LSJ_Blackboard_Licenses.pdf

Limited Source Justification – AETC Blackboard Software Subscriptions and Support

General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Acquisition Service (FAS), Southwest Supply Acquisition Center (SSAC)

Limited Source Justification (LSJ)

IDENTIFICATION OF THE AGENCY AND THE CONTRACTING ACTIVITY

The requiring agency is the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command – Learning Services Division (AETC) in JBSA-Randolph, TX. The contracting activity is the General Services Administration, Global Supply, Southwest Supply Acquisition Center (SSAC), 819 Taylor St., Fort Worth, TX 76102.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION BEING TAKEN

This action is to justify the award of a Limited Source, Firm-Fixed Price Task Order for the provision of software subscriptions and support developed by Blackboard, Inc. The Task Order is for the duration of one year.

This limited source document supports the sole-source procurement for software subscriptions and support required by the customer in order to avoid a lapse in coverage and maintain all access to current data which would otherwise be lost

DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES REQUIRED TO MEET THE AGENCY’S NEEDS

AETC’s part numbers listed below are a combination of software subscriptions and support that constitutes a turnkey operational and data retention software solution to the customer.

CLIN Part Number Product Description Quantity Contracting Vehicle

0001 CL-WC-USR BB Collaborate Web Conferencing – includes 50 GB of storage for standard recordings and pre-load storage, 50 GB of storage for MP4 recording conversion, and 10,000 annual MP4 views/downloads – 4001-

1 Open Market

0002 AS-CD/AS-LS-PENA06 Blackboard Learn Software License:

- Blackboard Course Delivery

1 GS-35F-

0554M

0003 AS-CM/AS-CM-PENA06 Blackboard Learn 1 GS-35F-

Software License:

- Blackboard Community Engagement

0554M

0004 AS-CS/AS-CS-PENA06 Blackboard Learn Software License:

- Blackboard Content Management

1 GS-35F-

0554M

0005 AS-CDDEV/AS-LSDEV Blackboard Course Delivery Developer

1 GS-35F-

0554M

0006 AS-LSTEST-PENA Blackboard Learn Software Test License:

- Course Delivery Test

1 GS-35F-

0554M

0007 AS-LSTEST-PENA Blackboard Learn Software Test License:

- Course Delivery and Community Engagement Test

1 GS-35F-

0554M

0008 AS-CSTEST-NA Blackboard Learn Software Test License:

- Content Management Test

1 GS-35F-

0554M

0009 AS-HST-DIAM-P Blackboard Managed Hosting Diamond 1 package – 8,000 active users, 500 GB, 20 mbps, 25% CHM

1 GS-35F-

0554M

0010 MOB-LRN Blackboard Mobile Learn

– (GSA) 15,001-25,000

users

1 GS-35F-

0554M

0011 AS-OS/AS-OS-PENA06 Blackboard Outcomes Assessment – 2,001 – 4,000 users

1 GS-35F-

0554M

0012 AS-HST-OS Blackboard Managed Hosting for Outcomes – (GSA) includes 50 GB, 1 mbps

1 Open Market

0013 AS-ICMCUSDV ICM for Custom 1 Open Market

Development (CAC Authentication)

0014 AS-ICMCUSDV ICM for Custom Development (ICM Password Management)

1 GS-35F-

0554M

0015 AS-ICMGREXT ICM for Custom Development (Grade Results Extract)

1 GS-35F-

0554M

0016 AS-ICMRPTSFRMWRK ICM for Report Notification Framework

1 Open Market

0017 AS-TPD-S Training Program Development – Subscription

1 Open Market

0018 AS-LRNMOR-OL Learn More Online - $0.0 per recipient

1 Open Market

0019 AS-GENIUS Blackboard Registration & Management – 25,001

– 50,000 users

1 GS-35F-

0554M

0020 AS-HST-ADDSVU Blackboard Managed Hosting Additional Service Unit – add 7,500 active users, 100 GB, 1 Mbps

3 GS-35F-

0554M

0021 AS-HST-STOR500GB/AS-

ASPADST-08

Blackboard managed Hosting Storage 500 GB

4 GS-35F-

0554M

The awarded total value for the requirement is $1,153,748.66.

This justification will document that the items are essential to the Government’s requirements and that the market research indicates that no other company’s products or brand name meets, or can be modified to meet, the AETC’s requirements.

IDENTIFICATION OF STATUTORY AUTHORITY AND SUPPORTING RATIONALE

The primary statutory authorities for MAS are Title III of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (41 USC 251 ET SEQ), and Title 40 U.S.C. 501, Services for Executive Agencies. To ensure that the Government receives the benefit of previously negotiated pricing, terms, and conditions, competition was limited for in accordance with FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B) – 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.

Orders placed under the Federal Supply Schedules are exempt from the requirements in FAR 6, thus the requirement for full and open competition does not apply in accordance with FAR 8.405-6. The Contracting Officer (CO) completed this justification document for a sole source acquisition by utilizing the format listed in FAR 8.405-6(c). Approvals at the specified levels in accordance with FAR 8.405-6(d)(2) were obtained.

Additionally, the Federal Supply Schedules allows an ordering activity Contracting Officer to add open market items to an individual order for administrative convenience as long as all applicable acquisition regulations pertaining to the purchase of those items have been followed in accordance with FAR 8.402(f). As documented above, several of the required subscriptions are not available on Blackboard’s MAS contract, GS-35F-0554M, and are considered to be open market. As such, the open market contract value is $413,364.68 which represents approximately 36% of the overall contract total. A separate Justification and Approval (J&A) was written and approved to cover the open market portion.

