limited_sources_J_and_A F-35 Gartner Redacted.pdf

CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION

Limited Sources Justification and Approval (J&A)

Contracting Activity: AFLCMC/PZITB

Purchase Request/ Local ID Number: TBD

Program/ Project {and PE, if applicable): IT Executive & Technical Gartner Licenses

Program Type {PEO or Other Contracting): PEO

Authority: Multiple Award Schedule Program {FAR 8.405-6)

Estimated Contract Cost {including options):

Is this a Bridge Action as defined in the AF Bridge Action Reduction Plan? D Yes ~ No

Description of Limitation:

The specific exception that limits to a particular brand name is FAR 8.405-G(b). This requirement restricts to a brand name product from one manufacturer.

COORDINATION (AFFARS 5306.304{a) )

Date Project Lead / Program Mgr/ Requiring Activity Signature

10/23/2023

APPROVAL (AFFARS 5306.304{a) )

Date Contracting Officer Signature

Richard T. Saltsman 23 Oct 2023

AFLCMC/PZITB richard.saltsman@us.af.mil

April 2021 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 1 of 5

I. Contracting Activity.

AFLCMC/PZITB, Information Technology 1940 All brook Dr Building 1

WPAFB, OH 45433

II. Nature and/or description of the adion being processed.

This is an individual justification for limiting sources {Brand Name Specific) for the acquisition of Gartner Licenses. This purchase will support the This will be a Firm-Fixed Price Delivery Order using FY22 3010 funds against the Department of Defense {DoD) Enterprise Software Initiative {ESI) Blanket Purchase agreement {BPA), IAW FAR 8.404 under Gartner's contract #N66001-19- A-0049 for a period of 10 months.

Ill. Description of supplies/services required to meet agency needs.

The services and support to be acquired consist of the following: strategic research and analysis services; decision making data and tools; executive consulting and advisory support; web-based subscription, and access to special events such as conferences, webinars, workshops and peer networking. These items will be delivered via licenses assigned to individuals within the division for a total of thirteen {13) licenses for this acquisition. The Gartner expertise in this domain is a unique capability that we need to leverage to fulfill mission requirements.

has a requirement to renew a total of four

(4) Gartner Licenses and add nine (9) Gartner Licenses : One (1), Executive Programs Leadership Team Plus - Team Leader, three (3), Executive Programs Leadership Team Plus - IT Executive, and add the following: one (1), Gartner for CDAO Executives - Individual Access {Multi-User), one (1), Executive Programs Leadership Team Plus - Partner Member, three (3), Executive Programs Leadership Team Plus - Advisor Member, one (1), Gartner for Technical Professional - Advisor Team - Up to 5 Team Members {1 Team Leader and up to 4 Team Members), three (3) Gartner for Technical Professionals - Advisor Team {Additional Team Member). Gartner software licenses are uniquely equipped to provide expert strategic research. This added resource will enable Senior Leaders and Program Managers the ability to perform advanced analysis.

IV. Identification of the justification/rationale for limiting sources and demonstration of the contractor's unique qualifications to provide the required supply/service.

FAR 8.405-6{a){1){i){B) applies: Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized.

The has an existing contract with Gartner to provide an integrated resource using Gartner proprietary products, advice, and methodologies embedded in strategic planning and operations procedure. This action is a follow-on to the existing contract. As outlined below, intends to continue this resource with Gartner's research licenses and tools that will integrate into active requirements.

Only Gartner's products and research licenses interoperate with the existing solution that has invested in to establish common processes across the IT mission. Gartner intellectual property deliverables require interoperability that competitors cannot provide. The relies on Gartner's unique research product capabilities to address the following component needs:

1) Security - Support of Classified Networks - The requires Gartner to review and offer insights

April 2021 on how technology enhancements may improve how uses its classified networks to meet their mission. Gartner is the only IT research and advisory firm with a Top-Secret facilities clearance. No other

CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 2 of 5 company will be able to satisfy this requirement.

2) Size, Scale, and Integration - The has a complex mission that integrates with the greater Department of Defense (DOD) enterprise: The mission is complex, requiring insights on a wide array of technical capabilities that must integrate with the greater (DOD) technical initiatives. DOD has invested significant time and effort to integrate Gartner methodology, tools, and nomenclature in the performance of the enterprise mission. A research provider must have technical experts to support the broad knowledge areas required of and must have expert knowledge of the insights of the DOD CIO initiatives. Gartner has a significant pool of technology experts, (2,250 SM Es), that have specialized expertise in a broad array of technology, business, and Government management disciplines. Gartner has provided expertise on many different topics across people, processes, and technology (data, digital strategy, cyber, CRM, org structure, governance, leadership, networks, etc.).

a) Gartner has more SMEs (2,250) dedicated to writing and contextualizing research for clients.

b) Other competitors have significantly smaller pool of SM Es and cannot meet the broad scope of demands of leadership team.

c) Gartner support to is "Command Specific" to due to our existing relationships & contracts with many senior leaders across the command. Current areas of Gartner support within (outside of ) include PMO Maintenance Systems.

3) Continuation of Current Efforts at - The has active initiatives that rely on Gartner intellectual property to assure successful completion: The processes rely on the framework, methodologies, and benchmark tools provided as part of Gartner's research intellectual property.

