(P03) 2021 ISAM JA- Final Version Signed 12.2.2020 Redacted.pdf

Control Number: VA-21-00010064

JUSTIFICATION

FOR AN EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Office of Procurement, Acquisition, and Logistics Technology Acquisition Center 23 Christopher Way

Eatontown, NJ 07724

2. Description of Action: The proposed action is for a firm-fixed-price task order to be issued under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) V Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) for the renewal of brand name International Business Machine (IBM) Security Access Manager (SAM) Virtual Edition Software support.

3. Description of the Supplies or Services: The proposed action is for the renewal of maintenance support for three IBM SAM Virtual Edition software subscription packages that are already in use by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with Passport Site #7845100. The three packages consist of: 2100 IBM Security Access Manager Virtual Edition Advanced Access Control Module Add on Software (AOS) per Processor Value Unit Annual SW Subscription & Support Renewal; 2100 IBM Security Access Manager Virtual Edition Federation Module AOS per Processor Value Unit Annual SW Subscription & Support Renewal; and 2100 IBM Security Access Manager Virtual Edition per Processor Value Unit Annual SW Subscription & Support Renewal.

This procurement is in support of the VA Single Sign-On external (SSOe) mission to promote and provide authentication and related services to VA systems and resources to better serve partner applications. The SSOe service is built from commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products (including IBM SAM) and requires continued COTS product technical support, software updates, patches, security fixes, and telephone and support to maintain peak operating condition. This product is currently deployed in the SSOe production, contingency, and lab environments.

The SSOe Service is integrated with over 100 VA applications as well as commercial, Department of Defense (DoD), and federal credential service providers to provide secure access to Veterans, beneficiaries and VA business partners. The IBM SAM software suite performs external authentication required to ensure Veterans, beneficiaries, and VA business partners can conduct business with VA in a secure manner. IBM SAM also proxies external traffic, which improves VA’s security posture and improves the Veteran experience by enabling single sign-on authentication functionality that eliminates the requirement to enter the same logon information in multiple sites when conducting business with VA. The IBM SAM software support renewal required under the proposed action includes access to new product releases and upgrades, 24X7 technical support, and access to the electronic service request submission tool. This action is for software maintenance support only. No software licenses are being renewed and no additional software licenses are being procured as a result of this action. The period of performance is

IBM SAM Software Support Control Number: VA-21-00010064 a 12-month base with two 12-month option periods. The total estimated price of the proposed action, inclusive of the option periods, is $xxx.xx.

4. Statutory Authority: Pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 16.505(a)(4), the following brand name requirement is being justified and approved as an exception to fair opportunity under the statutory authority of Section 41 U.S.C.

4106(c)(2) as implemented by FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B), entitled “Only one awardee is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services ordered are unique or highly specialized”.

5. Rationale Supporting Use of Authority Cited Above: Based on market research, as described in section eight of this justification, it was determined that limited competition is viable among NASA SEWP resellers. The IBM SAM software was used to build the VA SSOe Infrastructure that allows Veterans, Beneficiaries, and VA business partners to securely logon to VA applications with commercial and DoD credentials. As a critical component in the SSOe infrastructure, the IBM SAM subscriptions work in tandem with the IBM Websphere DataPower appliances to provide secure external authentication services for Veterans, Beneficiaries, and VA business partners. In order to ensure continued architectural integrity; protect Veteran, Beneficiaries, and VA business partner data; and ensure optimal performance of the existing subscriptions currently being utilized by VA the renewal of the IBM SAM SW maintenance support is required.

