JOFOC Dell R640s Hardware Refresh 80TECH22Q0007- sign.pdf

Rev.:01/2021

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

NASA Headquarters

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

(JOFOC)

For 80TECH22Q0007

1. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.303-2(b)(1) – Identification of the agency and the contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a “Justification for other than full and open competition.”

This document is a justification for other than full and open competition prepared by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Information Technology Procurement Office on behalf of John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

The procuring agency is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the contracting activity is Information Technology Procurement Office on behalf of John F.

Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

2. FAR 6.303-2(b)(2) – The nature and/or description of the action being approved:

This justification provides the rationale for contracting by other than full and open competition to award a sole-source contract to Mainline Information Systems, Inc. for the acquisition of the Dell PowerEdge R640 common servers and associated memory. This will be a Firm-Fixed-Price contract.

3. FAR 6.303-2(b)(3) – A description of the supplies or services required, to meet the

Agency’s needs (including the estimated value):

This hardware is required to meet the Agency needs for the John F. Kennedy Space Center End-to-End Command & Control (E2E C&C) Ground Systems Development and Operations Program. Furthermore, the Spaceport Command and Control Systems (SCCS) in development by NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems will operate, monitor, and coordinate the ground equipment for launch of the Space Launch System Rocket and Orion Spacecraft.

The servers and associated memory are needed to support the Artemis launch. The estimated value of this procurement is $2,301,010 with a period of performance of three years from award for factory warranties and server replacement. Additionally, there may be a need for Mainline Information System, Inc. to warehouse the hardware for up to a total of 6 months post hardware build completion to avoid premature use of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) warranty which begins at time of delivery of the hardware to NASA. The warehousing of hardware by Mainline Information System may be required in the event of a delay in the Artemis 1 launch schedule.

4. FAR 6.303-2(b)(4) – An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition:

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 10 U.S.C. 2304(c) (2), as implemented by FAR 6.302- (2) Unusual and compelling urgency.

5. FAR 6.303-2(b)(5) – A demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited:

The rationale supporting the use of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c) (2) is the agency’s need for this supply is of such an unusual and compelling urgency that the United States would be seriously injured unless the agency is permitted to limit the number of sources from which it solicits as described below.

The Dell PowerEdge R640 common servers and associated memory are commercial products that are necessary to replace the existing older Dell PowerEdge R630 common servers which are now out of OEM warranty and near the end of their useful life. NASA- KSC needs this supply as part of the Artemis Mission Launch and failure to receive it in a timely matter will severely impact the mission schedule. Additionally, Mainline Information System is the only provider that can provided the required supply in a timely manner at a reasonable price. The new hardware is physically and electrically compatible with existing hardware. Furthermore, there are currently no other brands that are compatible with the existing servers or other brands would not allow for a flexible transition while maintaining the high-performance systems and need for increased security, rapid scalability, simplified maintenance, and management. Also, the need to acquire the Dell common servers is essential because the servers are being used as part of a homogenous common server that performs critical operations for the Launch Control System (LCS). The use of different equipment will increase costs for training, configuration, repair, and Operations and Maintenance capability.

The LCS project utilizes the same Dell server configuration across 46 sets to assure the hardware and software configuration produce the same results. If a different hardware vendor was selected, other than Dell, then the LCS would have a different hardware configuration and could produce different results. In addition, LCS has a requirement to monitor all devices within a set. If a different server is chosen, then this would require software changes associated with monitoring the Dell servers. Impacts would include a massive software development effort to update the current SCCS software and hardware baselines to the new architecture that would be extremely expensive both in terms of labor (several 10’s of man-years) and schedule (>1 year).

6. FAR 6.303-2(b)(6) – A description of the efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies:

The Contracting Officer has determined that this action is exempt from the notice required in FAR 5.202(a)(2), because unusual and compelling urgency precludes competition to the maximum extent practicable and the Government would be seriously injured if the agency complies with the publicizing and response time periods specified in FAR 5.203.