Acquisitions conducted under simplified acquisition procedures are exempt from the requirements in FAR 6 thus the requirement for full and open competition does not apply in the accordance with FAR 8.402(f).

DEMONSTRATION OF THE PROPOSED MANUFACTURER’S UNIQUE

QUALIFICATIONS TO PROVIDE THE REQUIRED SUPPLY OR SERVICE

Air Education and Training Command (AETC) has a requirement to deliver a synchronous and asynchronous distance learning capability to multiple Air Force training organizations. This capability will support technical training, flying training, expeditionary training, professional military education, a four-year university program (the U.S. Air Force Academy), and other higher education and training programs. Users will include students, course developers, administrators, instructors, and registrars.

To meet these requirements, as a subcontractor under a previous contract, Blackboard provided the following integrated components: Blackboard Learn, Blackboard Collaborate, Blackboard Outcomes Assessment, Blackboard Mobile App and the Genius SIS. The service included software licenses, managed hosting in the Blackboard data center, storage for course content and other training data, and periodic software patches for Air Force specific capabilities. The existing Office of Personnel Management (OPM) agreement will expire on 29 Jun 20 and OPM is unable to extend this support. The new task will provide continued access to these existing Blackboard services for a period of 12 months (30 Jun 20 – 29 Jun 21).

If the AETC no longer had access to Blackboard’s above integrated components, their current configuration would have risked being deleted or decommissioned which would be an unacceptable loss of data. This would result in the loss of a critical distance learning capability until a replacement could be procured, tested and deployed. This would interrupt student training across the Air Force and significantly damage warfighter manning and readiness.

Blackboard customized its solutions to support AETC’s technical training, flying training, expeditionary training, professional military education, a four-year university program (the U.S.

Air Force Academy), and other higher education and training programs. These programs are specific to AETC and would require replication by any other potential vendor, which could result in delays or loss of data.

The purchase of continued access to Blackboard’s integrated components is essential to the Government’s need to maintain stability of a synchronous and asynchronous distance learning capability to multiple Air Force training organizations that allow AETC personnel to successfully perform their mission.

DETERMINATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THE ORDER

REPRESENTS THE BEST VALUE

All pricing was found fair and reasonable prior to awarding the Task Order. The Contracting Officer sought price reductions from Blackboard and pricing was reviewed to ensure that pricing and terms were in accordance with Blackboard’s Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract, GS- 35F-0554M.

The Contracting Officer anticipated the use of a variety of price analysis techniques in order to substantiate the price reasonableness of the items requested in the award decision document.

These techniques included requesting recent commercial, Government sales history, and additional pricing data in order to substantiate price reasonableness for both schedule-based and open market items.

DESCRIPTION OF THE MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED AMONG SCHEDULE

HOLDERS AND THE RESULTS

The Contracting Officer posted an RFI on May 27, 2020 for a period of five (5) days. Fifteen

(15) responses of “No Quote” were received and two (2) responses with capability statements were received. Of the two (2) vendors that responded, Blackboard and TechSolnZ LLC, Blackboard is the company currently being used in the capacity of subcontractor by United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command –Learning Services Division.

The customer has stated that their current configuration cannot be deleted or decommissioned to avoid an unacceptable loss of data. While TechSolnZ LLC was a potential source and appeared to have the capability to provide Blackboard software, they would not be the best source to ensure current configurations are not deleted or decommissioned to avoid an unacceptable loss of data. Additionally, the Contracting Officer requested that TechSolnZ provide documentation that they are an authorized dealer/reseller of name brand Blackboard software licenses. The vendor did not respond to the request.

In addition to the above described RFI posting, The Contract Specialist conducted a search on the Interagency Contracting Directory Portal. No results were found.

STATEMENT OF ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE

BARRIERS TO COMPETITION

The Government previously awarded a task order to PowerTrain, Inc. against their IDIQ OPM2615D0001, Order O0095 with Blackboard as the subcontractor. The IDIQ was competed but only one (1) quote was received for the aforementioned subscriptions. Additionally, the Contracting Officer posted an RFI to garner further competition. However, only one other source replied, but could not confirm that they are an authorized dealer/reseller of name brand Blackboard software licenses

Finally, in accordance with FAR 8.405-6(b)(i), this approved combined justification document shall be posted to FedBizOpps within fourteen (14) days after contract award and shall be made publicly available for a minimum of thirty (30) days.

ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORT THE AWARD OF A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT

All facts to support the award of the sole source contract have been identified above.

TECHNICAL/REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION

By signing this justification for a Sole Source Acquisition, the Technical Representative is certifying that they have determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of their knowledge and belief.

6/9/2020

X Gina D. Johnson Gina D. Johnson

Signed by: JOHNSON.GINA.D.1231045186

__________________________________ 9 June 2020 Gina D. Johnson Date Deputy, Learning Services Division

HQ AETC A3G

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION

By signing this justification for a Sole Source Acquisition, the Contracting Officer has determined that the actions taken under this acquisition meet the conditions described in FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B). The information contained in this justification is accurate and complete to the best of the Contracting Officer’s knowledge and belief.

Kara Yosten Date Contracting Officer

Approved By:

Tammy Mattox Date One Level Above Contracting Officer

Regional Counsel Date

Alan Searsy Date Director, Assisted Acquisition Division

COMPETITION ADVOCATE CERTIFICATION

I, the approving authority, determine that the circumstances identified in this document are accurate; therefore, limiting competition to one source under FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B) is justified. The signature below also represents approval of this document.

Mike McDaniel Date Competition Advocate FAS Regional Commissioner’s Office