Gartner methodologies and tools are integrated into processes and removing this intellectual property would significantly impact ongoing efforts needed to support the mission. Examples include:

a) Data & Analytics (D&A) Strategy Roadmap reviews ongoing. Gartner is currently in the process of implementing D&A strategy as well as data governance utilizing Gartner road maps and toolkits, as well as peer connections with (3) other agencies in similar efforts.

b) Gartner subject matter experts are being used in the ongoing stand up of the Cloud Center of Excellence. Target date for completion for that is over a year away. This is an ongoing effort.

c) Cloud Migration Planning. Gartner Subject Matter Experts are continuing to identify viable networks, whether on prem, inter-departmental, or 3rd party, to host cloud. Additionally, Gartner is providing road maps for successful migration which will be an ongoing effort.

d) Gartner has started an ongoing BuySmart Template with Data Team to manage evaluation process, prioritize requirements, evaluate vendors, and reduce risk in selection of their cloud tools providers. Beginning a vendor assessment process with another organization would mean starting over.

4) Ongoing Peer Collaboration and Events - requires access to Industry and Government technical peers to collaborate on best practices for the continuous process of technology transformation needed to maintain DoD technical superiority: is constantly reviewing and evaluating technology advancements for consideration for use within the enterprise. When considering alternatives, requires access to technology peers across the DoN, USAF, DoD, the Government (to include the five eyes), and industry to gain the full perspective of options and best practices. The achieves this insight using the Gartner symposiums and using the Gartner peer connect network. The has grown to rely on these added insights made available by Gartner, as demonstrated in the following Gartner unique examples:

April 2021

a) team members are registered and planning to attend Gartner Symposium in October 2023, who will join roughly other senior technology leaders, as well as other senior technology leaders. Gartner anticipates roughly 100 other DoN technology leaders will also attend and participate in Navy-specific collaboration session.

b) The attended the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit in March 2023.

CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 3 of 5

c) The is planning for Data Community/ Prioritization Matrix workshop at the Gartner offices in December 2023 between and PMO Maintenance Systems. This event represents Part 1 of a multi part ongoing engagement that will drive collaboration between the PMO's.

d) Technology Leaders from across and the DON come together during Gartner-facilitated events to collaborate and discuss command-specific challenges; Most recently on 11 July. During these events, technology Leaders from each of these groups find efficiencies in continuity by working towards common goals understood by Gartner and participating in common Gartner events.

5) Objectivity - Unbiased research insight is needed to make mission and acquisition decisions: The relies on the research and insight provided as part of this contract to gain an objective understanding of technology capabilities and best practices available in the market that may be used to maintain technical superiority. In order to maintain and trust that the insight offered maintains the level of objectivity required, the supporting contractor cannot maintain a financial arrangement that produces vendor bias. This includes any corporate arrangement to produce vendor-sponsored research that may be confused with objective research. Gartner has not ever produced research on a sponsored or commissioned basis. Only Gartner maintains this level of independence and objectivity, which is maintained and audited by an independent ombuds needed to assure research integrity.

Other contractors do not support bullets 1-5. Gartner is the only research and advisory firm with Top-Secret facilities clearance. Additionally, Gartner offers significantly more access to SM E's and research (as detailed below) and has ongoing efforts with . Lastly, Gartner is completely objective. Other Contractors are sponsored by vendors for white papers as well as paid research.

By exclusively relying on Gartner for our licensing needs, we can avoid the estimated cost of engaging with alternative vendors, which could potentially result in a significant program delay of several months. This delay would not only impact our timelines but also incur additional expenses, including extended project management costs, resource allocation, and potential rework. Therefore, it is crucal to justify the sole sourcing of Gartner liencese to mitigate and potential financial and operational risk asisiciated with exploring other options.

V. Determination by the ordering activity Contracting Officer that the order represents the best value consistent with FAR 8.404(d).

The DoD ESI contracts are already competed with established price lists. Best value and fair and reasonable pricing was established with the BPA contract award.

VI. Description of the market research conducted and the results, or explain why market research was not conducted.

Market research was conducted, to determine the availability of research and advisory software license capabilities through internet searches of various firms that provide similar licenses and research tools to support the Maintenance Systems program office.

DFARS 208.7402 states that departments and agencies shall fulfill requirements for commercial software and related services, such as software maintenance, in accordance with the DoD ESI. DFARS PGI 208.7403 states that after requirements are determined, the requiring official shall review the information at the ESI website to determine if the required commercial software or related services are available from DoD inventory. If the software or services are available, the requiring official shall fulfill the requirement from the DoD inventory. If the required commercial software or related services are not in the DoD inventory, and not on a DoD ESI, the contracting officer or requiring official may fulfill the requirement by other means. If the commercial software or related services are

April 2021 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 4 of 5 on an ESI and the terms, conditions, and prices represent the best value to the Government, the contracting officer or requiring official shall fulfill the requirement for software or services through the ESI.

VII. Other facts supporting the justification.

Gartner has explicit experience in Agile methodologies and in structuring DoD organizations to execute Agile programs. This is a unique capability for a commercial IT Research and Advisory Services provider.

VIII. Actions the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to the restricted consideration before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services.

will perform continuing market research, both for this acquisition and future acquisitions, to ensure that all efforts are made to solicit competition if any other sources become capable of meeting Government requirements that will promote open competition.

IX. Certification by the Contracting Officer.

As evidenced by my signature above, I have determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

X. Certification by the technical/requirements personnel.

As evidenced by my (our) signature(s) above, I (we) certify that any supporting data contained herein, which is my (our) responsibility, is both accurate and complete.

April 2021 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 5 of 5