The manufacturer, Dell, has a potential supply chain shortage that could hinder this procurement. Due to the supple chain shortage and the condensed timeline to procure and deliver the requirement, it is in the Government’s best interest to issue a sole source award to Mainline Information Systems for the Dell PowerEdge R640 common servers and associated memory. The effect of not meeting the timeline of this procurement would result in alternative components to be integrated into the systems which would result in additional qualification and testing and potentially threatening the timing of the Artemis launch schedule. Given these constraints with potential launch impact competition is limited and limited sources for supply make this Urgent and Compelling circumstances, per NFS 1806.303-270(a) so being required to publicize the action prior to award has potential to ultimate delivery of the requirement.

7. FAR 6.303-2(b)(7) – A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable:

The Contracting Officer’s signature on this document indicates that the Contracting Officer has determined that the anticipated cost to the government will be fair and reasonable. The Contractor shall be required to submit a proposal to be evaluated and negotiated by the Government. Prior to execution of the contractual instrument, a proposal analysis will be performed. The proposal analysis will ensure that the final agreed-to price for the contract action is fair and reasonable. A comparison of Mainline Information Systems Quote will be compared against the quote received directly from the manufacturer. The CO may also compare prices to historical prices paid for the same or similar items per FAR 13.106- 3(a)(2)(ii) in determining reasonableness.

8. FAR 6.303-2(b)(8) – Description of the market research conducted, and the results, or a statement of the reasons a market research was not conducted:

The technical team conducted market research using SEWP GWAC to find a provider capable of providing the Dell PowerEdge R640 common servers and associated memory by the requested time as to not impact the Artemis Mission. In their market research the Technical team also determined if Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) servers could satisfy LCS display server requirements. The LCS uses the Dell PowerEdge R640 Server Integrated Dell Remote Access (iDRAC) for critical data processing. The LCS hardware design engineer and system engineer conducted extensive performance testing as well as server integration on the PowerEdge R640 servers. The analysis revealed that the PowerEdge R640 servers was the only servers that can meet LCS requirements because they use the same iDRAC data management. It is critical for the servers to be the same model to ensure the same configuration as the common servers currently in use at the NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center Firing Room. Over the last five years, over 500 Dell servers have been purchased at NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center. It would be a detriment to the Government to replace the entire homogenous system server in lieu of purchasing the Dell servers that are compatible with the systems currently in use. The impacts of not purchasing the Dell R640 common server would cause a significant schedule and financial impact to the LCS hardware development.

Therefore, it is in the Government’s best interest to procure the Dell PowerEdge R640 common servers and associated memory to allow for the proper transition of servers without disruption to the program.

9. FAR 6.303-2(b)(9) – Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition:

The end user for this requirement received notification from Dell Inc. stating that there is the potential for a supply chain shortage that could potentially impact this procurement. If the supply chain shortage affects this procurement it would result in alternative components to be integrated into these systems which would result in additional qualification and testing that would potentially threaten the timing of the Artemis launch schedule. Therefore, awarding a sole source to Dell Inc. for the acquisition of the Dell PowerEdge R640 common servers and associated memory is necessary to mitigate the risk of a supply chain shortage and avoid a disruption to the program.

10. FAR 6.303-2(b)(10) – A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed an interest in writing in the acquisition:

A synopsis was not posted prior to the release of the solicitation due to the urgent and compelling nature of this requirement. The contract award will be publicized and posted for 15 days after award.

11. FAR 6.303-2(b)(11) – A statement of actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required:

No active course of action is currently available to remove or overcome barriers to competition for this equipment purchase. The purchase is to replace the existing common servers which are now out of OEM warranty and near the end of their useful life. The existing equipment located at John F. Kennedy Space Center is manufactured by Dell Incorporated. Therefore, at this point in time, only Dell Incorporated can fulfill the stated requirements. If, at a future date, the entire system requires replacement, the feasibility of competition will be considered at that time.

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

NASA Headquarters

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

SIGNATURE PAGE

I certify that the facts presented in this justification are accurate and complete.

Allan Villorin Technical Representative

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

Andrea Ross Contracting Officer

CONCURRENCE:

Tom Weih Acting Procurement Officer

APPROVED:

Jeffrey Seaton Competition Advocate Information Technology Services