VA is not replacing the IBM SAM software but rather renewing the software maintenance to support existing SW subscriptions. The authentication processes supported by the IBM SAM subscriptions have been tested, integrated, and deployed into SSOe’s non-production and production environments and is not being replaced. No other software is fully interoperable or compatible with the existing IBM software and infrastructure. VA can neither jeopardize Veteran, Beneficiaries, and VA business partner on-line access nor the integrity of the data packet transmissions by potentially procuring incompatible software or software maintenance. Therefore, the only available sources for IBM SAM software license maintenance support are IBM or IBM resellers due to proprietary restrictions. Only IBM or one of its resellers have the proprietary rights to access the fundamental and proprietary elements of the software that are required to provide software maintenance support defined above. A break in maintenance support may jeopardize Veteran access to online benefits if no Vendor support is available to troubleshoot service outages if the occur and places VA at a high risk of not being able to meet business availability and VA security and privacy requirements. Additionally, Veteran data may be at risk if the software does not receive software security patches.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Market research was conducted, details of which are in section 8 of this justification. This effort did not yield any additional sources that can meet the Government's requirements. However, the undersigned VA technical representative determined that limited competition is available among authorized resellers for brand name IBM SAM subscriptions, as well as software maintenance and support. In accordance with FAR 16.505(a)(4)(iii)(A)(1), this justification will be provided with the solicitation to all appropriate NASA SEWP V GWAC holders.

Furthermore, in accordance with FAR 5.301, 16.505(b)(2)(ii)(D), and 16.505(a)(4)(iii), the award notice for this action will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website and this justification will be made publicly available within 14 days of award.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: The Government will continue to conduct market research to ascertain if there are changes in the marketplace that would enable future actions to be competed.

8. Market Research: Market research was conducted in September 2020 by VA technical experts through extensive internet research regarding IBM SAM Virtual Edition software support to determine if other software publishers such as Hewlett Packard (HP) and Cisco were capable of providing maintenance support on the IBM SAM Virtual Edition software. Upon review it was determined that only IBM or IBM resellers have the proprietary rights to access the fundamental and proprietary elements of the software that are required to provide the software maintenance support required.

On October 21, 2020, additional market research was conducted by utilizing the NASA SEWP V GWAC Provider Look-up Tool which confirmed that there are several federal registered partners for IBM on the NASA SEWP V GWAC, including more than two Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs).

Based on the analysis of the response, along with the NASA SEWP V GWAC Provider Look-up Tool results, there is a reasonable expectation that limited competition exists on the NASA SEWP V GWAC for the required IBM SAM Virtual Edition software subscription and support. As a result of the aforementioned market research, VA intends to issue a Request for Quotation targeted to Vendor Information Page (VIP) verified SDVOSB SEWP V Group B(2) GWAC holders.

9. Other Facts: None

10. Technical and Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Name Jerry Wharton Date: 11/18/2020_ _

Title: IT Project Manager Signature:

11/18/2020

X Jerry Wharton

Jerry Wharton

IT Project Manager

Signed by: people

11. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination: I hereby determine that the anticipated price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable.

Contracts awarded on NASA SEWP V GWAC have already been determined to be fair and reasonable. Price competition is anticipated as there are multiple potential vendors on NASA SEWP V GWAC. Finally, the successful quote will be compared to the Independent Government Cost Estimate.

Juan Quinones Date: November 20, 2020

JUAN C. QUINONES Digitally signed by JUAN C.

QUINONES 165185

Procuring Contracting Officer Signature: 165185 Date: 2020.11.20 12:05:32 -05'00'

12. Procuring Contracting Officer Certification: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Juan Quinones Date: November 20, 2020

JUAN C.

Digitally signed by JUAN C.

QUINONES 165185

Procuring Contracting Officer Signature: QUINONES 165185 Date: 2020.11.20 12:05:53 -05'00'

Approval

In my role as procuring activity Advocate for Competition, based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the acquisition of IBM SAM Virtual Edition Software Support on an other than fair opportunity basis pursuant to the authority cited in Section 4 above, subject to availability of funds, and provided that the services herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

12/2/20

PHILIP J

WECKESSER 169809

Digitally signed by PHILIP J

WECKESSER 169809

Date: 2020.12.02 11:21:16 -05'00'

Date: Signature: _ _ Philip Weckesser Advocate for Competition Technology Acquisition Center

Office of Procurement, Acquisition, and Logistics