicable.